The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-02-14
A REPUBLICAN EDITOR
Who Partially knows What Ais
the Farmers

the FarmerA
We COMMEND MS WORDS 10 THE POST.
VILE REVIEW ASD re 1LK.
The editor Of the Spring Valley
viiette seems to have discovered
oil at once that under the republican
regime tux burdens ere SO arranged
that they are borne exclusively by
farmers and the laboring classes,
and 1t assigns thi. rs the reason
why farmers arc so debt ridden. 1t
says:
III the consumer lights match,
smokes a cigar, drinks cup OF COT
fee or tea, uses a pound OF sugar,
drives d nail, builds a rod OF fence,
plows furrow, salts down hog or
buys o coffin, he pays an internal
revenue tax, or a certain per ccntum
OF the public debt, then and there.
Everything we touch Is taxed. From
the shirt on our back to the shoes
on our fetal are taxed. Tnxes
are rs omnipresent a the essence OF
death. Is it any wonder then that
after paying the annual taxes, coun-.
ty, state and national, that the farm
ers OF Spring Valley are SO poor?
The marvel is that they are not
poorer"
THE past teaches US TINT the
forces OF production are SO hamper
ed and shuckled that the loss OF .
"corn crop occasions financial con-
vulsions. and seriously disturbs bust
ness channels, and brings on stag
nation and all its kindred evils"
Taxation is the worlds curse! II
breeds communism, nihilism and
Sandlotism. It has taken Ireland
by the throat and thrown her bleed
Ing, enslaved and robbed. a. the
feet Of the British Lion. It makes
the poor poorer and the rich richer
The "curse" or taxation, agains,
which the Videttc rails. consists IN
it's inequality. II all property and
capital bore Its just proportion Of
the taxes necessarily imposed for
the support Of the government, mu-
nicipal, state and national. what
now seems mountain on the shout
dcrs OF labor would seem rs 4 fly
speck In comparison. Corporate
wealth In possession OF few thous.
and individuals, aggregating nearly
one-hnlf Of all the wealth OF the
country and SO protected rs to alb.
sorb most OF tho products Of labor
is almost entirely exempt from every
species Of taxation. The republican
purity has bent legislation In every
department OF the government
for its protection while relieving
capital OF the burdens imposed
The true theory Of government or
the subject OF taxation is that prop.
erty and not labor should bear its
burdens. So far rs the support oil
the federal government is concerned
no tax Is so just and equitable as
that imposed aron incomes. From
1868 to 1870, it was the most efflci.
ent, the cheapest in cost OF collec.
ton, and derived from the fewest
people and brought the largest re-
suits OF any tax ever imposed in this
country. In 1865 it gave a revenue
Of $65, 100000 at cost for collection
Of two per cent. 100000, people now
almost exempt from all taxes paying
1t. A like tax upon the same class
now would raise revenue enough for
Federal government from less
number OF persons and without pro-
ducing embarrassment or gripping
needed means OF subsistence. Then
stocks, notes, bonds and mortgages,
wealth and all Its evidences in the
possession OF capitalists should be
taxed or cancelled in law by cutting
of all means OF enforcing collection
where taxation has beer evaded.
When the Vidette is prepared to
grasp the question in all its magni-
tude and demand for the people alb
solate relief, it had better put its
house in order to bid good bye to
the g. o. r. which has organized the
robbery OF which it complains.