The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-01-11
Az IMPORrANT DOCUMENr
q. s. COmmrssloner We,I,, Renor. =,
Reducing Expenses ana TaxntIon.

u. :. Commissioner Wells Report on
ueinS Expenses ana Taxation.
bf0m he Philadelphia Ledoer.
one OF the most important, as well as
interesting reports on our financial and
Industrial affairs, Is that Just published
py AIR. David A. Wells, the Special
Commissioner of the Revenue, tits too
yolumtnous to. be published in full.
and, at the same time, too concise and
compact to permit the making of a al.
1stactory abstract. Its divisible main
ly into two principal parts--one Of
which has reference to the reduetionsof.
the ordinary expenses OF the Govern
ment, and the other to a revision OF the
internal revenue system that will WELD.
sumcient revenue without the present
Ls nsisSVy taxation OF the manufacturing
ano oSher important Industrial inter.
esth. Referring to thef first ofthese princi-
pal heads, he calls attention TO the fact.
that1 while the annual average OF the
ordinary expenses of the Governments
LOT the ten years preceding 1851 was
about S5S, 600, 600, the same classes oEex-
| Ileha4lnfes in the year 1867 amounted
TO about $l92, 900, 900. or this incTease
" ma that the expenses of, the civil
service have Increased from S24, ,OOO. 600
70 $5l ,0OO, 600; those of the navy from
about S12 I000. 600 to SSI, ,OOO, 600 and Of
the the War Department from $l7, ,OO0, 600 to
5000 GOO. We omit details concern-
ing pensions and bounties, as thew can
hardly become subjects for Reduction.
II VIII be seen from the foregoing fig.
ures that there Is ample room for a con-
traction OF expenditures, II not for a
contraction of the currency. Accord-
lngly, Mr.. Wells proposes to reduce
| RNWT0 NJ Il
make saving in the War Department
OF ABOUT thirty millions; In the NAVY
department. of about fifteen millions.
and in the Civil Service of about fiffeen
mlIlions; makingan aggregate saving
ofslxty millionsf He also proposes Ia
avoid any further granting OF bopnties,
which would make an additional a.!
! wing of twenty-five and a half millions.
And to this he adds recommendation
to save the 81 100000 in gold proposed
TO be paid for purchase of foreipn
territory. Oithese savings it will be
noted that those connected with the
Civil Service and the War and NAVY
departments are the most practical and
promising. Should even these three
savings be effected, it would enable
congress TO dispense with the internal
baxatton upon all fabrics and manufao-
lures of cotton and all manufactures of
WOOL, including carpets and hosiery.
Or should the revision of the Internal
revenuetake another shane. the savinOs
mentioned would enable Congress to
dispense with all Internal taxation nm.
on the manufactures of iron and steel,
including machinery of all kinds. to-
gether with bats, leather, and all man
nfastures of leather, including boots,
shoes, saddlery, harness and trunks,
and upon paper of all kinds. But I'll
allthe savings above enumerated. in
GLIDING savings in bounties and the
purchase of foreign territory, shall be
adopted by Congress-, then that BODY
Would be enabled to relieve the coun-
Try from the burden of the entire class
OF manufacturing taxes now so heavily
fell, and taxes upon the Industrial pur.
suits. From this the people of the coun-
try Will see how great an interest they
nave In pressing upon their representa-.
lives at Washington the vital necessitv
OF reducing the expenditures of the
government as proposed by the Com
missioner.
The second great topic of the report
relates to the revision OF the Internal
Revenue system. Wallslooes. over
5thE w hsle e5rSnnd ooVaFed by tho obiaSStS
or taxation under the present laWs. and
he shows that the entire sum necessarv
70 be raised by the Government, incln-
ainR my mil lions 70 be devoted an
quail TO The reduction OF the public
aebt, Is S320, 100000. Ofthis $50, 900, 600
Is estimated as the probable receipfs
from duties on foreign imports; the re-.
naming S170, ,O0O, 600 Is all that he pro-
poses to have raised from internal lax
alton, and this he suggests can be raised
according to the system detailed in his
report upon the following subjects OIL
taxation: distilled spirits, fermented
liquors. tobacco and its manufactures,
incomes stamps, legacies and success
slonsi banks, railways, &c., salaries ofl
pu bile officers, gross receipts, fines and |
penalties, and the miscellaneous objects
known as schedule A." An examin-
alton ofthis programme will show that
taxes upon the great manufacturing
ana industrial pursuits of the country,
sucn as those now in existence, and |
which are the source of so much depres-
sion and complaint, will have no TtITtheJ.l
eEtstence, II Congress shall adopt thel
suggestions of the Special Com mission-
er. The report Is rich in details, show
ing how all this can be done, and it's
is close, logical and dispas.
stonate. A plan like this, based upon
a simple but perfectly practicable re-
duction of the expenses of the Govern
ment, and the revision of the revenue
system, that will enable our 1aW.ma. /
kers at once 10 reduce the burdens OIL
taxation that have had such a deprea-
sing influence upon the industry of the
country, and atthe same time provide
nifty millions a year towards the re-
uuuuou OF tne PUBIC oeptI Is certainly n
entitled to the highest consideration of :
Congress, and the support of the public |
at large. The whole county is looking
with anxiety for what Congress may do
TO relieve our industrial Communities
from distress. The great trouble in the
way, heretofore, has been to provide a !,
practical plan of operations. Here we !
have one that is the result of careful j
and thorough examination inthe cnun-
tries OF Europe as we'll as among our
selves, and though there may be diff !
terences of opinion concerning some of /
The less important details, there can
be such difference concerning
The two; great principles upon which
The plan Is based.
LITERARY IrEns.