The Portland daily press., 1866-01-30


The report of the Revenue Commission rec
ommends a revision of the present reyeRue
system, looking to the entire exemption Of the
manufacturing industry of the. United States !
from all direct taxation, distilled or fermented
liquors, tobacco, and possibly few other ar
ticlcs excepted. This Should be done gradual.
ly, as experience satisfies iuseOf. our ability to
substitute other and less Objectionable means
of taxation. ~ AfaS '''."gt 80 s. sa - i - :
The. Commission, after making allowance
for possible reduction of duties and increase
OF the free list, estimate the revenue from GUS
toms for the year 1857 at one hundred and
thirty millions. They recommend reduction.
of the tax on distilled spirits from two dollars
to one dollar, and estimate at-that rate reYe-
nue. of forty millions from that source. The
tax on termened liquors R one dollar per-
shall remain Cotton Should he taxed five
cents per. pound after July next, giving on a
crop Of three million bales revenue of sixty
six million dollars, and on erop'of four mil
lion bales eighty-eight million dollars. As:the
crop Of the present year will not probably be
less than two million bales, they estimate. the.
revenue for the fiscal year ending June Seth,
1867, at forty million dollars, and for the fu-
ture an average revenue of at least fifty mil
lions. ~s ,v~--zsr-ss ,,-.s-. =, --r-,ez =. ,-,.
Regard 81 tobacco, they are unanimous that
the tax should not be on thes leaf With shmes
amendmentsef the present law and vxaianSs
ton of old stock, they expect a revenue. of
eighteen million from manufactured tobacco. -
With respect to incomes, they recommend
the abrogation. of all discrimination in the.
rate levied on incomes above and under five
thousand dollars, and that in future assess
ments On one thousand dollars be exempted
flom taxation, without allowance for house
rent, or at least that amount for house rent
shall not exceed three hundred dollars. They
expect revenue from this source of fifty mil
90 lions. ~ ~ - ~ :
They recommend repeal Of the tax on
crude petroleum, and that the rate on refined
coal oil, petroleum, naptha, benzine, &c, be
retained as at present. The revenue from this
source is estimated at three millions. sr-i'5
The Commissioners oppose the total remis-
sion of the tax on 'tuIpentine and rosin, and
favor the allowance of one drawback on their
export The revenue from this source is esti-
mated at two millions. ''-s'e - 49, -
From matches they estimate revenue of
three and one half millions. From stamps
twenty. millions. From legacy duties. three
millions. From expresses and telegraph CONF
panies, at five per cent. on the gross receipts
of each, nine millions. On sales; the tax on
which they recommend to be reduced to one
one-hundredth of one per cent. at four millions.
On banks fifteen millions.sF On licenses fif9
teen millions, On salaries twQs milHons.--
From miscellaneous sources twenty-one mil
lions, &C. - = 80 - -
The total revenue issestimated at four hun
dred and thirty-fve millions. After paying all
the expenditures Of the fiscal year, Including
interest on the public debt, and setting aside
fifty millions for the reduction of its principal
a surplus Of eighty-fve millions will remain,
applicable for the reduction of taxation: - -