Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-11-16
Over Taxation.
ITS EFFECT ON THE POLITICAL sITUA-
TON

From the American Grocer and Dry Goods Chron-
i icle.I
In 1850 this nation began new expe-
| rience in taxation. We were plunged in
| to life and death struggle for the exis-
tence Of our institutions, and it was the
! beginning Of the most expensive oar CT
modern times, AT the commencement OF
the war (1S6l) the total debt of the United
States Was $50 $50 .s73, and in 1865, When
the army was dlsbauded and War accounts
SETTLED, it reached the enormous sum of
| 81 773 .236.173. As an honorable people,
va WERE bouud to pay the debt dollar for
dollar, with interest, and resolutely did
the nation set to work to do it. The peo-
pie submitted, In order to accomplish the
heTculean task, to the necessary taxation
WishOut nurmur, determined to pl CT
the country's cr' dit as high as that of any
nation in the world. This we succeeded
in doing. and now the credit of the Uni
ted States is not second to that of any
nation upon the globe. This has been &C
complished under the auspices Of the Re-
publican party, which came into power ID
! 1850.
Having paid since 1865 nearly ST. 300, tOO.-
600 of the debt, refunded the balance 50 az
! to reduce the annual interest charge from
$3.50 997 697 to $51 100. or from $429
to s. cents per capita and the country BE-
ing in good financial position, tax payers
naturally thought that this generation had
done it's share of paying what is generally
termed the war debt" especially as the
nation has reduced it's bonded indebted
ness 80 that outstanding bonds are needed
as basis of security for national bank
note circulation aud for the Investment
of trust funds, which cannot we'll be in
vested in other securities. The people
are right in calling halt in taxation,
when tine Government takes from its Cit
lz-ns money worth from six to eight per
cent. interest, for the purpose of paying
off bonds bearing three per cent. interest,
and that are payable at the pleasure of the
Government.
Seemingly the Republican party has not
appreciated the situation, and has shown
little disposition to reduce the taxation
that costly war entailed. Greedilyhave
they held on to "war taxes" notwithstand.
ing an overlooking treasury, knowing
that the reduction Of the national debt
was working positive injury to the ma
ton. Is it any wonder that the thought
has come to the minds of thinking tax
payers that the Republican party, as a
party had fulfilled its MISSION" and that
relief from taxation could not be obtained
while it continued in poWerp In Our
opinion. these reasons, and these alone,
are the true cause of the wonderful
changes that are taking place in the rela-
tive strength of the Republican and Dem
0cratic parties, as shown by the results of
States, and the results of the election IN
Oli) this m oath. 1t m ~ properly be said
with truth that local issues in some degree
contributed in making the great change
wrought in the political situation in New
York and Ohio. We feel assured, how
ever. the great underlying reason is that
the Republican party has driven from Its
ranks thousands upon thousands of tax
paying voters. who think that the relief
demanded from taxation cannot be OBJ
Lained by keeping it IN power. The
relief grudgingly given by the tariff and
revenue tax laws of March, 1888, was fore
ed by tie result Of the fall election of 1882
The Democratic House Of Representatives
should have the greater portion of the
credit of doing that. Even now the Off
evlncs disposition to construe the law of
March, 1888, literally, and in the interest
Of taxpayers, but to disregard and not
carry Out the evident intention of the law,
which was to ''reduce taxation" This
we infer from recent decisions of the
Treasury Department.
Senators and members of Congress. can
you not read 1.-The handwriting on the
wall,' so plain to outsiders, THAT taxa
ton must be brought down to the lowest
point that will simply pay the expenses Of
the Government, provide amply for the in
terest on the debt, and pay for internal
improvements actually needed, and no
more, and that the reduction of the ma.
tional debt must stop for the present ?"
This article is not intended as politi-
cal document in the interest OF the Demo-
cratic party. Our interests are with the |
people Of this great country. and when we
see their vital interests ignored by its rul-
ers, whether they are Republicans or
TO oh.
them.
The Price of Foreign Decorations.
have frequently pointed out in these