The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-25
Our Co0pIioated and Oppressive Revenue
Systom-Tho Reform Needoa.


and public opinion, will be carried out But
in nothing is reform so much needed as in
our revenue system. We mean by this not
| only reduction Of the revenue to the lowest
sum possible that an economical adminstra-
ton of the government will admit, but also
thorough change in the principle and plan Of
taxation. We never have had simple, good
and steady revenue system. Even before the
war, when sixty to seventy millions Of
dollars were q sufficient income for the
necessities Of the government, taxation was
too complicated, and, therefore, unnecessarily
expensive in the collection, while 1t was so
| frequently changed to suit the policy or
views of the different parties that succeeded
each other in power that business was dis
| turbed and the country checked in Its develop
ment. With the war and the enormous
demands of the government for means TO
carry it on taxes were multiplied SO much
| that people were bewildered, al well as bur-
| dened, with the number and variety Of them.
| Almost everything under the sun was taxed,
and many things that little more than paid the
| expense of collection. The greater part Of
these taxes exist now, though there has been
a small reduction of the number, and slight
| modification in the amount of some few others.
Virtually the system is the same as at the close
of the war, and little less complicated. To 60
through the lists Of imposts with view of I'M
derstanding or remembering them would be
more puzzling than the most difficult mathe-
NAUTICAL problem.
These numerous imposts, many 2. which
| haye yielded little to the government, have
arisen partly from the ignorance Of our legis-
iatofs AID partly rom TIP bAblt Of Iog-rolling
iu Congress 70 accommodate The different SEQ
tions and interests. The cotton manufacturers
Of New England, wanting high protective
duties, strike hands with the iron protectionists
Of Pennsylvania. The wool grower and manu-
facturer, the sugar planter, the lumberman,
the ship builder and those specially interested
in other industries do the same. One member
Of Congress says to another, 'You help me and
will help YOU" Thus the tariff is made up
| and taxes imposed, moro with view to favor
! special interests and localities than upon gene
raj principles. Not that which is best for the
nation at large or the mass of the people Is
considered, but that which will benefit par
ticular classes. These remarks apply, how
ever to manufacturing industries chiefly
for, strange, to say, the greatest
interest Of all in the countryside agricultural
interests least protected or promoted by
legislation. Nor is special Legislation for it's
protection either practicable or demanded
Free trade isits best protection. That opens
the markets of the world to our agriculturists,
creates greater demand for their vast
products, and, as consequence, promotes
every branch OF trade connected with agricul-
ture. 1t is estimated by Mr.. Wells, in the re-
port he made as Special Commissioner of
Revenue, that more,than fifty per cent Of the
Industrious classes were agriculturists, and
that their productionwas little less than half
the total products of the country. We see,
then, how an unjust and oppressive system of
imposts operates against more than half of the .
community, and In favor of special classes.
Instead of log-rolling protective legislation, !
by which the agricultural population is VIC 4
timized and the development of agriculture re- 4
raising revenue that would bear on all classes \
alike, and that should be derived chiefly from
luxuries.
1t is probable now that Congress will take
the duty off tea and coffee, W hieh will reduce
the revenue thirty millions Of dollars or more.
While this may be acceptable to all classes
and be felt pretty equally by all, and while it
will tend to cheaper living, the effect will be
inconsiderable. This tax is so generally
diffused and the amount that may be saved
to each family or person by abolshing 1t will
be so small that there will not, after all, be
much difference in the cost Of living. 1t will
be but short step In the way Of revenue
reform. Those who are advocating the
adjustment OF the duty on tea and coffee are
protectionists for the most part, because they
expect that with this reduction of government
income other duties and taxes which afford
protection to certain interests will be con-
tinued. But there are other things which
enter more largely into the cost of living, Of
the household and clothing, and Of the
mechanical arts and industry generally, which
need to be relieved Of the burden of taxation.
We want, really, a sweeping measure of
reform, that will take of a hundred millions
of taxes at least, and the relief thus afforded
TO be such as the mass Of the people will feel
and the government expenses Of revenue col
| lection be greatly reduced
| The English system Of taxation is on the
! whole, perhaps, the best model to follow,
though there is in the United States, as In
some other countries, exceptional conditions
or circumstances that require modification.
We could not do better, certainly, than to copy
England in the principle she acts upon of
raising large revenue from few articles.
| uar raranna for axamnle L. In ronnd nnm-