The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-29
DAILY LEADER
THE IaTEHHAL REVEsUE Law.
surgestiOns for It's Improvement.

MEssRs. EDIToRs: There are few i'm
portAnt national laws in existence, thai
have been discussed SO little, both in Con,
gress and by the press, as that Of the ex
ciss law for national revenue. When thil
law wss about being amended by she lAsi
Congress, Mr.. Morrill,, one Of the commit
tee, was reported to have stated, that ''in the
vast area of country of the United States
it Is vital that trade be left free-that ali
manufacturers must sdd as part Of the cost
Of their articles the government tax, then
in the sale OF that property the tax will be
paid BY the consumer aud trade kept free
Why the principle should not embrace all
the internal productions Of the country
before they would be free TO the trade was
not explained. From September let, 1852,
to July, 1868, the receipts under the law
wore one hundred and seventeen millions
of dollArs, seventy Ave millions of which
were reported as derived from mADufAc-
tures. 1t is presumed thst when the Com.
missioner's report shAll be pnblished, The
whole receipts during the subsequent
twelve months will show great increase,
and nearby like proportion obtained from
manufacturers. Specified articles demon
mated luxuries paid heavily, while the
larger portion paid comparatively low and
more uniform rates. Ia view Of this re-
sponsibility on the part of the manufsc-
turers many urgethe necessity for higher
protective tariff.
The exigencies of the hour demanded the
law, hencs the best experience of other
nations was sought in framing it. Thus
far it has failed TO give general satisfaction,
and without increased rates furnish Ade-
quste revenue. l.s s- I'd
May not the law be so changed as to PUP
ply the desired revenue without 90 much
dependence on manufacturers, and bemore
adapted to our free institutions II the
principle as stated by Mr.. Morrell above
shall be abandoned, then the way will be
open for it. By repeating the tax on man
ufacturers, and adjusting q scale of rstes
for general levy on SALES OF all property,
both real and personal, luxuries to be taxed
high as now, it has been estimated much
larger annual revenue will be obtained and
the law prove less OF jectionsble.
It will be tesn that by taxing only the
sales OF real estate that kind of property will
not become overburdened with state and
National taxes. ADD 70 this tax on sales
the present income tax, the stamp tax, the
license tax, except when it will conflict
with the tax on ssles-And, if polite, q tax
on cotton exported. Let the tax be levied
on foreign articles of trade imported into
the country, SIS well as of domest tic produc-
ton. As necessity for this let us lookfor
manufacturing trade, as it is getting estsb-
lished in This country. A msnufacluer OF
cutlery, or other articles, in Sheffield,
England, sends his agent to New York,
Boston or Philadelphis. he opens 8 store
in one of these cities, receives goods from
Sheffield, sends his runners through the
citles of the land, and sells by sample the
Sheffisld goods for gold, or adds the ez-
change on paper currency on the date of
delivery. Now ought not such traders 10
pav an excise tax in addition to the impOst
duty, especially where they compete with
American manufacturers By these ar
the foreigner is successful
with the American in many Of
the great branches Of trade in foreign ar
ticles. The American people also are
made to furnish material relief to the
wealthy in foreign countries in the support
of their laboring poor. The levy on sales
will divide the taxes among the different
traders, and thus reach the profits made
between the manufacturer or producers
price and the inc eAsed price paid by the
consumer. After exempIing those whose
annual trade is quite limited, the sales tax
will still graaslJ increase the number OF
persons VINO will directly help sustain the
It is also 8 Question for thought, with
the law thus moulded, whether the receipts
of the national Treasury will not begreater
in times OF commercial prosperity, and the
resources more in periods of adverse trade
The rapid increase of intercommunicaIion
by railroads is fast bringing US together for
the interchange Of all our productions. 1t
is claimed by political economists that q
permanently proepers most that ls
favored with both agriculture and manu-
features which are tOstered alike BY the
Ours is land teeming with
blessings. Let US all countita privilege to
share its burdens. S.
Cleveland, Sept. 26, 1866.