The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-01-20
INTERNAL TAXATION.

The basis of the Internal revenue reform mas
been forcshadowcd BY the Committeo, Of ways
aud Means, and we have already given the
schedule prepared by the committee 10 the source
from which sunieient revenue 10 to be reali- "a.
One hundred and fifty millions IL III. mi, ,mum
to be assessed and collected ron Iaternai taxa
ton; The plan Is sub .,s,,i~jly tai proposed BY
va 40. --S,y IN the session. Thus II wih
w -sn hat with one hundred and nfty millions
tom eustoms, the aggregate amount OF reeeips
To the Treasury will reach three hundred NIL
lions, q sum suficient to meet the current ex-
pcnses Of the Government and to provide LOT
the mt Of the interest on the national deo''
This proposition 10 . simple one, and hss tine
merit OF being concise, and Moreover II Is compre-
heusiye and can be understood by all. hit De
arbitrary, 1t 10 not more so than the times Do
mand. II settle. the question Of retrsnehment,
and all attempts In this direction therefore win
not end In talk as heretofore, for ahould TINS
measure ofthe committee be adopted By Congress-
the appropriation committees viii be oohsea-
to use homely but expressive Adage-to cur the
garment according TO the cloth. Up to this time
the custom has been to make estimates for every
possible expenditure, and then to put through
Congress appropriation bills to meet this lavish
waste OF the public money. We say again, IL
Congress will adopt this proposition OF the com
mittee they will show to the country that they
have began at the right end, and that practieAi
retrenchment 10 inseparabie from this preesa-
tlonsry measure. There Ii so much money, ano
with this definite sum before them, Just this AND
nothing more, the committees on appropriations
and the memeerh Of either mouse viii soe Jss'
what can be done.
Every wel.regulated and prosperous business
firm and the head OF every well regulated house
hold act upon this principle why then should
not our public servants use the sAme wisdom In
disbursing the public treasure for the support
and maintenance Of the aovernnsntt WehAve
too long as a Government acted upon that loose
principle of saving what we couldi conse
auent1y, as is always the case where this uneoo
nomical rule prevails, we have squandered muon
and that foolishly. We must now and hereane
place our expenditures within well defined AM
firmly axed limits. The people demand 1t.
Those who have taken the pains-or rattle
we should say pleasure-of reading Mr. Weis
.ano-. win -. h.n /. 80 .h-. .h..- L~"aIe'
millions Is an ample sum to meet all the neoea
sary expenditures of this Government In hi
estimate he provides nfty millions TO be apple
to the redemption Of the public debt, and 10 satii
fed that, adding this hfty Million, three hun
dred and thirty millions will be sufnciencJ
Now what we would propose Ia to strike out TIL
fifty millions, and thus we have two hundro
and eighty millions as the maximum Of our. al
nual receipts from all sources, but we can, upo
the plan OF the committee, raise three hundre
millions. This. will give US twenty millions,
margin sufficiently wide to provide for any cor
tngency ..s..T. .. ....
The sources from which Mr.. Wells proposes !
derive the one hundred and eighty millions 81
tho following, and II win be observed that II
committee have very generally adopted h
schedule In round numbers l. Spirituous liquor
afty million; .. Fermented liquors, six million
3. Tobacco, twenty millionsi Income and sal
ries, thirty-six milionsj 8, Gross receipts, SIEVE
millions; 0. Stamps, seventeen millions !. Sp
cisl taxes and sales. twenty nine millions
Legacies, Sc, two millionsj o. Banks, &C., -
thirteen millions. Total, one hundred And eish'
millions.
The committee speaks Of "dividends, iuxuri
and amusements." The item, special take
may and doubtless does include amusements.
The country, especially the business comm
nifty, have been waiting with much anxiety, a
yet with almost unexampled patience, the aeti'
OF Congress upon this vital question Of the n
enue, and the forthcoming report and scco
panying bill of the committee have already CIV
cheerful aspect to business Affairs, and co
mcrcial paper in the money market Of our iaI
cities Is much more readily taken At fair rat
AS this question Of defining and estabpshins
sources from which the revenue 10 to DO {
tanned Is being developed and perfected by q
gress, we shall take occasion to note the p
gress till II reach Its contamination, which
trust will shortly be attained.