Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-01-20

10 attain this object, considerable re-
venue will be required. In selecting the
taxes which should compose it, the dutie,
upon imported articles may be expected To
furnish the principal supply. Cheap aad
easy IN their collection, paid like all indi-
rect taxes. when it is convenient to pay
them, they viii be found, under system
oi prudent moderation, to discourage no
branch of national industry. Duties, in
deed, either upoD importation or exporta-
ton, seem to be The natural resource or
countries thinly peopled which exporting
a large amount of their agricultural pro-
auctions, receive IN return the manuiac-
lures of older states. The distance too, of
the states from which our importations arc
made, renders il more difficult to evade
the payment of duties here than in coun-
tries which are separated from active and
enterprising neighbors by a liver or con-
ventlonai line. But DIS our agriculture OBJ
tains markets at home. as wealth spreads
itself over inland countries, where com
MERGE can but imperiectly follow our i'm
ports as well as cur exports, must bear :,
continually lesseuing proportion to the
wealth OF the country.
And even now, while the principal source
OF ordinary revenue in peace must he fur
nished by the customs, it is probable that
they could not be continued or increased
to an amount which the interest aud reim-
bursement of our debt and the provisions
for our security require, without increasing
too tar the temptation to illicit Importation.
The objections too. to an entire reliance
upon them, have been too fully developed
by recent experience to allow the commit
tee to recommend that they should consti-
tute the wholeincome of the country. The
liberal provision which they are capable of
making IN peace, disappears in the moment
when war requires larger cont buttons
tne government which is left at such a
time to explore new systems of internal
taxation, to discover and draw into the
public service the men who are capable OF
lillng the different departments of the re-
venue, is reduced to condition in which
the zeal and bravery and resources of the
nation can produce their natural effects but
imperlectly. The committee therefore
concur fully with the Secretary of the
Treasury in the opinion which he has s.-
pressed, g that the establishment of a reve-
nue. system. which shall not be exclusively
dependent upon the supplies of foreign
commerce, appears, at this juncture, to
claim particular attention."
AS result of these general views, the
committee, with Difference to the house,
recommend the adoption OF the plan of re-
venue contained in the report OF the Sc
cretary of the Treasury, with the excep
ton or that part of it which proposes to
continue the additional duties upon most
age, and to repeal the additional duties on
licences to retailers Of wines, spirituous
liquors, and foreign merchandise imposed
ny the act OF December 1914. The com
of intelligence between the
different parts of The country it appears to
the committee to be the just policy of our
government TO facilitate and encourage
and although itmight have been right to
exact a revenue from it, under circumstaD-
ces which made il necessary to apply every
resource TO the defence of the state, the
present situation OF The Treasury NAV
well allow of lis repeal The duties ON
licences to retailers admit. in the opinion
oil the committee, of a modification, which
by proportioming the price of the license in
some degree to the business Of the retailer.
shall render them as productive as the new
rates, and lessOppressive han the old ones.
But as such modification could only apply
tn licences Tor 1917, the committee propose
to make 1T the subject of future report.
The p rmanent laws now IN force may
be expected, after the expiration of tenn
Porary duties, to produce nett annual re-
venue Of 8 25,278,940.
The direct tax, a
nett amounted $4,000 900
HE sale pub
lie lands, 100000
Licenses to distillers,
gross amount, 100000
Carriages, 10000
Licenses TO re-
tailers, 100000
Auctions, 400 900
$685. 2,514,5OO n. a..
Duties ON furniture aud
watches, 100000
On nlanufac-
lures, $4,000
Excise on distilled
spirits, 100000
- 4,ll1,OOO s,s64,94o n. a.
POSTAGE 100000
Customs, 1e,0OO.O 600