New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-30
THE REVENUE COMMISSION.
PRELIMINARY REpoH''
OUR SYSTEM OF TAXATION.
important Recommends.
tiOms.

The Commission appointed by authority of an
Act Of the last session Of Congress Ito inquire and
report upon the best and most efficient Of raising
and collecting the revenue" has Just issued its pre-
hminary report Its members were Messrs. David A.
Wells Of New .Yorl, Stephen COwel Of Pennsylvania,
and Samuel S. Hayes Of Illinois. with E. b. Elliott of
Massachusetts as Secretary; and it commenced its
isbors in June last, and has since been engaged In
taking testimony upon every considerable branch Of the
national trade and industry It's facilities for becom
ing acquainted with the bearings Of present system
f taxation az whole are superior to those Of any other
body and its suggestions therefore entitled 70 great
weight The question they have had 70 consider was
how shall the National Debt be treated its interest be
urcvded for with the least derment 10 the resources
Of the natoni This result Of these Investigations the
Commission propose to submit in the form Of independ
ent and special reports.
In carving out this plan they have sought TO make
shemseyes practically acquainted with each subject OF
Enquiry by personal inspection (wben the Investigation
related to specific branch Of industry and by putting
themselves in all into direct and frequent com
nnpication with reyesue officials and with representa-
tive business from every section OF the country
Representing as 1t does the experience and matured
opinions OF the best business men OF the country each
speaking about bis own profession and o'ten Ie'ehg
Facts which in daily life screened from the pubic
ere this testimony cannot but be Of great value ior
iature reference.
IRREGULARITY OF TRADE.
They eomulan of the imperfect and incorrect stalls
Hcs furnished them by Government Bureaus. Announcer
xrea. source Of difficulty experienced by The Comuls
sion in conducting their Investigations win view OF
arriving at any correct estimates Of the future revenue
Of the country has been the abnormal and disturbed
condition every branch OF trade and industry since
Alterations of the tariff and the inauguration OF the
Internal Revenue system. Many branches OF TRACE
and industry have been ouItailed during th period
from 80 to Is per centum, and some few have been en-
ttrely destroyed. Every advance made in the tarln
and IN the excise has. moreover been anticipated 10
such an extent by every class OF import
h cannot be said as yet that the Government
has folly tested the capacity OF any one OF what
may be considered its great and legitimate sources
Of revenue. Thus. for example the Commission
estimate that On the lst Of July 1894 the date when
the advance In the tax on distilled spirits, Of from %
cents TO Oil 50 per gallon took effect there were nade
and stored IN anticipation Of this advance, at least
so0O00OO gallons or quantity sufficient to supply
che wants OF the counr for at least year IN advance
Since July 1864 therefore, the receipts VI the Gov
eminent from distilled spirits have, from this cause
necessarily been iDconsiderable or cigars. N Ike
manner, IL is estimated that from 20 TO
were manufacture ed and stored in the City OF York
alone In anticipation Of the tax The stock OF spices
imported into the country previous to the advance OF
the tarif were also probably equal TO nearly two year,
supply while in the case Of the insignificant article Of
matches which the tax is only one cent per bunch,
the stock accumulated in anticipation Of the tax was so
large that II has not even at the present date Jahu
ny 1860. been entirely exhausted
REVENUE SYSTEM OF GREAT BRITAIN.
The close Of the great European war: In 1912 found
Brest Britain with complex system Of taxation the
growth Of her necessities at Al period when vast mill
aIy and naval expenditures and the burden OF in.
sresng debt had tasked the ingenuity Of ministers to
devise new sources Of revenue The love of imposts
was ompscieut; II seized every article which by
any possibility an Englishman could want More than
q thousand different kinds Of foreign produce paid
tribute at the Custom House, while the heavy hand OF
she excise man was laid many articles Of home pro-
Auction and Of indispensable domestic use. Heavy
duties on raw materials and materials partly wrought
entering into domestic manufactures were repealed or
greatly essened; and though the duties on foreign ao
res were also lowered the importation OF some OF them
seriously interfered with the home manufacturer In
silks alone the French were superior and against tnat
superiority the British nufacurer was protected by
yestrctye dutes down the ratification Of the treaty
with France 10 le60 when for the sake OF advantages
60 be gained in the export to France OF coal iron ma
chDey and other British products the SIX duties were
Il thus appeared that the dnties the foreign imports
Of Great Britain were direct tax on the home pro
uoer the high price both OF materials and OF food
helping TO swell the cost OF manufactures, and mus
beneftDg the foreign competitor A nation OF manu-
fscturers only subsist as they sell their produce:
and they can sell their produce only as they sell 1t
cheap. But the ability 70 sell their produce cheaply
implies O cheap command OF the raw material and OF
ths work mans foOd to tax these is to decree the ma
lions ruin and involve all classes alike In bankruptcy
and panpeilsm.'
last and the revenue system subordlnated to the
more important end Of creating national wealth An
duties burdensome TO the manufacturer were repealed
both In the nature OF customs ano excise nne polly
amount Of home labor TO the smallest value IN foreign
staples under conditions which enable him 10 put his
product into foreign markets at the lowest possible
cost. ~.
This principle the key to British free trade ana II
a. claimed TO be Of universal applicability; but 1t may
he Rravely questioned whether 10 not protection an
q more subtle form. Such is the opinion OF NJ Block
modern French economist OF euinenee who classes
ander protective measures the freeing Of raw materials
and Of food from customs duties.
Having described the influences which have deter
mined the present revenue system OF Great Britain we
proceed to give the details Of the modern budget. .
The gross revenues Of the United Kingdom FOR the
year ending March 81, ls65, were as follows:
Customs ...........ell50 23 SOC
nrn Aa I.O