The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-15
evening State ga,lrnat.
WEDNESDAY EvEN'G, MAY Is, 1872.
THE INTERNAL TAXES-SHALL THEY
BE PERPETUATED OR ABOLISHED!


vania, In the House of Representa- ves,
May 1, 1879.
What do they propose to do to promote
commerce between the manufacturing
and the non-manufacturing nations to which
| have alluded? Why, sir, their bill is
cruel satire on the catch words by which
it is to be popularized. Stree trade" and
''revenue REFORM are the cries! Free
trade to the farmer who grows tobacco and
may sell only to licensed purchasers Free
trade! while maintaining such restric-
tons upon trade between us, the Orient
and the nations of the tropics, that no
American vessel can 60 to them for car
60. Look at it. What does their bill pro-
pose? Thank fortune, sir, we have this
morning got rid of some of the restrictions
these friends of unrestricted trade proposed
to maintain. They would have kept q
duty of ten cents per pound on tea and two
cents pound on coffee, and these articles
have been put into the free list. We have,
however, not been so fortunate with regard
to the fifteen per cent. on block tin and
the duties on spices and gums, which are
still dutiable. Free trade! Do they mean
unrestricted trade between Americans and
the people of countries producing only
what we need, and needing what we pro-
duce? Oh, no ! This trade must be re-
stricted, bound up, hampered, hamstrung,
and for what? Why is it to be thus EN-
barrassed and restricted?
1t is, sir, that the productions of the
cheap labor Of Europe may be admitted
at lower or nominal rates of duty that
your mines, FORCES, furnaces and rolling
mills, your wooden, cotton and silk fac
tories may either be closed, or that they
who operate them shall be compelled to
work at wages approximating more nearly
to those paid by the manufacturing nations
of Europe. Restrict all trade that can give
development to American enterprise,
energy, genius, or skill, but make that
free which will strike your laborers down
to the degradation of those Of Europe, is
the philosophy of bill No. 1922, against
which my colleague on the committee from
Tennessee [Mr. Maynard] and protest.
The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Burch-
ard) further said:
"Clamor has been raised from time to time
against the internal revenue system. |
have not time to enter at large upon the
discussion of the the relative advantages
and disadvantages of the customs and in
ternal revenue systems. 1t is conceded
OIL all sides that both must, to some ex-
tent, be maintained
Mark you well, Mr.. Chairman, ''it is
conceded on all Sides" Pray by whom?
Who comedies it?
Mr.. Burchard-Have you not conceded
it?
Mr.. Kelley--Never in this world did 1
concede it. 5-f e..
Mr.. Burehard--It is in your BILL
Mr.. Kelley-Yes, it is in my bill, and |
will explain why it is there before long.
But may say right here that we cannot
strike down the whole system at once and
at present but that | want to put the in
iernal [langhterl-I should say the internal
system Of taxation-in the process of
speedy. final extinguishment so that in
1876, when our customs revenue, as | be-
lieve it will, shall have reached $3.50, 000,-
600 per annum, and our interest account
shall have been greatly reduced, the world
may assemble to celebrate our one
hundredth birthday, and find America
free and untaxed nation. That
is possible, and that | aim at accomplish
ing.
Mr.. Chairman, what the gentleman from
Illinois assumes to be conceded on all
sides was not conceded by the House of
Representatives of the Forty-frst Congress,
when, ON my motion, on the 18th of De-
cember, 1870, by vote almost unanimous,
being 1866 to G, it
1" Resolped, That the true principle of
revenue reform points to the abolition of
the internal revenue system, which was
created as war measure to provide for ex-
traordinary expenses, and the continuance
of which involves the employment, at the
cost Of millions of dollars annually, of an
army of assessors, collectors, supervisors,
detectives, and other officers previously
unknown, and requires the repeal at the
earliest day, consistent with the mainten-
ance of the faith and credit of the govern
ment, of all stamp and other internal
taxes.'
Nor. sir, was it conceded by this House,
when on the 10th day of April, 1871, on
my motion, it reaffirmed that resolution by
q vote of $50 to 81. Where is the war
rant, then, for saying that it is conceded on
all sides?
Mr.. Burchard-I would suggest to the
gentleman that the same House of the
last Congress adopted substantially the re-
auctions we proposein this hill on iron and
steel.
Mr.. kelley shall not be diverted from
the gentleman's point, that the necessity
for perpetuating the internal tax system is
conceded on all sides. When did the Dem
ocratic party concede it? Was it when
through the war they were denouncing it as
unconstitutional, iniquitous, and inquisi-
toral ? Do they now stand at the back
of the three members of the Ways and
Means Committee who represent that
party on the committee? Are they
prepared to insist that they were only
speaking in Pickwickian sense when they
said it was unconstitut:o that they
never felt it to be inquisitorial; that it is
not oppressive, but that they find it alto
gether lovely.
No, sir; the Democratic party will have
changed front if it consents to stand the
defender of that system Of taxation which
it denounced through the whole war and
the troublous years Immediately following /;
if its members shall endorse and sustain
the demand that our children's children
shall be made familiar with the national
assessor, tax-collector, supervisor, and de-
tective, and that through all time the av-
enues to justice in our courts shall be
clogged and practically closed as now be-
cause they are thronged with revenue
suits, harassing citizens for real or alleged
violations Of the internal revenue laws.
y Wy IL Y i