The Colfax chronicle., 1892-01-02

The consequent difficulty Of obtaining
i, whether in the form 81 duty to the
or a profit by the maker or
ssller. The higher the duty demanded
by the government, the more capital
will be required to prepare the article
for the purchaser. and as the govern'
ment duty has diminished the sale, .
larger profit on a smaller sale will be
required to femunerate the capitalist
for investment, hence the consumer has
to pay a sort of treble tax; the govern
meut tax, the extra capital tax and the
tax consequent on diminished sale. APP
ply this rule to any taxed article you
choose-cloths, coal, tea, coffee, lace,
silks, knives, etc, etc. Now the dimir.
ished use throws the workman out OF
employment overstocks the labor mar
ket, lowers wages, causes pauperism
and the vices consequent or Incidence,
or the want of healthy excitement We
must do something bad or good; then
let us give every encouragement TO do
ing good
Let us now consider the consequence
Of laying all the taxes on land. The
landholder would then have SO much
less interest in keeping the land by tho
extra amount of taxes levied on It, To
make it equally profitable, 1t must be
better cultivated, and II they can not
or will not do it themselves, it will be
their interest to sell it, or hire the cul'
tivation to be done. This will give eni'
ployment and food, instead of diminish
ing them, as in the taxing of personal
property. Look at the dreadful condi-
ton of France at the present moment
Thousands of her heroic sons digging
up stones in one part of the streets and
removing them to another, just to keep
the people from anarchyl Will this
give permanent and profitable employ
ment to the unemployed? Is this the
way to tighten the burden OF taxation
and make it easy for the taxpayer?
Who can foresee the poverty. the bank
ruptcy, the misery. the crime, that
follow the continuance of such course?
The workmen now look to government
for employment and wages How can
the wages be continued without the
land being made productive? How can
the land be made productive without
the requisite labor? Then why not
make it the interest of landholders to
have the land cultivated by laying all
the taxes on the land, and thus throw
the speculation in personal property?
What care we how much personal prop
erty any one has, If we have the use OF
the land to make the same for our
selves? If the legitimate landholders
are wise, they will see to this before
the workmen assert their claim to tue
soil, and enforce it by arms
, Ought taxes to be raised In such
1 way as to encourage industry? Now,
: if two persons own equal quantities Of
land, say eighty acres each, ONE puts
thousand. dollars worth Of improve
ment on his land, the other one hun
: dred dollars, the improvements arr
$ taxed according to their value; conse
y uuently the one who has made thou
> sand dollars improvement has ten time
i the taxes to pay for industry that th'
other has to paw for his Incidence. Doe
{ not the Industrious man pay of the idl
- mans taxes? As they each occupy Al
equally valuable portion of land. VIII
+ should they not contribute equally TO
i its use, to defrsy the necessary expense
= of government?
3 Let us look at the economy. On
"a valuation. less difficult than valuin
. what personal property you can fine
70 would suffice. No one would be intel
D. ested in denying what belonged to hin
10 We have now several valuations fo
different taxes; / think three, with q
ie MANY different sets of officers to pa.
T. which is inquisitorial and vexatious.
u. Now, as to the moral results Thege
oi ting rid of paying tax by smugglin
0. or false swearing seems almost consi'
Oh cred smart, which lessons respect Il
In all law and honesty. Three of our pri
y cipal merchants swore off their pc
III sonal tax last year, others have to pa
nc their tax, which encourages them to
ca the same, till the habits of all becon
p more corrupt. One OF the three me
, chants got up a petition this year to
~ low the merchants to swear of VIII
ne goods they owed for, SO that while Il
o' owner of house must pay his ia
y. though he owes the full amount OF
III the merchant may evade the tax
er- swearing he owes for his goods
re, Please, as soon as convenient, obli
iu us with your. views on this subje'
en Right or wrong, am anxious to kno
cs' it-Edwin Burgess.
l WE are SO accustomed to power
| = - IL