The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-09-16

REDuCTION or NATIONAL TAXES.
The Platform Of 1868 pledged the
Republican organization TO raolcai
reform of the shameful corruptions
of the last administration, and that
Taxation should be equalized and re-
duced as rapidly SIS the national faith
would hermit. This was no idle !
pledge. on which to obtain power. but
has been redeemed TO the letter.
In this connection, allow. me to
read the following charge against the
administration from an editorial OF the
s. Indianapolis Sentinel of August 18th,
the leading paper of the DemocratIc
party in this State. lt says:
From june 30, 1eo5, c. June ~,
e 1870. we have the first clear fiscal year of
the Grant Administration And how
DOES the tax levied upon the people
during that year compare with the tax
levied during the year handed down
BY Andrew Johnson, Look at the
oficiaf statement OF Government lev
lea just put forth by Mr. Boutwell,: @
ly6S-69 Johnson 7o.eaS,I47
Excess Of Grant. s37 S5z,6-5
s'Thus the Government levied upon
the people nearly $38, O0O,O more
daring the FIRST fiscal year Of Granite
EAdministration than was levied during
the last fiscal year Of Johnson's ADJ
isiration. This is reduction OF tax.
alton with TengeanceT s
Although this eomparis0n Of the
Sentinel only partially shows the m
crease in fhe revenue under the faith
ful execution Of the laws bg President
Grants officers, (as four months, and
the best four months fer revenue, Of
1862 we're under Grant and NOT
under Johnson,) it is an unwilling
testimony to their fidelity from the
lips of an enemy. Remember that
there was no Increase Of any taxation,
Internal or external, during these two
years. The same taxes Except in
deed, one or two redNct509sS instead Of
enlargements,) and the same laws ex-
listed in the first fiscal year of Presi-
dent Grant as In the last fiscal year
of President johnson. But during
Johnson's administration, the whisky
ring reigned almost supreme; and
manufactured whisky. marked 'tae
paid, was sold at less than the tax,
saying nothing of the cost of manu-
featuring. Corruption stalked una.
Dashed through every avenue of the
public service, aud she treasury was
robbed by men kept ia office for par
tisan purposes only. When a faith
full Commissioner urged removals Of
suspected officials. his appeals were
almost always in vain. And when
these thieves were detected and
convicted, Presidential pardons, in
large majority of cases. were ready for
them. Prom this Decentralization. pee
ulation and plundeF, which SO natu-
rally followed the recreancy of their
chief, Gen. Grant rescued and re-
generated our revenue services and
what under johnson went into the
pockets of thieves went, under Grant,
into the Treasury, enabling taxation
10 be reduced Tie whisky ring be-
came powerless Officers who were
suspected or inefficient. were removed;
and If the new .appointees failed to
prove their fitness for responsible
trusts, they had also TO give place to .
others. And Immediately the revenues
improved. Every subordinate felt
that his position depended on bis
Every taxpayer realized
that what he paid went into the
Treasury, and shat his dishonest
competitor, by his side, could
not any longer escape his share
Of the public burdens. And the same
Internal RevenUe ldiCs, honestly ad-
ministered without fear or favor.
the same taxes faithfully collected,
brought millions more per month into
the Treasury, for which the Sentinel
now attacks the Administration.
In the Customs service also (the
Tariff there has been increased Ell
cheney. Fraudulent systems of uA-
dervalued invoices have bees broken
up. Smuggling has been detected
aud arrested. And the same IaYif
laos thus yielded millions more peg
quarter to. the Treasury under Presi-
dent Grant than under President
johnson. H Ea
Look at the following Official state
lnent of the increase of receipts dur
ing th FIRST eighteen months Of Presi-
dent Grants Administration, (from
March, 1863, to Sept. 1870 as compar-
sd with the last eighteen months Of
President Johnson's Administration,
(from Sept. 1857, to March. 1862
INcsEAsE IN internal Revenue
Increase ia Customs recsipIs...... 12,75l.43l
Increase IN Land sale receipts. 1879 SIS
So. sa4 $50
ceipts, premiums on surplus as
gold sola' lo,ozl loi
Net increase in all recelpts........ ss7 2lS ,765
Which has paid off just that snuch
Debt of course, and relieved the tax
payers permanently Of FIVE MILLIONS
interest per year. sW ca lz# ssaE sssl
Making all allowance for increase
of Business, does not this prove that
the Administration has been a faith
ful guardian of the public interests
committed to its charged The benefi-
cent results Of this increased revenue
flowing from increased efficiency and
honesty in the public service, has
been felt By the people In more ways
than one. rn8kET
First. While nothing was paid on
the debt during Mr.. Johnson's last
year, the reduction under President
Grant has been constant and crafty
ingly large. Without any increase of
the public burdens, he has paid of
over one hundred ant si.rtv.nine and
a half millions of our bonded and
overdue debt. in the first eighteen
months of his Administration and
- has permanently reduced the annual
interest to be paid to our creditors.
nearly NINE MILLIONS PER YEAR. Up
to this data the bonds he has pur-
chased wIt1 our surplus revenue have
been stamped, aud kept as a sinking
Fund. Eat the last Congress ordered
as talrer way, that they should an
be destroyed, now and hereafter. AZ
purchased, 50 that they should No
longer be In existence, even in a can.
celled form.
Secondly. With this healthy condi.
ton of our finances, Congress fell
that a large reduction of taxation was
not inconsistent with the maintain.
ance of our credit And acoordinel,