The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-24

ana mecnaplcal INDUSTRY which now distinguish H.
Germs the tariff and the sligo, ,000, 900 of revenue
derived theTefrom, i need not stop here now to
Argue the matter before a Pennsylvania au-
dience. rE rt ur.t h.Ef1rr -farr-roi-arrr
Surely, If there be oppression from taxation.
It does not come through the tariff And if the
tariff is to be changed from protective 20 a
revenue tariff, surely 1t Is to be done solely by
the Democratic party, without the concurrence
and against the protest and united opposition Of
the Republican party. (Great applause.) IT.
then, the tarf is not burdensome to the
laborer, suppose it follows that the supposed
terrible oppression upon the laborng classes is
caused by the system oftaxation that is assessed
through the medium OF our internal revenue
Offices. Perhaps 1t Is here that we are TO iud
that industry is ground down, and that while
the laboring man has cause to groau the rich 90
about clad In purple and fine linen-a whole
brotherhood of "bloated bondhoders," living
on what has been 6lched from the laboring
classes. repeat this as an epitome of the PEN
detonian- BigeIian style OF stating the question.
For myself, prefer to deal less In geUeralities
and to come more specifically to the essential
facts of the case.
Now, my friends, hold in my hand small
memorandum book, aud on one of its small
pages, within the space OF two square inches, |
have set form the various sources flom which
the entire amount of internal revenue is
derived. That amount rs / have stated is
$l60, ,000, 600. As now recapitulate the sources
from which that amount comes, | should be
glad TO inquire of any one in this audience
is of the different classes OF the tax that op
presses him. The first source which l shall
name is the whisky tax the generic phrase
which denotes the entire amount derived from
the articles of whisky, run, brandy, wines, ale,
beer and all forms OF malt liquor; giving us for
the current year the large aggregate of$56,000,
0O0. Is there any one in this audience particu
larly oppressed by the whisky tax? geuue
man from Illinois told me the other day that
that was the particular tax about which the
Democrats down in Egypt most loudly COM
planned; because in that locality the members
OF the party on an average assisted in pay
ing it about seven or eight times each
per day. But take it that in the sober aud
discreet City of Brotherly Love you can find no
man of any party willing to assert or confess
that he considers the whisky tax an oppression
upon any one under the sun. Then we have
disposed OF ffty.six millions. Next comes the
tobacco tax. l frankly admit that to those of
you who smoke and to those of you who chew
a few cents more on the pound for tobacco, and
a few cents more on the hundred for cigars,
form some part OF the expense which a Demo-
cratic Rebellion entailed upon the country.
But If any gentleman will tell me how twenty
millions of revenue can be more equitably
derived than by the imposition of a tax upon
this hurful luxury of tobacco, will esteem him
q pu bic renefactor and tender him my personal
acknowledgements. No candid, falr-minded man
certainly will be bold enough TO assert that the
tobacco tax hinders or thwlrts the development
of any enterprise in our entire country.
Well, next we come to the income tax. l sup
the evidence of such heart-rending oppression
upon the poor and the laboring classes. Bat
you will please observe that no man is called
upon to pay an income tax until he has first
paid his rent his repairs. the expenses of his
business, and all his taxes, Federal, State, and
local, and then can show net annual gain and
profit of more than $1,000 over and above all
those outays. On the excess above that thou
saDd dollars the Government asks him to pay
FIVE per cent Now, do not know the standard
OF wealth in Philadelphia; ! am plain coun-
tryman; but down where L live we don't call
man poor who has more than thousand dollars
net annual gain and profit after al his rent
and repairs and expenses of business, and all
forms of taxation, have been discharged.
And With when whc %aS has reached b,
to show a balance sheet OF more than thou
6m fnd as ep al sE Ie f 24pMaSs M z EsgaGa Sd
unwilling to contribute something to wards the
support of Government which does SO much
for him. The Democracy, then, cannot seriously
mean that this tax is an oppression to the lor
nan or the laboriDg. classes; and from this
source we get the comfortable sum of $50, 000, 000
exclusively taken from the pockets of the rich,
or those who are well-to.do and prosperous in
their business; for the income tax is based on
this equitable and fair-play principle, that II a
man has nothing he pays nothing. Not only
that, but be must have great deal before being
called upon to pay anything at all:
Well, next we come to the tax OF two otenths OF
one per cent. on the sales of manufacturers
above $4,000 year. very enormous tax two
tenths of one per cent. 1t takes sharp practice
in vulgar fractions to find out just how much
that is. Reduced to its lowest figure we have
one fve-hundreths; and thus this oppressive
Government goes to the large manufacturers,
whose sales exceed $4,000 year, and asks them
to pay the one tive.hundredth part OF what they
derived from those sales in excess OF that
amount. To the small manufacturer, to the en-.
terprisiDg beginner, to the young man Just be-
ginning with his own hands and his little hired
help to manufacture, the Government says: go
tIee:n but from those who have ac-
aured large prosperity, and whose sales
go up to tens and hundreds of thou
sands and to millions, the Government
asks this small consideration of two-tenths of
one per cent. Upon whom is this oppressive ?
The manufacturer pays 1t freely, without pro-
test or grum bling. The people at large may
have assisted in paying IT in the enhanced
prices of the articles as they purchase them
was enhanced by the tax is easily apparent.
If you buy Ave dollars worth of cloth 1t
actually adds to its cost, II the tax be counted
in, one whole cent! And in the manufacture
of two dozen shirts the tax might possibly
enhance the price Of the whole lot half dime.
And yet from tax thus unseen and unelt the
Government will this year derive several mil
lions OF dollars.
as the stamp law, thus being so much tor a
stamp on bank check, so much on an article
OF agreement note OF hand. deeds of real estate,
| and largely on patent medicines and nostrums
OF all kinds, whether vicious or beneficial. Now,
| while the stamp tax may occasionally be a
| source of Inconvenience, take it that no man
| will pretend that it Is ever source of oppres-
| sion- certainly not an Oppression to the poor
and the laboring classes. Tue rich may some
| times have cause to complain OF it, as in the
case of the heirs OF Mr.. Stevens of Hoboken,
The recently deceased millionaire OF New Jersey,
whose will, distributing some forty or fifty mil.
lions OF dollars was admitted to probate on the
payment OF five thousand dollars of
sismns. but I have never heard that the