Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-27
Cbe freeman.
MONTPELIER, VT:
FEBRUARY u, 1867.
The Tax Bill.
SPEECH OF HON. j. S. MORRILL,

W 'tUSNHJtOH, TeO d. lcO1
Mr. Chairman | have no ambitious speech
to make on the present occasion. ! propose
merely to submit some busness-like state
ments, if | can do SO, in explanation OF the
principles and details of the bill.
The Committee of Ways and Means, in
reporting the present bill, have sought to
afford the greatest possible amount of relief
to the country consistent with prudent re-
gard to the public credit, and were led in
the outset to consider what would be the
most feasible mode of accomplishing this OBJ
ject and leave at the same time the iewest
impedments i'll the way of general industry.
| If the tax distilled spirits, tobacco and
cigars were fully paid collected, the taxes
on the major part Of all other articles of
manufactures could have been at once remit
! ted, but unfortunately necessary changes IN
/ the law, followed by unnecessary and more
unfortunate changes of internal revenue Off
GERS, have proved that two dollars, whether
above the price of whiskey or not, Is GER
tainly above the price of those who make 1t
that no spirits have been sold by the maker
for as much as the cost of production and
the tax betrays the fact that whoever Is In
the business somehow corruptly evades the
payment of some part of the tax, large or
small. due to the Government. Trusting that
the amendments proposed now to this branch
of the law will hereafter secure a more Ell
tectual collection of the revenue from spirits,
for the present we are forced to lean tempo
rarilv upon many other articles, which Will
doubtless be released at no distant day.
Two obvious plans present themselves :
either must reduce percentage OF the
tax ON all manufactures, or entirely exempt
those articles having the strongest claims to
exemption, in consequence of inevitable du-
plication of taxes OF directly swelling the
cost of living. From the first and by intend
ment very little revenue has been sought by
any tax upon property as such and therefore
the agricultural and mining interests have
been shielded but commerce, manufactures,
and the gains of realized capital have made
? by far the most bountilul contributions
= through multiplied taxation for the support
r of the nation. Licenses or special taxes,
, stamp taxes and the tax on manufactures
are at once advanced and paid by the parties
J engaged in business, and they have To trust
to their chances whether any portion of these
large sums are ever recovered or not. In
$ prosperous seasons, or when prices are ad-
| vancing. the ultimate consumer pays his due
q proportion but in adverse seasons, or wher
- prices are falling, losses hy the producer arr
, inevitable. leaving out of the question wheth
cr aggravated by taxes or not.
i The Committee of Wavs and Means have
: adopted the second plan alluded to. 1t i
+ certain that to reduce the rate of taxation
d from tive to four per ccnt.-and we could no
G at this time afford anything beyond such re
~ duction-wuuld have afforded very con-ld
erah.c amount Of relief. and vet the SAM
labor and expense of collecting and payin;
Z the revenue both t. individuals and the GOV
ernmcnt would have been pcrpetuated. Itl
e true that this course would have grcatl
simrlifcd and lc~scncd the labors of the Com
:. mite of WAYS and Means. but they have fel
that the advantage of the whole country wa
to be studied r;r6acr than their ease or com
!, fort When the articles remaining on the IN
list shall Ice found entitled t. equal favor TIN
course may be properly pursued.
n BY adopting the other alternative and ex
cmptin.e entirely from taxes such articles a
ii salt. clothing. leather. pottcry-ware. tinware
-. aud cooperagc Of all sorts. with large nun
;, Der of other articles upon which a tax was
\ petty annoyance T. the payer n well a TN
80 Government. the committee feel that the
n propose t. distribute equal favor over tn
whole country. and hv removing the tax troi
IL some of the ncccssaries Of life we shall pei
% haps indirectly actually aid ali branches
mr. industry quite a. much a. they would bc aiC
ed bv u direct one per cent. dlmlnutIon
the tax The theory j. well settled that Il
- taxes in the end are distributed. and II hcaV
taxation increases the cost of production
y raw materials. or of manufactures. 80 a T
or duction of taxation dimini>hcS the cost in 4
C. equal ratio " hatevcr lessons the cost
es living II palrablc benefit to all branches
-, industry. a. much 80 aS whatever lessons Il
cost OF productions By pursuing the pls
indicated shall soon reach the point whc
ne taxes may DC levied only upon very 7ma
ny number OF articles, and the cost veXatio
it. and ANNOYANCE Of revenue officers. great
Ks reduced III numbers. will hc ruundly dimi
iehcd.
H.. If the example of the country ottcne
held up for our imitation is valuable for an
"a thing. and am not disposed to ovcryalue
ed it i, in favor Of confnins excise laws tn t
he narrowest limits. Last year we liberated
very large number of articles. the hcne
T.. from which has only Just began to operat
Of and now we shall have added 10 the numb
t. the extent of surreudering an amount
y, revenue equal to nearly one-half of all y
n obtained in the first year of the operation
&C. the internal revenue law.
his For what we have done i'll each ease of {
ng emption trust satisfactory reasons and t
in plantations. if required. will be at hand
tv- the cases arise in the progress in the bill
re, but there are few items which shall
tempt to explain in advance.
recognize the fact that our taxes Tor
my past FIVE years have been excessive. and moi
pa ING bur the danger which menaced the
viii of the nation justified the heavy drain up
it the pockets Of our people. Now we feel
me kecneet Joy of legislators when they {
- again tighten the weight of taxation. |
Il little more than six months ago we 81
. relief to the extent of not less than 81
ms 600 900 and now shall give still further
III lief fully equal in substance if not in anou
The boundary where we pause Is the point
I'D, which we reach the amount which will I
. our ordinary expenses, the interest on
ala public debt and leave a snug balance
some dimnution of the public debt Thi
'"o absolutely essential to the pu bliccredlt.
'ect sential to public faith and beyond this
rs lover Of his country would dare to go
lme ono | fully recognize the truth that no
1 to is small the payment OF which docs
ha- either impose increased toll upon the tax-T
-. er or deprive him of some indulgence or
iovment of life. But notwithstanding
my unprecedented amount Of our taxes, the
hibit of our income taX-which Is after
NO.. but little more than what each indlvld
'0' chooses to paw on his own estimate of his
one come. leaving out the earning OF at IL
the three fourths of our people. who by our II
imum are excmpt-ehows that they have
fallen upon the capital nor even absorbed
inps annual income of the country The an
orv tion of the American people is to imp
! L. their condition and every year to know III
~ earn more and have more. This promn
rs characteristic is endangered by the paper
iver yor and acme which now atfiicts the coun
It's but hitherto our people have made great
leaf crtions not only to maintain their capl
fall undiminished i'll spite of increased taXat
sand but to add thereto ,heif usual ilh,'ai m S'l
:. ~ We have reached the point when this car
y vi be continued The income of the con-
tiers G. ~ ,,roso,,t .,d coming vaar vii
'ch heavily reduced-no sane man can doubt
the and we must reduce our taxes and our
face. penses correspondingly.
ems: Although cannot congratulate the III