Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-02-16

tion of my friend from Hin ois, [Mr
TRUMBULL.l Perhaps the most di I'll cult
subject that the next Congress will have
to meet will be the subject of the gener-
al reduction and revision of taxation. |
know that speaking one year in advance
of the time L am liable to commit many
errors, which will not consider myself
to be bound by. My argument as to
this bill eXhausts itself in the simple pro
position that we ought not To deal
with this Income tax now as n seperate
proposition, bat leave it to be settled
when we come to compare and revise and
systematic our whole system oftaxation.
That at the session of Congress it will be
necessary to bring about general re-
duction and supervision of taxation is
admitted on all hands, and if the state of
our finances then authorizes us reasona-
bly, to hope for surplus |, tor one, shall
bewilling To direct nlyattention,and join
with others I'm directing the general at
tention, to the entire revision of our
whole system of taxation This can
only be brought about by adopting GER
tain general principles.
First. BY II searching reduction Of eX-
penses.
experience in administering the tax on
whisky ami tobacco, and, IL possible, to
increase the revenue from those sources.
Third, BY Il reduction OF the interest
of the public debt which can result only
after we have raised the value of our
five-twenty bonds above par in gold.
The principles upon which this reduc-
ton is to be founded must include:
A comprehensive review of our in
ternal and customs taxes rs an entire
sy stem, with view to repeal or modify
those that bear most heavily upon the
people,
,. We must dispense as far as practi-
cable with internal taxes, and contine
them solely to articles the consumption
of which is not necessary or useful,
and toAuch surplus income as will tend
TO eoualize taxes between capital and
consumpt ion. My conviction Is that
AFTER this year We may and ought to re-
peal every internal tax except on spirits.
tobuc 60 and beer, and such modified
income tax as will reach only the pro-
duct of capital not needed for the neces-
2. such a reduction of the duties on
imported goods as will cheaper, as far
as Is consistent with the absolute wants
of the government, the price of such
/, goods rs cannot be produced in this
country, and which are in general use
as nccessaries of life. or as the basis of
our domestic INDUSTRY. Upon such
goods as enter into competition with
domestic industry L would levy specific
duties equal to, but no more, than the
average rate OF duty demanded by our
financial wants upon imported goods.
rnis is ample protection To all domestic
industry not unnatural or forced by hot
house p ocess.
While this process has been going on
we were able at the last session to re
duce our taxes over eighty-two million
dollars i year, by carefully adjusted
Sv>tein, in which nearly all the ounoX-
ions taxes were swept away. and two
rhirds II the income tax, about which
we ara n,nw talking. were swept away.
We confider rtiy expect at the next ses-
sion not ONLY again largely to reduce
taxes but to SO adjust them that those
that remain will IL. IL more lishtiy on our
people. These thin rs niaY play but 4
Small part in the political debates OF the
day. but they are the strength of the
Administration.
Under these circum. stances, my own
Judgment is that it would be an act of
folly to repeal the income tax or any
other tax now levied; th,i the income
tax ought not to be singl ed out fro m
among the mass of taxes le Wed on our
people and repealed in the face of the
statements that L have made this day
and the current facts; but tins & If there
is any hardship still in this di Unfinished
tax it ought u be borne by the wea lthy
people OF our country little Will ION
ger, until, by general revision. ' re m1y
distribute any reduction which we make
in taxation on L broader level alu u
broader basis.
This tax affects, it is true, about e. oht
hundred office holders OF the Uni. ID
States. 1t is said that it affects SOME
officers in some of the States. How
many? How many officers of States
have salaries ofover $4,000 after their tax
es and other things are paid? Very lev
indeed. II they want TO appeal 10 the
constltionaiity of the law. let them dc
il, and l have no fear of the result. E1
affects about seven or eight hundred
officers of the United States, all told
whose salaries are subject 10 the income
tax certainly not over thousand in
Guiding officers of the Army. Il effects
some fifty or sixty thousand people who
are able 10 pay it. To say that this is Il
discriminating tax against them is to-
say that the English Government, in
the adjustment of their taxes have lev
led upon themselves the same kind of
tax since the time of Sir L obert Peel.
Mr.. President, have been threatened
i'm every way about this matter. / will
read what the Brooklyn Union has to say
about those who insist on maintaining
the income tax; paper published in
the very town where the whole body of
the population are in arms against the
whisky tax, L am told.
"The people mean to have this tax
out of the way. even if they have to put
the men out of tie who are responsible
for its continuance"
Sir. there are sixty thousand. all told,
II.
that favored sixty thousand, because the
people give us over $4,000 Il year. We
are compelled to pay this tax. And
now every man who thinks it is better
to retain this tax awhile longer is threat
ened with the Indignation of the people.
am inclined to think that We shall be
able to endure it and survive it.
Sir. the same threats were made
against Sir Robert Peel when lie pro-
posed to renew the income tax. The
politicians of that day denounced him.
and were able after awhile to punish
him to some extent; but it did not deter
him. 1t was the reorganization and
redistribution of the income tax in Eng
land that led to that revision of taxes
which changed the whole current of
affairs i'm England, and L believe now
that if the property-holders ofthis coun-
try. those who are compelled to pay the
income tax. will bear with it little
while longer, for the two years during
which it is to exist. they will never
have cause to regret it.
So far as my own state is concerned,
[ am impartial in this matter. The
State of Ohio pays her full prOpotion of
the income tax according ia her popula-
ton. have here the statemens. Most
of the western States pay but little in
come tax, but Ohio pays dollar for dollar,
TO hnv latY
tax was lust about dollar an inhabi-
tnnt Ohio nn,-s her share. and have