Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-05
Rhe War Taxes no Longer Needed.
PaI1delDhia American


Philadelphia american
1t may be anticipated that variety of inter
ests and influences will Join in vigorous oppo-
Sition to the abolition of the internal tax svs-
tem There is an interest that would much pre-
fer, according to the suggestion of the London
hnanciers, to reduce the tariff and let in
greater flood of foreign goods. There is a class
that desire abundant revenues, producing such
an excess of cash in the Treasury that there
may be a dazzling annual exhibit of debt re-
duction to offset the undeniable and otherwise
too conspicuous facts of general extTavagance
and occasional, if not frequent jobbery. No
body need doubt that every one who wishes to
fill our markets with the productions of foreign
factories and shops, and every one who has
scheme to tap the public Treasury for his own
benefit, will object strenuouslv to the diminu-
ton of revenues that would follow the aboli-
ton of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. To
these classes the war is not over and never
will be.
But the arguments of those who wish to
maintain taxation in order to diminish pro-
lection, or to swell revenues for the sustenance
of jobbery, are arguments that should answer
themselves in the minds of the people The
fact that these classes will oppose the diScon-
tinuance of the domestic taxes is conclusive
evidence that the public interest lies in such
abolition. There is but a single question for
the public to consider, and that is whether the
taxation that was laid in the midst of the
is still needed. If not if the necessity for it
has in great part or entirely ceased to exist
then there cannot be the shadow of excuse for
maintaining it further, in the face of the obvi
GUS logic of the situation, and against the
many correlatiVe objections that attach TO the
internal taxes.
How far the necessity has ceased has already
been indicated by presenting some of the re-
markable figures that are to be found in the
United States Treasury Departments own re-
ports. 1t is shown that, whereas the collec-
tiOns of internal taxes now average as much
as they have averaged in twelve years out of
the nineteen in which the system has existed,
the revenues derived from them are surplus
age to the extent of more than IS per cent,
even with lavish expenditures for fraudulent
star route mail carriage, unnecessary public
buildings, unusual pension payments and
other great leaks So nearly does the
account balance, surplus on one side and inter
nal taxation on the other, that there can be no
doubt of the practcability of dispensing en-
tirely with the latter, if the effort to do so by
| economy of expenditure were honestly and
| sincerely made. Can it be SAID, then in the
face of this, that the taxes of the war continue
| to be necessary? Can their maintenance
| be justified when the revenues derived from
| them are no longer required, either for the sup
| port of the public credit, for the payment of
| accruing obligations, or for the current eX-
| penses of the government?
The true policy of the country is to continue
| the reduction of the debt, but to make this re-
| duction by economy out of revenues adjusted
| to point not greatly in advance of our neces-
Sary expenditures. This is the policy that
dries up the schemes of public plunder, and
| leaves the jobs of the lobbyists and department
| vultures to perish by starvation. To have
great residue of cash over the sum of
necessary expenditures, is a policy pre-
csely opposite in character and results;
and yet it is upon this line that are
now moving Mr.. Sherman's estimates for
| 1880-91, which have been more than borne out
on the side of the revenues showed surplus
age of ninety millions of dollars, and his fur
ther estimates for 1882 showed a surplus
even larger $3.50 OS5, III 92) Yet for the latter
enormous sum no explanation of necessity
whatever was assigned, except as to S41639,-
$40 20 called for by the sinking fund acts of
| 1862 and 1870 The remaining S4S, S,445,S77 Y
was in excess of all demands whatsoever, and
much surplusage even upon the top of
| enormous reductions of debt principal which
| the sinking fund plan conceived it de-
| sirable to make. Can such financial pro-
| cadure as this be declared necessary?
| Can it be even thought iudicious? Is
it not true that the internal taxes are con-
| tinued with but remnant of reason, and that
| even this remnant would disappear under
moderate and reasonable eHorty Providing Tor
a moderate annual reduction of the debt, is
one thing; to pay off the whole of our bonded
obligations in less than fifteen years, as we are
| now doing, is quite another. The one plan
would be conservative of all the elements of
| our present prosperous condition, by moving
carefully and giving time for all interests, in
| Guiding the national banks, to adjust them
| selves without shock or embarrassment; while
| the other, which we are now pursuing with
| such excess of zeal, is productive of injuries
as it passes, and threatens to overthrow, at the
end of a decade the hole system upon which
the circulation of the national banks is estab-
lished.
If the taxation upon spirits and tobacco were
now removed by the United States, as a result
of the abolition of the internal tax system. one
of the conditions thus created would be of
great public importance. With the withdrawal
of the national collectors, opportunity would
be given the States to advance their own. The
necessities of the States in many instances are
most pressing. This relief would be to them
of the highest value In ratio correspond
ing to the almost total needlessness of the
internal revenues to the Golfers of the national
treasury, is the extreme urgency of the de-
mand for them in the treasures of such States
as Virginia, the two CarOlinas and Tennessee.
Is it to be insisted that the United States,
reaching out for what it no longer needs, shall
maintain an army of civil servants throughout
the country, backed by another legion of
armed men, for the purp pose of gathering in
taxation that would revive the financial for
tunes of the communities from which it is
taKenS Such policy is indeed perpetuating
the spirit and war operations.
An examination of the internal revenue re-
turns shows that the following sums were col
lected in the fl cal year ending June 3d. 1880,
In the several States of the South: