The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-02-09
H AN DOMIS MS.

not very large population nearly $780,
600 yearly to keep up its State reputa-
ton aud existence as a county. This
Immense annual collection Of taxes
does not in the least relieve US from
our Federal burdens, which are probs-
bly, more than twice as large. have
not just now at hand the means and
time to approximate, with desirable
accuracy. our share in the taxes levied
by Congress. They are, and always
have beeI, a..blind and deception, and
are purposely made so. The first tariff
laws ever enacted had this view. They
first met with great opposition by our
sturdy English ancestors, and are yet
SO " odious" in England that even In
the Russian war, Gladstone did not
dare to raise more than three million
pounds by duties on imports. Hesaid
the British would not stand it.
Perhaps 1 ought to hesitate, but |
am about to state that the whole
amount of Federal and State taxation
upon the inhabitants of PortageCounty
is not much below one million of dol
lars yearly. And this has nothing to
do with taxes for the support of re
iigion, another large sum, chiefly en-
ployed to reconcile people to the rich
inheritance which has fallen to them
a la MOhammed.
This money is primarily mostly
raised and paid by farmers. If other
GLASSES contribute anything they get
the means to do it, after ali, from the
farmer. Like a man, he sweats, and
whistles, and hands it over; often
after burying two or three wives, he
also hands over the farm he has made
of q wilderness, and surrenders his
homestead sud bis life to boot. His
heirs, in packing up the remnants
and looking for new location and
country, or a lease ln tenRutry, are
commanded to be duly thankful
Many years ago, in the old Portage
Sentinel. this subject was somewhat
elucidated in several articles. under
the heads of " Sheriff. Sales are mostly
Tax Sales" Debts are composed
largely of Taxes" At that time both
direct and indirect taxation was much
less than it is now. But they were
worthy of attention then, and our
people were more vigilsnt than now.
Our once Alphonzo said the articles
forr kn h hi rot oinh HI
into the evils of indirect taxation.
That grand old lawyer. Blackstone,
at first seemed to sicken with the 6rst
tariffs. but at length yielded and said
they were :" sn admirable SYSTEM" for
collecting money from q people with
out their knowing it. The tax vas
hid in the price, and the merchant
became q public officer without ,ap.
pointment Or election. He became the
government collector and treasurer,
and fixed his own salary and paid
himself with his per cent. of profit. In
this way they often became princes,
placed the country under heavy mort
Cages, and were able to give the gov.
eminent, in sudden emergencies, q
strong and vigorous support,
The impressions frst made upon
our mind in studying the subject of
Tariffs have never been erased. If
any fraud whatever deepened into
crime. it is the fraud of tariff taxation.
A certain finding of the amount of
money raised by this means and Its
distribution, would result in immedi.
ate insurrection, or instantaneous re.
peal. !
Please excuse me if extend my re.
Elections step farther. I acknowl.
edge that ought to be at work on the
farm. But it rains today-and the
benificent government under which
we live may feel at ease, as my yearly
stpends are all paid.
Farmers meetings are becoming |
more frequent than at any former time
in American history. Questions are
reports read, statistics showp
and interest manifested which prom.
ses somewhat towards better condi.
ion for the tiller of the soil, and dis
placement of some of the parasites that
eed on him. But am not hopeful.
have the husbandmen slept
md the enemy have sowed tares.u
Dur crop is not yet harvested or clean.
I'd. Theestinlation of gardening aud
agriculture is not as high in this
as it has been in China, or
vas in the days of Baby lon, or Egypt,
n Rome, or Northern Africa. One
nan in Carthage wrote % volumes on
Agriculture. He must have had ma
erials and experience at hand, to have
o much to say and he must have had
Interested hearers and readers, or he
would not have written so much. Who
las anything better to say than Virgil
lid more than two thousand wears
go. on the subject of bees, the raising
f sheep and heros, and farming gen.
rally? Who can improve on what
1esoid, still more remote, wrote on
he general conduct of life, and for the
aost part on agriculture ? His greatest
oem, Works and Days" was com.
osed to teach q young farmer how to
void litigation, how to live a life of l
lbor as the only source of permanent
how to ship his corn and
'ine and make gains, how to look out
'r wife and marry, and how to keep
le tongue from idle and provoking
ords, and preserve a certain purity
character.
And yet the Dark Ages have howled =.
'er all those bright pages and places
nee, and still do to great extent. =
DEMoCRITUs. :.
By unanimous vote the u. 8 Sen.
Q passed the resolution introduced =
7 Senator Hoar for a constitutional -
to change the term of the ;. "
resident of the United States, Vice =
resident, and Representatives in
)ngresS to make the same bevin IN