Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-04-25

millions annually, that will be only
two and n half dollars FIR each man
woman and child Our whole Fed
eral taxation, levied directly, is only
about five dollars. each year for each
person. The gross sum of all nation
al, State, county and municipal taxa
tion is estimated in our last census TO
have been in 1880 some 700 millions
of dollars, or more than twice our
Federal taxes, and about $l4 per cap.
ita for each person engaged in gain
full business. The average annual
product of each person was estimated
at only $500, and so he pays s per
cent of all in taxes. Only one per-
son in three is engaged in gainful
occupation, and so three persons must
live on $500 year less taxes, or $3.50
which is about 45l cents day for
each.
There is terrible significance in
figures when they are true. Our whole
annual product is estimated at only
about 10000 millions of dollars. Out
of it, all must live, and out of it near
ly all savings must come. About five
cents day is estimated as the meas
ure of the average saving of each one.
Prosperity or adversely depends on
these little sums. Half q cent q day
from our present annual taxation of
700 millions would stop one-seventh
of the whole. A cent day to each
person separates national prosperity
from national adversely. AS it is now
each person must be, on an average,
subsisted, sheltered and clad on 40
cents a day. The annual production
permits no more.
In that view, we get glimpse of
what superfuous taxes, amounting to
lob millions year means.
All our taxation, whether on whis-
ky, or salt, or potatoes, falls on con-
sumers in the ratio of their consump-
ton. Producers and importers are
only agents to pay the tax and collect
it from consumers. Heavy taxes are
easily borne by the rich, and even by
those of moderate incomes. But they
are terrible for workingman with a
large family of children, wherein more
taxed articles may be consumed than
in rich mans family.
A tax on consumption may levy
the heaviest tax on family with no
property or savings whatever. Such
a tax finds one poor and keeps him
poor. Our property must be protect
ed, our liberties guarded and crime
suppressed, but no Government has a
natural right to tax for anything else.
Certainly not for surplus.
Our present taxes fall not on the
property we have, but on what we
consume, and right there are they so
cruel to workingmen. A poor man
requires as much wooden clothing to
keep him warm as a rich man, mar
ried men as bachelors, him with child
rem as the childless. Mr.. Jay Gould
need not pay any more taxes under a
protective tariff than mechanic.
Our tariff levies higher rates Oh food,
and shelter than on dia-
monds.
If our workingmen only knew what
a sum each year, week and day is
taken out of them by our present tar
if taxes, the Government could never
collect them. Those who vindicated
them would be victims of mob vio-
|ence. 1t is the insidious way of levy
ing them by empowering the manu-
facturers to tax by increased prices
which alone prevents uprising and
riots against our surperfuous taxes.
But that does not and cannot ex-
cuse our Congressman from extirpat-
ing the immense surplus. 1t compels
hem to quick action.-N. Y. Star.