Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-01-18
Tag Commissioner Renort,

The Hon. David A. Wells, Commiss-
ioner of Revenue, in his report just pub
lished, assumes that we ought TO pay $50
coo, ,00O per aunum on account ofthe prin-
cipal of the National Debt. The sources
whence the revenue is to be raised are
steadily increasing, from the natural Ill
crease OF population, trcm immigration,
from the growth OF manufactures, and the
progress Of invention. The report takes
a hopeful view Of the condition Of cur
general industry. The Northern States
have paid off within the year from six per
cent to fifty per cent of their State debt.
The town and county war debts are
being wiped out. our people are import
ing and consuming as largely as ever the
luxurious Of life. And we are to-day the
only nation which is either reducing or
seriously trying to reduce its debt. The
fall in prices during the year has been gen
eral and even, applying as well to cost
Of living as Of labor and Of goods, and
has, therefore, rested fairly on the mass,
and injuriously on every few. 1t has had
The effect, indeed, to make our currency
go further i'll exchange, and hence has
been equivalent, in some degree, to an
expansion Of the currency. The Customs
Revenue for the past 30 months has av
eraged rate Of S170,O00,OOO per annum,
and cannot probably fall below SI50, 900
COO. Mr.. Wells thinks no system Of tax
alton las been devised which operates
so equally and certainly as the tariff.
No doubt exists, therefore, that our tar
If will always pay our gold interest. with
a considerable surplus.
Mr.. Wells t;lvors the reduction of the
present tax on whisky from So to 80
cents per gallon, and believes the lower
rate would result in about $25, ,000,0
OF reyenUe, while the higher has never
produced more than S30,0OO,000, being
collected on only one gallon in three of
the quantity manufactured. lie recon-
mends the increase Of1hc license tax on
retail liquor dealers from $25 to S100,
which would produce revenue of from
SlO,OO0,OO to $l2, 100000 and by some
further changes he thinks the total on
distilled spirits wouid be $50,CO0,OOO.
The tobacco tax is still more difficult OF
collection, and is eva,ed by dishonesty
Of inspectors, by counterfeit brands, by
using the same packages over again, by
substituting higher-priced for lower at
ter inspection, by allowing small sales to
be made without inspection, by irrespon-
sible bondsmen, Sc AS a remedy for
this the Commissioner recommends the
stamp system, and sale in packages.
The income tax will produce about $780,
OO0,0O The Commissioner recommends
that the exemption of $1,000 thereiorm
shall be changed, SO as to apply only to
incomes which are less than $500, or
s.. GEO, and that rent or rental value OF
residences shall be il included in the esti-
mated income thus overcoming i'll some
degree, the vast disparity that exists by
reason Of tic enjoyment Of costly dwell
ngs and other luxurious appointments b.
those tho choofe TO or that can, make
large investments in that way, the whole
returns from which are now exempted
from taxation. Nothing in the Report
Is more reasonable and just tilan this
last recommendation.
Except the stamp tax, 10 taxes are
pail 80 readily, or with so little evasion,
rs the license tax.
y recapitulatlon Of the sources of re-
venue rs estimated results IS follows: