Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-02-09

serious difficulty. lie has not
seen the Federal tsx-gathercr in
his ncighborhood. Nobody has de-
manded taxes from him or his
nvighbors 50 far as hc knows, and
yet somebody must necessarily pay
the taxes. He recalls the wonder
full industrial development of his
country. He remembers to have
heard and read of the fabulous for
tunes which in recent years hid
been accumulated in America.
The marvellous growth of wealth,
as wonderful to him as the story of
Aladdin's cave, would seem to fur
niSh him with clew to the way in
which the taxes were paid. What
an easy matter and how bcncficent
it would be if the owners of all this
wealth paid the taxes and relieved
the poor from the burdens of gov
eminent. This pleasing illusion
il soon dispellcd in the progress of
his investigations. He is not long
in learning that accumulated
wealth had eluded the tax-gather-
er. The great fact soon breaks in
upon his intellectual vision, and he
knows that all property not con-
sumed in its use is practically re-
lievcd from Federal taxation. At
ter awhile he graasps in all its mag
nitude the fact that the accumula-
ted billions, made secure to their
Iowners under the American flag,
contributes not one cent to the
vast sum OF taxes which the Gov
eminent annually wrings from the
people. Brought to a full realiza,
ton of this situation, with hands
toughencd by toll and face bcgrim
med by sweat in the honest effort
to feed and clothe his family, he
Indignantly asks of those intrusted
with the administration of the
Governments to tell him where the
vast sums of money come from
which it annually receives and ex.
ponds. He is informed that alb ,ut
$780, 100000 comes annually from
taxes levied on distillers, brewers
and manufacturers of Tobacco.
At first he concludes that this i.
excessive, but he soon learns that
the taxes thus paid in the first
instance by the distillcrs, brewers
t and manufacturers of tobacco. ar,
by them added to the price al
which the articles are sold to the
public, and that the consumers re
i, ally and in a point of fact pa,
: them. He very justly reasons tt
: the conclusion that while these tax
are heavy, they are imposed OF
|uxuries which may be dispense
: with. people are Obliged to hay.
clothing and other articles of ne
: cessity, but they are not obliged tc
have liquor or tobacco. SO he nc
qulcsces in these taxes. lie is ais,
Informed that taxes arc imposed OF
; goods and merchandise importet
into thiscountry from foreign coun
tries. 1t is explained to him tina
the manufacturers arc required t,
, land their cargo.s under the super
vision oftax gatherers, called "cus
5 tom-housc officials" and to pay
certain tax called "tarilf duties
imposed thereon. These take
! amount annually to more thar
r S200,000,000.
The importers, like the distlller
I brewers, and manufacturers of to
bacco in the first instance pay tn
u taxes, and then when the goodsar
i sold to the American people tn
taxes are added and returned to tn
: importer in the price which tn
consumers pay. He ascertain
l that all goods made OF earth orglas
, pay an average tax of Stag ne
r cent; all goods made of metal. Ia,
: $3.50 per cent; all goods made q
/ cotton, tax of 55.25 per cent; al
goods made of flax, hemp, and jutc
y a tax of 45 per cent: all goods mad
y of wool, tax of 1888 per cent, an,
SO on through the list of prime nc
q cessities. He is brought face to fac
l with the fact that the masses VIII
n buy and consume these goods pa,
/ the taxes, and he begins to rcaliz
c the injustice of wringing from then