Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-10-19
nth was as follows

| Arkansas. 261 1856 l02, 9S3
Tennessee ..... ,49S 1864
Total 1885 1861, 776
When the war closed, the collec-
ton of this tax South was begun,
and continued until July, 1866, when
Congress passed an act suspending
further collection until January /,
1869. No effort has been made to
collect any portion of this tax since
1866, but, not satisfied with this gen.
erous and magnanimous forbearance
on the part of the Government, it is
now proposed by Mr.. Scales, to re-
fund to the taxpayers the 81, 1922
100 collected, alleging as reasons that
said taxes sfwere taken from peo-
pie greatly impoverished by the war,
and wholly unable to pay the same.
and that the burdens of taxation
may be made equal, and that all the
people alike in said States may be
equally relieved by the act OF sus-
pension" i seems not to have DC
CURED to these selfish ecOnom Is
that there remains still another sin
crisis that demanded this assessment
that is not relieved by the bill 10
question. Not only did the 10y
people of the North pay the bulk of
the twenty millions assessment, but
mortgaged their property and their
sacred honor for two thousand six
hundred millions more, and gave the
priceless lives of half million of
their bravest sons to save the Union
from destruction by those who are
now asking for this relief. Who
will repay their taxes and repair
their losses? BY what system of
equity and justice are they to be in
demnified ?
THE COTTON TAX JOB.
Akin to this measure is the scheme
to refund the tax collected on raw
cotton in the Gulf States during the
years 1865-'66-'67 when the law
under which it was levied was re-
pealed. The aggregate amount of
this tax, as appears by the books in
the Treasury Department, is $685.
072,OSS.
For several years past determine
ed combination has been at work to
secure the refundiDg of this tax. AT
| first steps were taken to test it's con-
stitutionality in the Supreme Court
of the United States, but in the de-
cision of the case the court stood
equally divided in opinion, which in
effect affirmed the law. Then raid
was organized 10 push the scheme
through Congress, and Jealous South
ern Representatives have We'd with
one another TO secure this appeasing
act Of plunder for the qualification of
| their anxious constituents.
HOW IT WOULD WORK.
Ostensbly the bill FL. R. 232) pro-
poses to refund the tax to the par
ties who actually produced the cot
ton," but in fact it is gigantic job
of lobbyists and spectators who
have managed to get nearly all OF
the original claims into their own
hands by agreeing TO pay a trifing
per cent. on their face value if the
bill should become q law. The i'm
mense sum to be refunded and the
cheapness of the purchased claims,
with the encouragement offered in
Congress, make this the most popu-
lar scheme for the lobby ring how
pending, and its final passage may
be accepted as certain if the South
gets possession of Congress.
The present plan proposes to issue
bonds Of the United States in sums
of one hundred, five hundred and one
thousand dollars, payable at the
Treasury of the United States to
bearer at the end of thirty years from
date, in gold, bearing interest at the
rate of FIVE per centum per annum,
payable semi annually in gold. The
annual interest on this sum would be
| So, 4o3, 6l9, and in thirty years would
aggregate Slo2, 10s,57o, thus swelling
the claim, principal and accumulated
interest, to the enormous amount Of
$40, 1s0,958.
This is demand No. 2, 10 relieve al
impoverished people, equalize the bur
deps of taxation, and make loyalty en-
| durable!
SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
But there is another class of de-
mands compared with which the fore
going might be regarded as the rea
luxuries. These comprise the rebe
losses during the war.
| Under an act of Congress, approx
ed March 8, 1871, the "Southerr
Claims Commission" was created and
empowered to ''rcceive, examine, ano