The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-01-23
THE WORST GRIEVANCE OF THE
FARMER.

But the worst and most palpable grlev-
ance which the farmer has is the Gov
ernment bond. Every holder Of such a
bond is constant source of irritation In
a community, because he pays no tax on
it. A man may be worth half million
of dollars, but if it all be invested in
Governments he need not pay cent for
roads, schools or the support OF the poor,
or for interest on the municipal debts, or
for any local purpose whatever. That
such taxes are deducted or paid or dis,
counted in the low rate of interest which
the bonds pay the average farmer can
neither be made to comprehend nor to
believe, and thus grows up a bitter feel
ing of hostility against bondholders. The
peril was foreseen and some public men
tried to avert it in 1870 when the Fund
ing law was enacted. Senator Bayard
proposed needed amendment, and ad-
voCated it in these thoughtful words:
mo one, believe, pretends that 1t is
within the power of any State, city or
other local authority in the United States
to tax such issues of the United States
Government. But, sir, there is nation.
al principle which will simply advert
to which | think is violated by this pro-
vision of the bill. 1t is that every por-
ton ofthe country's property should bear
it's fair share of the public burdens. Be
fore the late revolution no laws author
iziDg Government bonds contained any
such provision as this. 1t is something
new, and, however we'll intended in the
way of increasing the price of the bonds,
it certainly is open to the grave ohjec-
ton make. 1t is perfectly plain that
in case of a foreign war, or any 9TH
er cause for great national expenditure,
this 81, 200 100000 of the amassed capital
invested in the debt of the country is to
be totally exempt from any share of the
expense of protecting itself. We have
lived in times of emergency and sorrow
in this land when men were from their
poverty consCripted to enter the armies
of the United States. And, sir, | consid-
er it most manifestly unjust-the state
ment of the proposition cannot be
strengthened by argument-that this
money capital of the country is to be ex-
empt from the burden Of taxation while
the people may have life itself taken
from them in the national defense"
When the vote was taken these were
the only Senators who voted "yea :"
Bayard, Boreman, Casserly, Cole, Har.
Ian, Johnston, MGCreery, Pomeroy, Pratt,
Sprague, Stockton, Thurman, Wiley and
Wilson-14.
Those who voted may" were more
and are recorded thus
Buckingham, Cameron Chandler Cor.
bett, Drake, Fenton, Ferry, Fowler,
Harris, Howard, Howell, Kel.
legg, Mcdonald, Morrill, of Vermont, 0s.
born, Ramsey, Revels, Rose, Sawyer,
Schurz, Scott, Sherman Stewart, Sumner,
Upton, Trumbull, Warner and Will
iams-29.
Twenty.six Senators, among whom
we're Anthony, Conklipg, Edmunds and
Morton, by an extraordinary coinci-
lence, at the very moment when Sena-
.or Bayard's summons went out, expert
snced sudden and alarming call to the
cloak room, and like tie busts of Brutus
Ind Cassius shone on the rolls only by
heir absence. Is it not clear that what
The country now needs is Democratic
President to initiate through the Execu-
i've proper system of taxation upon
which the Democratic Legislature may
Lct Pm. Y, World,