The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-23
THE Man FOR VIENNA-Schenck.
THE AMERICAN FREE TRADE LEAGUE.

Address and Discussion ON Taxntion and
Revenue Reform.
The American Free Trade League held its regular
monthly meeting last evening at DOdworth Studio
Building, Fifth avenue and Twenty -sixth street.
About hfty persons were present.
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD, President OF the League &C.
cupied the chair, and in q few appropriate remarks
in which he in passing alluded to the rather small
attendance and attributed 1t to the warm weather
and the absence OF many persons nom the city In
consequence thereof, introduced
Mr.. CHARLES MORAN, who had been announced to
address the meeting on the subject OF taxation.
This gentleman then proceeded to brief discussion
OF the principles of commerce, labor, production
aud taxation and argued that the Custom House
duties were the most oppressive injurious and unjust
OF all the taxes levied upon the industries of people,
embarrassing they do the exporting of the surplus
home products and Offering serious impediments to
the importation OF products OF the foreign countries
The license tax was also m0nstrously unjust, "a its
practical and inevitable effect to levy upon the
producer aud dealer duty upon personal thrift
and energies which should be allowed 10 expand
their tendencies without any obstacle being inter-
posed to their development, and ought rather to be
encouraged and f0stercd. IL was repugnant to every
principle OF our free institutions. The excise duties
mainly Objectionable in the fact that the system
necessaed u large expenditure for Its maintenance,
requiring large number OF officials to insure its
collection aud the employment OF numerous spies,
the latter having the effect In some instances Also
Of placing the honest and conscientious dealer at the
mercy OF interruptions men. The stamp tax was
less Objectionable. perhaps. than either Of those
already mentioned, rs 1t was collected with
comparatively little cost and was more unit
versai in Its application. The main point
TO be urged against Il was the frequent Inconvenience
| occasoned by il. The income tax was exceedingly
Oojeci ionabe, both on account OF Its inqusit0rial
character and because IL was an attempt TO tax pro-
| duction and economy. the great benefactors OF
humanity. As levied In England and American It.
was also Objectionable by reason Of the fact that It
| ON temporary incomes derived from individual
talents aud exertions as on permanent incomes de-
rived from permanent investments. The extent OF =
mans income indicated the extent Of the benefits his
| exertions or those OF his ancestors had
| conferred upon humanity, and il was, therefore.
unjust 10 fn,p6se penalties for benefits conferred
Mr. Gladstone Chancellor Of the Exchequer, In 1855.
when presenting the budget 10 the House of COM
mons, In regard TO the Income tax, said that there
| are circumstances attending its operation which
make II dificult, perhaps imposstbe-at any rate in
| the opinion Of her Majes,y's government, not de-
and Ordinary anance Of the country fne public
feeling OF its inequality Ia fact most Important IN
ITSELF The organization Il entails u most serious dis,
adyantge and the frauds to which leads are an evil
such Is not possible to characterize In terms too
| strong" As an illustration OF the latter obicc.
| ton. he stated that In opening Cannon street, N
| London twenty eight persons claimed compensation
| for the loss OF Their business consequent ON the
earns now he o. sus srss cas- a.
for their profits for single year. The jury awarded
them e26g73, but, on referring 10 their return Of
| been stated In the aggregate as only $4,000.
I Taxes on inheritance can easily be made produc.
tive, but 1t ~ one OF the most Ubiquitous taxes evt
| levied. being merely an unwarranted conhscation
| Of property by government at the precise moment
! when government should most iealously protect
It, at the demise Of those whose exer'tcns and
| sefabncgation accumulated 1t Tor tie benefit
| OF the parties to whom they bcqueath IT,
| generally the aged, the widow and the orphan
faxes on sales and transfers OF real estate being par
tia and unequal are therefore unjust. aud like every
| other act Of injustice very impolitic. Experience
| proves that they are exceedingly Injurious TO tbs
true interests OF the community by impeding ths
transfer OF this species OF property causing 1t 20 re-
vclop ts resources Instead Of passing into ue nandl
OF those possessed OF the qualifications necessary u
render II more productive and therefore more usefi
| To the entire community. Taxes on personal prop
| erty were Objectionable because they attack TN
| savings OF industry and impose penalties on produc
| ton aud economy, and also becaus
| they are invariably unequal ana thereor
| unjust and mpolc, for the personal property oil IN
divduals can never DO accurately nscertatucd. Fur
| thermore, personal property can aud wltl run ava
from taxetion, its emigration not only eprving IN
| Treasury OF revenue. bat also depri.eng the cot
munity OF the benefits derived fropa the use OF IN
| capital thus driven away.
| I'm closing the gentleman advo system q
taxation on the production ana sales of nierchar
disc.
Messrs. shauahan Edward Cowell Nelson an
others then proceeded briefly to discuss the view
technical and colorado Objections to the propss
| tions advanced, while Ia others they supported n
| ,heories or demolished .nem entirely.
II Al LAIN O'CtDCA