The examiner., 1882-03-04
The Invisible Tax-Gath.
eHer.

The visible tax-gatherer calls upon the farmer and demands @ specific sun. The farmer sees and feels that tax. He realizes it, for it is taken from the sav- ings of his hard toll. He feels it, for he has little evidence of valuable con- sideration. The burden increases from year to year, and he begins to feel that it is becoming unbsarable.
 But there is another tax gatherer and another tax burden, which he feels' though he sees not the hand that robs him, hears not the voice that demands his money, and is unconscious of the manner and means employed to extort it from him.
 The invisible tax gatherer enters his house silently, while he goes deeper into his pockets than the visible. Every bushel of grain, ton of hay, pound of meat or gallon of milk that he sells is taxed from ten to twenty five per cent. by the railroal tax eatherer who makes the purchase. Every thing he sells is discounted 10 pay dividend tax on watered railroad. and bank stock.
 For every dollar he lays the visible tax-gatherer he pays ten to the invisi- ble.
 He is taxed to pay the princely sal aries of railroad and bank officials.
 He is taxed to pay interest on $2,- 500, O00,O of railroad indebtedness.
 He is taxed to pay premium divi- dends on $2,5oO, 900, 900 of watered railroad stock.
 He is taxed to pay eight to 100 per cent. on $45O, 900. GOO. of bank stock.
 He is taxed to construct and equip magnificent railroad and bank build ings.
 He is taxed to pay for all railroad &C., cidents and damages.
 He is taxed to impoverish hment to make railroad and bank millionaires.
 All the wealth of the Wander bilts, Goulds and Stanfords and their class, was first assessed against inc farmers and aftelward collect by the invisi- O1o LhA- SaIu0TSrs
 They are also taxed for corruption mon ey to bribe legislatures, subsidize newspapers and to pay an extravagant lobby to secure legislation to further increase their tax burdens.
 Every stock and grain buyer is a tax gather for the banks and railroads. Every grocer and merchant is tax gatherer, who adds his railroad, land lord and bank tax to the rrice of his goods and wares, and o.lects them of the farm CT under the head of "market price," while the latter is u1 conscious of the fact that he is paying it. These items are of vital interest o the farmer and of far more importance to his vel fare than the success of Dc mocracy or Rspublicanism.
 The invisible tax -gatherer is sneak thief. He comes under false guise and robs in the name of justice and civilization. He is carefully disguised or kept out of sight by his employers, while the attention of his victims are diverted from his actual depredations by the political Fire Fire!" cry of partisan demagogues in the interest of robber chiefs. D. c. Cloud, of Iowa, once secretary of state, in his work on monopolies, says:
 Corn. worth from sixty to seventy cents in New York, is worth only fifteen to twenty-five in Iowa, two-thirds of it's Eastern value being absrrbed in trans portation charges. Wheat worth from $1 50 to $2.0e in New Yolk, is worth but ninety cents to $125 in Iowa for the same cause, and that fifteen cents per bushel will amply reward transpor- tation from Iowa to New York. Take fifteen cents per bushel from the New York price would leave forty-five to sixty five cents per bushel to the farmer for his corn, instead of fifteen to twen- ty-fve, and $1.35 to S185 for his wheat instead of ninety cents to $1.25."
 So 1t is, when the visible tax-gatherer presents his bill for one quarter cent per bushel as the farmers average corn and wheat tax, the latter receives the money from the invisible taxpayer by paying him bonus of from forty to sixty cents bushel without realizing that he is being robbed. Then ask him, " What are your politics? "Oh, I'm a Democrat, dyed-in-the-woo1," or, "I'm stanch Republican, and don't you forget it." Thus corporations and monopolies are growing rich and power ful, while labor and production are being robbed, weakened and bound hand and foot Chicago Express. .s.