Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-12-13
Liquor to pay our Taxes.

Liquor 10 pay our 1aXeS.
One of the most readable things late.
ly given to the public is James G.
Blaine's letter to the Philadelphia
Press, wherein he explains fully his
proposition to continue the internal
revenue tax on liquors and to divide
the entire net receipts amongst the
states and territories in proportion to
their population.
The amount received by the general
government from this source last year
was over eighty-six millions Of dollars,
which on the basis of the census Of
1880 amounts to about 81 rs per capita
to all the people.
The aggregate of all state taxes
amounts to but ffty-two millions Of
dollars and there would consequently
be remaining thirty.four millions Of
dollars to apply to county taxes. AS
each state would receive an amount in
proportion to population and as the tax
rate differs very much, from the high
est to the lowest, in the states, it is
shown that the amount received would
exceed the amount now levied by the
states, in every one except five, Louisi-
ana, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and
California. In ten states it would not
only pay the state levy but also the
county levies, entire.
Maryland is not unfortunate enough
to belong to the first of these lists, nor
yet so fortunate as to come in with the
second, but after paying the amount
now collected by this state, out of her
proportion of this liquor revenue, she
would have left seven hundred and sew
enty-three thousand dollars to apply to
the payment of county taxes. Mary
lands proportionate amount of the
eighty-six millions would be one mil
lion six hundred and thirty-four thou
sand dollars.
The argument is, that state and coun-
ty taxes are the most distressing, being
direct taxation, while the revenue as
now derived from spirituous and malt
liquors are indirect and are willingly
paid by the consumer that inasmuch
as the present revenues of the gener-
al government show such a large bal
ance or surplus, for which in sever
al years there will be no possible place,
as in four years every government bond
that is aaue will have been paid, the re-
ceipts of the government from duties
and from internal revenue must be les
sened that while states and counties
are suffering from direct taxation it
seems to be folly to repeal the tax on
liquors and to allow the first mentioned
onerous taxes to be paid that if one
or the other tax is to remain, that on
whiskey, or that on farms, homes and
workshops that it should be the former.
After careful reading of the letter
we have concluded that the temperance
folks cannot object to it on the ground
that because it is taxed, it will be used
in larger quantities. the anti-temper-
ance folks cannot object to it, because,
if they are worth property, real or per-
sonal, it lowers or entirely pays their
taxes, which is a business view Of it
and they decline to take moral view.
The only one that it affects is the
drinker, because to him it becomes
direct tax and as he has it within his
power to decline to levy the tax, his
opinion on the question should not be
taken.
The only danger that we see in the
suggestions is that, with so great an
amount of money donated annually for
state and county purposes, the DISPOSE
ton would be to find place for it in
great measure by the increase of Of
fetal salaries and of the Offices and
that in all probability the tax rate
would not be materially lowered and
that the emoluments of office would
attract from legitimate business the at
tention of many more to be added to
the already large list.
We imagine that with Frederick
county's proportion of the $4,000
surplus over and above the state taxa
tlonin Maryland, We would have things
\done on so grand scale in Frederick,
What we would feel very big when we
Aot out Of the county, but very small
when we got into Frederick City, I'M
le1S 1rnnn1at there as an officer. Our
Gu|a then probably be
4 secure the re-