The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-28
Recent Increase of National Taxation.

The increase in recent years in fedora
expenditures, and consequently in taxation
is also worthy the attention of the Ameri-
can people. Between 1870 and 1SS0 the in
crease in the net ordinary expenditures Of
the federal government, exclusive of inter
ests and payments on the national debt
| (which payments represent the legitimate
continuing burden of the war;, was less
than 4 per cent, or from Sl64, 42l 600 to
Sl69, 600, 900, while the increase during the
same period In population was 30.0S pei
cent. But between 1850 and 1889, inclusive,
the increase in the same class of national
expenditures, Notwithstanding a reduction
in the annual burden of interest of S57,
0O0, 600, was over AZ per cent, while the in
crease in population during these same
years could not have been in excess of 80
per cent, and finally, while between 1890
and 1891 the increase of population will
not be more than 212 per cent, the increase
in expenditure is certain to be at least 80
per cent.
A burden of annual taxation of si6O, 900,
600 on population of %, 10000 is little
over 81 per capita, or 1851 on every fam
lily; but the ultimate burden of system of
indirect taxation on imported commodities
on the final consumer of such commodities
is certainly considerably greater. Recent
Investigations in this matter, instituted in
the English colony Of New Zealand,
where the revenue OF the state derived
mainly from customs taxes on imports col
lected from a sparse population, affords un-
usual facilities for investigation, indicate
that the burden of such taxation is in
creased to the final consumers of the taxed
article to the extent OF at least 80 per cent
In the United States the increment is
probably much greater. The average
burden Of federal taxation for the next
fiscal year will, therefore, certainly be at
least $40 on every family, and promises in
the immediate future to be greater rather
than less. To the man with an income of
$50 per day, or some 5000 per annum, this
is not much, but TO the farmer who is rails
ing and selling corn for 10 cents q bushel,
and to the operators in the great leading
mechanical industries Of the country,
whose annual incomes averages less than
800, it means privati0n.
Keeping in mind the relation which has
thus been proved to exist between taxation
and work, the attention Of the public is
next asked to another striking feature of
the existing policy Of federal taxation.
USE To WHICH THE PEG
PIES MONEY is DIVERTED.
For years a system of taxes, originally
imposed for the purpose of defraying the
expenses of great war, and
have been tolerated for any other purpose,
has been continued. The result has been
that large amount of money, desirable for
the wants of trade, has been withdrawn
from circulation and locked up in the
United States treasury: and for some years
past there has been no way Of releasing it
for public uses except by buying bonds,
and so reducing our public debt On its
face this seems all right, although there Is
no good reason why the present generation
should have the whole burden of our ma
tional debt imposed upon its shoulders. and
future generations, who will in, point Of
and wealth be better able to pay
IL, should be totally exempted. Itdoes not,
seem = good business policy
to take money by taxation from the people,
worth say or 10 per cent. to them
to keep. for the sake Of paying on
bonds drawing only per cent interest
But be this as it may, there has not been
for some years any bonds that the secre-
tary of the treasury could call to pay or re-
deem, at his pleasure; because there have
been none due. And so the only way he
has been able to obtain any bonds for re-