Year: 1868

Congress and the Manufncturers' Bill
Unequal and Reckless Legislation.


| Congress, in its reckless legislation for party
purposes and political ends, is preparing the
way for reputation on one hand while it
! is sapping the constitutional foundation of the
government on the other. Regardless of the
necessities of the Treasury or the demand Of
the public creditor, it is taking off sixty millions
or more Of taxes on manufactures without
making any corresponding reduction in expen-
ditures. Mr. McCulloch, in a letter addressed
| to Senator Sherman on the subject, says that
this reduction in the revenue, together with the
abolition of the tax on cotton, and the effect of
these acts on foreign importations, will reduce
| the revenue from hundred to hundred and
| twenty millions below the estimates of the last
| annual report. At the same time we see the
| Freedmen's Bureau is to be continued, feeding
lazy negroes at the expense of the taxpayers,
| and other expenses in the several departments
are to be kept up on magnificent scale. The
consequence will be, as the Secretary of the
Treasury says, the revenues of the government
for the next fiscal year will be insufficient to
meet current expenses and the interest on the
debt. Congress is beginning at the wrong end
The expenditures should be reduced first, and
then the taxes might be taken off to CORES
ponding amount


But why should the manufacturers be re-
lieved of their share of the common burden of
taxation while the rest of the community are
not? Hardly any but the manufacturers, and
those of New England especially, will be bene-
fited by this bill. When the demands upon the
Treasury shall be reduced 80 as to admit of
less taxation, let the reduction be made in favor
of all interests and classes, and be equalized.
The income tax, for example, is most unequal
| one, and unconstitutional in principle, if not
strictly in letter. The constitution provides
that taxes shall be equally distributed, yet the
city of New York pays probably ten times more
income tax in proportion to population than
any other portion of Ehe country. This is q
gross inequality, and, as we said, violation
of the principles of the constitution. If the
taxes are to be reduced, this inquisitorial tax,
so repugnant to our republican institutions,
should be one of the first to be removed.
At all events it should be equalized
in proportion to population. We, as well as
the people generally, wish to have the taxes
reduced to the lowest point and as soon as pos
sible, but not partially and to the special ad-
vantage of a few New England manufacturers,
and not at all till the expenditures of the gov
ernment be reduced SO that the income will
meet the wants of the Treasury.


This bill to relieve the manufacturers has
been brought forward evidently for a political
object, and no other-to produce an effect upon
the elections in New England especially by
making it appear that the dominant radical
party in Congress are the friends of the manu-
featuring laborers and of home industry. 1t is
| all sheer pretence and demagoguism II is a
mere temporary political expedient. The same
party would revive the Tax bill, or a more
oppressive one, after the elections are over
quite as readily as they repeal it. The public
credit, the demands of the Treasury to meet ex-
penses and the danger of opening the question
| of reputation through the financial embarrass-
ments of the government have no weight with
these radical partisans in Congress. Every
thing must give way and the honor and in
terests of the country must be sacrificed for
party ascendancy. The abolishment of inter
nal taxes in favor Of the manufacturers has but
one object in view, as impeachment and the in
famous reconstruction measures have, and that


is the perpetuation of radical rule over the
country. Before the next balance sheet of the
Secretary of the Treasury will be made out and
submitted to the public the Presidential elec-
ton and elections for members Of Congress
will have been held. The discovery Of a def
cheney in the revenue and consequent damage
to the public credit arising from this manufac.
turers' bill will not come till the radicals have


obtained a renewed lease of power, If, indeed,


they can succeed in obtaining that under any


circumstances. Should they be successful ir


this dodge. as they were in the loyal recon


struction dodge during the last general Con


gressonal elections, they will be firmly seated


for another term. They can then restore thu


Tax bill or adopt reputation, for which they
are now laying the foundation, az plank ir


their future platform. At least they will have


time enough to concoct another dodge by
which to humbug the people again. Such are
the tactics Of the party "of great moral ideas


in repeating the taxes on manufactures and II


the whole scope Of their legislation. We have
yet to see whether the people have intelligence
,, enough to abolish these Congressional humbug
at the polls, or II we are TO be governed here


after by such an unscrupulous oligarchy.


RAILROAD JOBS AT ALBANY There was