Author: Henry Winn

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 24

ISBN-13: 9781230436975

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ... their enforcement--?a court to construe--and a sheriff to collect. Anybody can see that the functions of government are just as much exercised relative to the land as before. All this machinery has been set in operation in Robinson's behalf to accommodate him because he did not happen to have the gold or other commodity with which to pay Rogers. A moment's thought will show that a very large part of the expenses of government are incurred in construing and enforcing contracts of various kinds as well as in the protection of notes and bonds, the punishment of forgeries, etc., --that is on matters connected with credit property, --simply to accommodate Robinson and others like him who wanted property but could not bring the gold to pay for it. Community get no compensation for all this expense except through this double tax. Our fathers did not look simply at Robinson and say, -- Lo this poor fellow! what is he paying a tax on that farm for, when he does not really own it, but is badly in debt? but they looked on both sides of the question, --they looked at the state-house, the courthouse, and the body of police, and remembered that they were largely occupied at public expense to enable him to hold that farm without paying for it; they remembered, too, that Robinson was not a fool but was making a profit out of the operation, taxes and all, or he would not have bought that farm. They saw that the hardship was not severe, that he paid only a fraction of a double tax at worst, --that he voluntarily assumed it for profit, --that doubly-taxed borrowers prospered more under our system of taxation than in any other State. Now I am not here to quarrel with this modern notion--so harped upon by money-lenders seeking this subsidy, '--that community o