The daily gazette., 1878-10-25


His argument, however, proves it. Sh,
sucks the blood of other States for he
own benefit, and complaining still, Will,
she also makes Congress add to hel
plethoric purse by higher duties. A State
that is so favored by climate, soil and
nature, with her coal, iron and oil, ought
to be ashamed to ask for protection from
States like little Delaware. But she does
in brazen violence of any shame. We
make the following extract of Senator
Wallace's speech, with the comments
thereon, from the Philadelphia Record
of to-day
'Senator Wallace, in his remarks upon
indirect taxation during his speech at
Concert Hall on Wednesday, hit upon a
topic which has more than passing IN
terest for the people of Pennsylvania
The policy of indirect taxation has two
things to recommend 1t !: First, such a
taxation is cheaply collected secondly,
II is patiently borne. 1t is cheaply COL
lected because ii is obtained in gross
sums by few officers stationed at Gus
tom Houses forgeneral Government, and
from few corporations by the State
Government. 1t is patiently borne be-
cause 1t is taken, us vampire takes
blood, unconsciously TO the loser. The
tax Is added to the prices of the COM
modities which go through the custom
houses by the owners of these commodi-
ties, and the collection is imposed upon
the merchants who distribute the com
modities TO buyers. The corporations.
in like manner, add their taxes to the
charges for services collected from their
customers. As the merchant does not 90
10 the trouble of informing himself or of
telling his customers how much of the
price of his goods is due to tax and how
much to other causes or services, the dis
tlnction between what Is tax and what is
not is soon lost. The man who buys a
coat for himself or a gown for his wife is,
therefore, ignorant of what part of his
outlay arises from the burden of Gov
ernment and what part goes to the deal
er. So, also, if he purchases a ton of
coal he does not know how much of his
money goes to the State, nor how much
Is retained by various other agents whose
united services bring it to his door.
IL Is evident that system of this kind
where the connection is so completely
brokeu between the layer OF taxes and
the payer Of taxes, is liable to the gravest
abuse. Money easily spent. Penns, l. /
vanla has thrown the whole burden of
taxation upon corporations, and the
authors of the policy make the silly
boast that she has thus been enabled 10
relieve the property Of individuals from
State levies.
Where it is possible to do so, the cor
porations regather the tax laid upon them
Ill added charges, treights and commits
slons. But there are cases where the
taxes cannot be so easily regathered.-
Corporations which are working in sharn
rivalry with untaXed competitors in other
States must either lose the amounts col
lected from them or seek some danger
"as means of reimbursement. As Sena-
tor Wallace says
"What is the result if man or a com
pany can go to Delaware and be free
from taxation? He will quickly leave
your borders. Is this not the reason
why grass is growing before the buildings
of some of your richest corporations? If
-he corporations cannot live here they
move outside of the State, or else they
AXE the other tack and put the burden
Oh the laboring maR by reducing his
wages. Our policy ought TO be TO make |
this great State of ours the workshop of |
The country; but, with the great tax i'm
posed ON your manufacturers, Philadel-
phla Will not be able to compete with a
small town outside of the State. Look
At the tax on coal. Three cents per ton
IS paid to the State on the very article
that susi aims your industries. Look at
Cumberland, Md. We cannot compete
with them. They can undersell us in
New York, although our line is shorter.
Thus you see thai this raw material is
taxed until it becomes curse"
May not the boasted immunity which
IS obtained by taxing corporations solely
Tor the support of the State Government
be dear purchase Does it not add to
our burdens that their collection is fore
Elk upon irresponsible agencies? Does it
not discourage legitimate enterprise with
IN our borders TO meet it with discrimi-
lions and disabilities which can be avoid
ed by locating outside of our borders /? |
The policy of indirect taxation in its an
plication TO State affairs is open to the
gravest objection.