New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-17
NATIONAL TAXES.


We have not seen fit TO critcise, nor to al
low others to critcise through our columns, Tue
details Of the Internal Tax bill admitted to the
House Of Representatives by its Committee OF
Ways and Means. That the bill has grave de-
fects, is obvious enough; it is scarcely possible
that ans Committee could have reported Dill
imposing not less than One Hundred Millions
per annum of Direct Taxes that would not atord
scope for criticism. But we believe the Com
mittee have honestly and faithfully discharged
most important and inyidious duty, and we
thank them for their fidelity. The structures
we are about TO submit nre designed nov al
all 10 dctract from the general merits OF their
achievement. We think their bill may be I'M
proved; but we doubt whether any nine men
in CONGRESS would have framed one less liable 70
objection.
The greatest fault of the Ways and Means
| bill. in our Judgment, flows naturally from the
| Committees desire to tax equally and impair
| tally. They were so fearful Of taxing some
section or interest excessively that they have
taxed almost everything. Now, the worlds e1-
perienee is all in favor Of the fewest possible
taxes by which the requisite revenue can be
obtained Great Britain, for example, raises as
largo a revenue to-day as at any former tmei
but she taxes not half so many articles as she
/ formerly did. And the advantage of the later
system 10 Obvious. 1t makes no difference to
/ the taxpayer whether his contribution to the
revenue is wrung from dozen articles or from
five hundreds while the expense and difficulty
of collecting, the danger Of frauds and evasionS,
are enormously increased by the multiplication
/ of taxes. Russia raises hall her revenue from
her tax on Alcoholic Liquors. France makes
I Tobacco pay liberal share of hers. Great
Britain derives much Of hers from Spirits,
Malt and Tobacco. Can any one believe IL
would be wise or just to reduce these imposts
to fraction and raise revenue instead from
the homemade Food and Clothing of the Peo-
pie Admit that the aggregate collected was
not essentially varied, who does not realize that
the difficulty and hardship Of payment woald be
immensely increased By the change
In our Judgment, Congress should increase
the proposed duties on Distilled Liquors so
that they would range from fifty cents to a
dollar per gallon, and on all manufactured
Tobacco til i, should range from twenty-five
cents TO one dollar per pound, at the same
time striking OF al duties from M,it Liquors
and Native Nnes, or reducing them below the
rates of the Committee. J; one result of these
changos should be a decrease in the aggregate
consumption Of Distilled Liquors, it will be
a subject Of sincere coEgrainlation, even though
the use of American Wines aud Matt Liquors
should be considerably increased. We trust
Congress w not hesitate TO do whatever shall
seem right and wise in the promises, even at
the hazard OF cncountering demogogue clamor
and denunciation
~ to tie taxes on knowledge 20 called,
We, with most other journals, are restrained
from opposing them by tile consideration that
our interest seems directly invoked. We GER
tainly 90 not deem it wise nor safe N repub-
lie 10 tax the dissemination Of intelligence
where such tax can possibly be avoided How
ever, let Congress. DO Whatever shall be
thought best in tAe premises, and We shall not
complain.