New-York tribune., 1875-02-15
TPULy MODEST DEMAND

The Congressional Record of Saturday con-
tains the full reports of Mr.. Dawes's speech
on Thursday and of Mr.. L. H. RObertss on
Friday. 1t is curious to note what reasons
they really afford for seeking to wiring Forty
Millions more out of the people by taxation.
1. 1t appears from the official statements
embodied in Mr.. RObertss remarks that, as
compared with the fiscal year ended with June
last the revenue of the Government shows
falling off of &3919,5S3, and the expenditures
a reduction of $9,97242O. The Government,
on balance, is therefore SG502,S37 better OIL
than it was year ago to-day when neither
Mr.. Dawes nor Mr. Roberts would listen to
ex-Secretary Richardson's proposition to in
crease the taxes.
g. BY Secretary Bristow's annual report il
appears that the corrected net decrease OF the
Public Debt for the year 1874 was S5,7G2441 Go.
and not 2,344.802, as stated by Mr. Dawes,
the difference representing an excess of inter
est paid over aud above that accrued during
the year.
g. The falling of in receipts, of which Mr..
Dawes makes so much, is entirely confined to
the month OF January, the first six months
of the year showing gain over 1874 of
S264G,23j, and ten days in February showing
also gain of S67992O. January, 1875, was
month containing five Sundays, and January,
1874, made a far better showing for customs
than February or March. 1t seems to us very
probable that the loss in the revenue from
customs which appears in January will be
made good during this month and March,
though it is reasonable to suppose that the
advance in gold and comparatively poor
markets abroad for our grain, cotton, and
provisions will tell somewhat unfavOrably
on our imports. 1t is also to be considered
that the tremendous gales of the last
three weeks have heightened the passages
of vessels coming this way from Europe,
especially of sailing craft and the inferior
class of steamers.
4. The falling off in the internal revenue for
January is clearly due to some exceptional
cause. For the first six months of the
year the receipts were $53,5j6,111, as COM
pared with S47.0l66B last year, an in
crease of nearly six millionsP while in
January the receipts are s7,065,s76, against
$0,4OOS75 in 1s74-probably due to delay
on the part of collectors in making their re-
ports.
6. These facts embrace all that it is essential
to know in order to form a judgment on the
question of the need of increased taxes. So
far from warranting demand for forty mil
lions more revenue, they do not even justify
a call for fifteen. Look at the account Last
year the net surplus applicable to the extin-
guishment of the Public Debt was $5,7G2,4 ,447 65
by the amended returns Of moneys collected
but not accounted for in time to affect the
Public Debt Statement. as explained by Mr..
Bristow in mis- annual report. In seven months
of the current year we have gained by re-
ducing expenses below the falling off in
receipts, SG,502S S37 more, and by the end of
the year, at the same rate of gain, this
sum should increase to eleven millions, which,
added TO the $57G2,447 65 saved last year, will
come within about thirteen million dollars of
satisfying the demands of the Sinking Fund.
G. No man of ordinary penetration can COM
pare the situation Of the Treasury at present
with its condition year ago and hesitate for
q moment to say that the necessity for in
creased revenues was vastly moro urgent then
than it is now. Mr. Dawes would not consent
to increase taxes then, and now he demands
forty millions. Why does he ask for forty
when fifteen will be amply sufficient His
printed speech in Tie Record, though it was