The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1888-10-03
State vs.. Federal Taxes.

pay a tax of about 40 cents a head
For the support of town, county and
State administrations, all put to-
gether, they pay but little more than
81 head. The cost Of the United
States government last year was not
far from 100000, 000--a sum so
big that one can only get an idea of
it by rejecting that it is four times
the value of all the land in North
Carolina; that if in silver dollars
there would be enough to lay FIVE
rows of them around the whole
State, and if in paper dollars, enough
to cover its entire surface; that it is
over 90 taken from the comforts or
necessities Of every man, woman and
child, white and black, in the United
States. North Cardinals share of
this tax is, at 50 head, over Sl0,-
100000.
The home governments dispense
justice, support the public charities,
make the public improvements, ed
ncate our children, project us in our
labor BY day and while We sleep BY
night; in short, do for US all that
men institute governments TO do,
and cost US one dollar a head. The
United States government collects
from Us So a head, or over $4,000
600 in all, and comes in direct con-
tact With US or our interest only in
the ugly shape of internal revenue
tax collectors. To no man, woman
or child, white or black, in North
Carolina is there, ordinarily, any
direct return for this enormous
taxation, save only to the Federal
ofice-holders.
The home governments take the
comparatively small sums required
for their administration by direct
taxes, taxing each man according TO
the value Of his property, imposing
the public burden in exact proper
ton TO the share each individual re-
eeiVes Of public protection. The
enormous taxes collected BY the
United States government are in
direct and paid by consumers, who
pay not according to the benefits
they receive from the government,
but according 10 the products they
consume in living or in making a
living. The millionaire, IL he con-
sumo no more than the day labOrer,
will bear no larger share Of the pub
lie burden. But as men feel direct
taxes more severely, that Is 10 say,
know when they pay them, and how
much, Colonel DOckery and his party
think 10 persuade them that the dol
lar they pay the State government
Is burden and the SIX dollars they
pay the Federal government bless
ing. Exactly! But wecan't see il.
The surplus revenue in the Feder-
al treasury at Washington this year,
it is believed, will amount TO not far
from slJO.OOO.OOO, or about equal
10 ESQ for each man, woman and
child in the Tn ted States. North
Cardinals proportion is s4,250.OOO.
II needs no srguent 10 prove that
North Carolina will gain more By
the reduction Of taxation than by
any direetapprO2riation for improve
ments that |. within the range Of |
probability. Reduce the taxation,
stop wasteful expenditure, and put |
an end tOthis unnecessary accumula-
ton in the public treasury Of the |
millions raised by obIiging the pep
pie 10 uay higher prices for every |
article they consume in living and |
for every article they use in making |
a living. A Democratic Congress |
would stop the waste and re luce the |
taTes, but We have not Democratic |
Federal Senate. The House n Rep
resentatiyes only is Democratic.
IL Is simple impossible. upon any
ground, 10 defend the collection d
such q vast sum Of money from the
people Of the country. Experience
has shown, and has shown for a long
time, that the taxes were largely in
excess Of the real wants Of the goy.