The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-01
g4s Fire Tra'|er,,
Ottawa, Ill, Saturday. April i. 1870
GORDON VS.. NORTON.

Senator GOrdon's speech on revenue reform
recently deliver ed In tho senate, and Senator
Morton's reply thereto, the two to be printed
together as q republicans campaign document
and to be generally distributed -hdd'ca
Exchange.
The said "na,iynsl republican congressi IN
al committed must have so degrading al
opinion of the voting masses IF the country
as 10 amount to an insult IL they expect by
circulating any fair report of Gordon
speech and Morton's reply, to make votes fol
their party Mr.. Gordon, in bis speech, made
no attack on any political party as such. As
suming that all parties are equally honest OF
dishonest, he attacked the systenn that made
room for dishonesty. Taking as basis the
universally acknowledged fact. that under
our present internal revenue system full one
half of the tax on whisky is annually stolen
by dishonest officials, and full. 20 per cent.
Of all other internal revenue collections, Mr..
Gordon proposed that the finance committee
should direct inquiry to two points:
"First-Whether 1t BIZ advisable to 80
amend the laws as to levy the whisky tax d.
recely upon the capacity Of the fermentlng
tubs and require it to be collected in advance I;
and
"Seeond-To create corps of excise TO
hold Office indefinitely. removable only for
iHcapacity or naifeasance in Office.
The speech with which Mr.. Gordon accom-
panied this proposition Was as able IS 1t was
calm, digniHed and manly. He showed that
the tax on spirits. if honestly collected, should
have brought to the treasury since 1864 $l,-
go, 900 900, while the amount actually re-
oeived has been but s4s9, 100000. He ex'
planned how England collected her tax on
spirits--a method by which she had been able
to collect $3.50 in gold per gallon, without
the suspicion OF the loss OF dollar, whereas
In this country, when the tax was placed at
$500 per gallon, the government was unable
TO collect over tenth of It. One reason for
the superior success of England was, that she
LEVIED her tax directly upon the capacity of
the fermenting tubs and required tito be paid
in advance; and another reason arose out Of
the superior training of her inter nal revenue
officers. Said Mr.. Gordon.' e-'e---a.s
"Sir, before one of England's citizens Is
considered competent to hold the very lowest
position IN her rev enue service he must be
nominated by the Treasury, examined by al
board of officers, put out tn tuition and re
examined as to qualifications and character.
This, / say, IL required for the applicant for
the lowest Office before he can step upon the
FIRST round of the Official ladder, with a salary
almost contemplate in amount, and with du.
H.. a. a<%r Il
clerk. ....... .......
But not yet is Great Britains revenue off
Ger considered worthy the post of collector.
He must serve satisfactory period before he
is promoted to the second position. Not yet
can he even become IN examiner until he has
served his government az long as Jacob
waited for Rachel and equally as devOtedly.
Still England refuses to regard him as com.
petent to the high duties Of u collector.
Three more years must be serve, and even
thea can only be promoted upon unchalleng
ed merit and upon examination and re.exsm-
nation as TO his accounts, as TO his capacity,
az to the character he has borne throughout
all his service, and the smallest stain upon
his reputation is fatal TO his prefernent.
There was no partisan rancor in anything
Mr. Gordon said: no assumption of superior
honesty for democrats over republicans, 1t
was simple proposition TO ins,ruc, COM
mittee Of the senate to inquire whe,har Ger.
ain gross abuses, admitted on all hands TO
exist, might not be abolished by certain
methods which be pointed out Naturally
one would suppose the resolution was passed
II once. Not so. No sooner had Mr. Cor.
Ion taken his seat than Mr. Morton becas
reply IN these words:
"Mr. President, il is said that civil war is
followed by u period OF demorali.
sstion TO greater or less degree. suppose
here is something in that; and, in tina, case,
he responsibility comes back TO those who
made the civil war;
With this as basis he went on with rabid
partisan address, which included quotations
from one OF the violent speeches of Robert
roombs, against which the Georgia legisia
ure had entered its protest. And then Mr..
John Sherman reIeated Mor,on's insult and
Oolishly defended the wisdom" of The pres
mt law, the only merit which it has thus far
'een shown 10 possess being that under il,
,ne-half the public revenue is diverted from
he public treasury and used up as TN cleo
ioneerng fund for the republican party and
Edmunds whDed about sectional auimosi
les" and so the resolution wen, over and
will probably never be heard Of
THE Pitisble feature Of such debate, as
be independent, manly Nation remarks, lis
he utter inability of men like Sherman and
edmunds-we expect nothing Of Morton-to
understand that the time has passed when il
will suffice 10 excuse the failures Of the re |
publican party by reference 10 is services In |
he war; that the people, who are suffering
ander weight Of present ills, demand the
application OF practical remedies, and no,
panegyrics on achievements OF the past.
What does TAI. payer ofto-day care whether
or no, the existing corruption which is call.
ing down upon the nation the scors Of the
rest OF the world can be traced back to the
war as the original cause and thus bc altri b
uied 10 the au,bois Of tie rebellion, II |,