Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-17
Federal Taxation.

country, and the only Federal relation we
have being the tax-gatherer. our readers
have direct interest in this matter, and
we compile few facts from the very full
and elaborate review of the report by the
New York Times, which we think may prove
of interest.
MIR. Wells suggests several revisions OF
The Internal Revenue system IN order to
prevent frauds which the efforts Of the
Government thus far have failed to check.
The item of distilled spirits affords the
most notable Illustration. By calculations
which he submits, it is ascertained that for
every three gallons that pay the tax five
evade its payment, which makes the tax
more than nugatory, because OF It's eX-
tremely high rate, and because OF the cViiS
in the administration of the law. Mr.
Wells recommends the reduction of the
tax to one dollar per gallon as maximum
The tax on tobacco invites fraud second
only to that on spirits. The loss to the
revenue on this article alone, i'll a single
section of the country is reported as pro
badly exceeding $4,000 daily.
Mr.. Wells opposes the movement for the
repeal of the tax on the raw article OF cot
ton, and favors the repeal of the tax Oh
carriages, watches and plate, as both III
'uuisitorial and not remunerative TO the
Government. He thinks that the imposl-
ton of three cents per pound on cotton IS
less injurious to the cultivation OF that al
ticle than an equal amount Of taxation on
ether branches of industry. We would like
to have the Commissioners ideas upon a
tax on wheat, rye, corn, hay, and other ar
ticles of Northern agriculture Nothing is
recommended in regard to the income tax,
which seems particularly inqulsitorial IN
its character, and is regarded with much
ill-favor throughout the country, as special
vexations and unjust
Notwithstanding the great business ac-
tivity of the past year, the unprecedented
number of inventions of labor-saving ma
chimes, the increasing influx of foreign i'm
migrants, ind the spirit of enterprise, at
tended with prosperity without parallel
in the Old World, on account of the many
disturbing elements growing out Of the
war; the prices of labor and commodities
have advanced most extraordinarily. The
wages of labor have not advanced how
ever so largely as the prices of commOdi-
ties. The wholesale prices of leading
articles of consumption III 1866, as com
pared with the mean prices for few years
prior to, and the earlier years of, the war
show an average advance OF nearly ninety
per cent On the other hand, the average
increase i'll the prices of labor since 1866
has been but sixty per cent.
As a consequence of the enormous i'll
crease in prices a material decrease OF pro
duction and consumption IS noticeable
In the cotton manufactures OF Massachu
sets (other than Calico the decrease IN the
number of hands employed has reached
thirty-one per cent, and in the quantity O
raw cotton used, ffty-six per cent. The ad
vance in the price of lumber on account O.
the abrogation of the Reciprocity Treaty ha
diminished the construction of houses, ''thu
directly entailing an increase ofrents, manu-
featured products and freights, and indirect
ly swelling the volume of prices of all labor
and commodities" Inability to compete
in our own or in foreign markets with sim
liar products has also been occasioned. " Il
nearly every department Of industry" say
Mr.. Wells, "the possession of the home
market is seriously interfered with, while
our ability to compete with foreign nations
in foreign markets is restricted to the sale
of a very few articles in which the Amer
can producer is largely favored by natura
or accidental advantages"
The shipping interest has suffered exceed
ingly. Our foreign commerce is being-a
Mr.. Wells describes it swept from tn
ocean" The opinion of experienced New
York shipowners is, So that no voyage wit
an American vessel can be planned at tn
present time from the United States to an
foreign port with reasonable expectation @
profit" The amount of American register
ed tonnage engaged in foreign trade has i
five years decreased over fifty per cent
Formerly it exceeded that of great Britai
by about fifteen per cent. now it is thirty
three per cent. less. How completely tn
building of ships has been arrested may b
inferred from the statement of the Ropol
that in November last there was but a sill
gle vessel in course of construction in til
shipyards of New York, and but one or tw
in the city of Boston.
What is true of ships is true of the prin
ing and binding of books. Vessels may b
built and equipped in the adjacent BIRTHS
Provinces for nearly fifty per cent. les
money than here. And an American pull
Usher may have his works printed all
bound in England, and may pay the Gus
toms duties upon them, and yet save
handsome percentage, as compared wit
the cost of production in the United State:
Mr.. Wells dwells at length upon the init
rious effects these and similar measures al
having upon most of the industrial pursuits
and especially in retarding the extension {
manufacturing interests. The diminutio
Of competition, the maintenance of an extr'
VACANT scale of prices, and the growth {