Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-16

to meet 0nV clrOumet0nco0 snat may eEiso'
whatever they may be. There - no necessity
for transcending our legitimate authority,
which is merely to obtain the proper amount
of lawful revenue in the least objectionable
form.
1t is not proposed at this time to change the
rate of the tax upon spirits nor upon mait
liquors, mainly that we may have the law OF
high rates in operation sufficient length OF
time to test it's real value for revenue pur-
poses, and incidentally, no doubt, its value az
"a mode of repression in the consumption Oh
iatoxic ting beverages For the largest rev.
enue purposes, the rate OF two dollars per
gallon, although the time elapsed since It's
sdoption Is too brief to definitely settle the
question, SCENE likely to prove unsatisfactory j;
and if it were an original question, the rec
ommendation of one dollar per gallon BY the
revenue commission would not be disregarded
by the Committee on Ways and Means. 1t
is very clear that the whole tax fails to be
collected, the price has at no time or at
any place been equal to the cost of spirits With
the tax added thereto, and 10 some parts OF
the country has occasionally been below even
the amount of the tax. The amount of spir-
its of domestic manufacture returned TO the
assessors for 1865 was 16 ,936,77o gallons as
against IS .285, 39l gallons in 1864, showing
a alling off of neaaly four fifths of the whole
much was distilled in 1864 in expectation OF
an increace of the tax, and this accounts tor
diminished business in 1865, but does no.
prove d miIished consumption. No'"lsh-
standing the heavy increase of duties upon
foreign liquors, the total importatlons have
not been materially curtailed. Our expert
enc. is likely to correspond with that OF tue
world, which Is, that the appetites of men fol
spirltuous liquors are held IN check very little
by high cost unless that cost is very exorbi-
tant, and only those il the most INDECENT cir
cumstances check the regularity of their In
diligence or surrender. any portion of their
accustomed allowance.
Ii is curious to note that iron manufacturers,
in making up the calculation of the increased
cost of ton of iron, put in 81 SO as the In
creased cost of whiskey, and the employer Is
compelled, no doubt, 10 increase the amount
OF his m nthy payroll to cover this new item
in the cost of living 1t may De inferred that
the consumption of liquors IN the length and
breadth of the land is large ever, but that
the tax has not been, possibly cannot be, col
ected. The great temptation TO illicit dis'iila-
ton and to smuggling, which arises IN cases OF
the imposition of high duties upon liquors. calls
for the enactment of stringent, almost despotic
laws, not merely for the punishment OF traud1
lent practices, but for the protection OF the hon.
est importer and honest d;>tiiler. Owing, or
| the Carrying of wool out of the kingdom, was
! formerly punished in Engla by the imposition
| of heavy fine and We have found that the in
| PRODUCTION from Canada of tin babies file d With
| whiskey by their reckless parents can only be
suppresse by heavy PENALTIES and by their
prompt enforcement. That large trade has
been carried on the past year IN the manufac-
ture of small copper stills there is abundant ev-
idence. If these should be suffered to be used
clande-theiy, it is to be apprehended may
have been the design, MT only woult the Gov
eminent be deprived If a large amount OF reve-
nue., but public morals would be more or less
| deb4uched
The COMMITTEES of Ways and Means recon-
mend with some notifications, large par OF
the changes IN the law Us TO spirits proposed
by the revenue commission in order TO in
crease It's efficiency. 1t is believed that the
country, well as Congress, are in favor of CO.
/ tai ing the maximum amount of revenue from
/ spirits and that so eager to reduce
me cost of intoxicating liquors as to be unwii-
ling to wait until experience mas fully tested the
policy OF Impolicy of the highest rate OF taxa
ton now liked by law.
II is Understood that the method of m * ing
wood acid with ALCOHOLICS practced IN Eng land
- thai alcohol might be used the and
manufactures without the payment of any tax
nas proved a failure, II having been found that
such metby lateG spirit can be rectlhed and made
into pure spirit again without any otfe nslve
smell If any chemicsl preparation could be
/ found which would accomplish this object Its
! discovery and adpton would be great relief &c
many Legitimate branches of arts and manufac-
/ lures.
Inc Committee of Ways and Means have
proposed some notifications of the income law
out nave not reaca'd tue conclusion, while The
industrial employ ments must remain to con-
! Siderable extent heavily bur tened, that it car
not De wholly dispensed with. By lis terms "a
originally passed, ii was to expire in 1870, and
| mus temporary character put upon 1t.
face. In our great emergency it contributed,
not 10 be returned again with interest. largel
amount than the richest bankers In Europe
would have loaned 10 Us even at sixty per cent
discount. Our loyal people paid the income
tax OF 1868, in June, of $40. 140,4 5l 33, anC
then, ESTIMATED upon the same lIsts) they wert
called upon in four months to pay another in
come tax, and they responded by contributing
S2S, 929, 3l2 o.. Again, in 1864 their ncom,
tax foots up $5i 200, 900.
point 20 these tac's not only proud ev-
idence of their patriotism and wealth, but
proud evid nee of tteir siric. integrity of char
acter. Strong as the temptation might be to-
evasive returns, sore As to- might De III con
sequence OF the swift pursuit and The contlnu
paid in lS63 upon he nd call than
tne first. Their country was 10 need, and evel
tue greed for gain could not tempt the Ameri
can people to defraud their Cover ment.
Tue Jaw left Ii almost TO the conscience o
each man as To how much he should pay, ant
al seemed to vie with each other as to VIII
should pay the most. l question wne,her an,
people ever paid tax moe honestly and &C
curately, and | question still more whether an
tree people ever imposed upon themselve,
through tneir chosen Representatives, taxes g.
thick and fast.
Ii our income tax should be contemp plated a
part of the permanent policy of the coun
Try 1t IS not 20 be denied that it would nee
Inc objections to such laws are sufficiently oh
vious.
l. They inqusitorial OF necessity In thei
character, and Americ ms, like people elsewher.
tbodSh not averse to a know edge of the secret
of others, quite unwilling to disclose thei
own. Among commercial men such scosure
may be disastrous. If they snow prospert
they iuvite envy and greater competition o
if they show any remarkable leanDess, the
damage credits.
2. The temptation to make understatement
and lend to these statements the sanction of a
oath, tends to sap and mine public morals unit
men egiu to excuse themselves for their ow
wrong doing, because it being so common tina
to do otherwise would be to fail in averag
smartness.
g. When we take into consideration til
sources from which income is derived, the hat
! itudes of the different persons who pay the tai
the difficulty of apportioning 1t 80 that eac
will haye paid in just proportion to every othe
person, LEAKING Zach relatively in The same cor
ditons, the perplexities become almost insul