Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-05
The Need Of Revenue Reform.

The Need of Revenue Reform.
During the business year just closed
Savannah has made long strides towards
the goal which her citizens and business
men are convinced she viii ultimately
reach. The prosperity of which she has
had so large a share has been general
throughout the land, and while there are
those who claim to see signs OF depres-
sion, careful men of trade see at the
worst only somewhat strengthened mo
nitions, which the prudent recognize and
the reckless would do well to heed.
The surprising rapidity with which
the country recovered from the disasters
of eight years ago excited the admira
ton of the world The prime factors in
this wonderful recuperation were the
marvellous fertility of our fields and the
pressing needs of the Old World for the
necessaries of life, which scanty har-
vests cut short. While the prolonged
and widely extended drought will di-
minish the amount that we will have to
export during the coming year, il is not
likely that the deficiency will cause any
marked embarrassment.
While government may be said to have
little to do with creating or maintaining
the prosperity of a people, it can, by
pursuing a policy of Laissez faire. suffer
natural agencies to direct and control
trade and industry. This is, after all, the
only sound policy. and the proof of it is
found in the fact that at seasons of de-
preston the interferences of government
with the concerns of capital and labor
are fewer than at times of prosperity.
True, government in times of disaster
not unfrequently devises remedial meas
ures, but too often these defeat the objects
they are aimed to secure, and the tempo
rary relief is as a rule permanent loss.
Government, whenever it 1nterferes either
for the purpose of promoting industry or
relieving necessity, ever Iobs Peter to pay
Paul.
In the early history of the republic the
doctrine of Laissez fdire was practically
pursued, and government troubled
itself mainly with raising its
necessary revenues. providing for
the common defense, and making such
public Improvements as were recognized
as promising to benefit the people at
large. In time, however, New England
and the pOpulous towns of the middle
section of the Union set up the plea that
the country owed them living, and,
strange as it was and is, the country
accepted the plea, and has quietly
acquiesced in a system of poor laws in
the shape of a virtually prohibitoTy
tariff by which the min-owners and
operatives of the East and North have
fed and thriven at the expense of
the agriculturists of the land. Govern
ment never seeks to fix the price of q
bushel of grain or a loaf of bread, but it
has much to do with that of a coat or a
spade or plough. And yet there is as
much Justice for the one as the other
and quite as good reason.
Tariffs are laid for revenue. If the
revenue duty affords protection no one
need complain. But protection is not
the aim, immediate or remote, of revenue.
Government has no right to levy one
cent of duty over and
above the scale that would
bring the largest return to the Federal
treasury. We are taxed to-day on q
multitude of products for the sake of sf-
fording princely incomes to capitalists,
who have chosen to invest their money
in manufactures. We are taxed by
means of the internal revenue for the
purpose of extinguishing the nations in.
debtednesS A strictly revenue tariff
would give all that the government need
ed for its use and legitimate pur-
poses. Such a tariff would obviate
the necessity of internal revenue
A strictly revenue tariff scale would not
average over twenty-five or thirty per
cent The present tariff averages forty
seven. The government receives less
because consumption Is less, and the
consumer pays more because govern
ment increases prices.
We have prospered in spite of the
tariff thus far. but the poor law system
has become an abuse. The farmer de-
ponds on his muscle, his industry and
common sense. He asks no aid from
government and gets none. The
manufacturer should be COM
PEELED to do the same. If
he was weak, he has fed well enough
to be strong. The tariff must be revised
and brought down to a revenue standard.
The doctrine of Laisssz faire is sound pol
icy; and while it may take time to ar
rive at its application, revenue reform
would be long step towards it.