Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-19
AMENDMENT OF THE REVENUE
SYSTEM

NuuSIcoo Will uO uOuDl ne Cdllcu upOhb
at the opening session, to undertake
thorough revision of the revenue laws.
At the same time an attempt will be
made to abolish the internal taxes which
at once raises very important question.
OF the total revenue collected by the
federal governmental 1880, one hundred
and twenty-iOur millions were derived
from internal taxes and one hundred
and eighty-six millions from customs.
Now, il it is true that we can spare SO
great sum of revenue as
one hundred and twenty-iour
millions, the question occurs
whether it is not far wiser to repeal
some OF the smaller items in the inter
nal tax list, such as the tax on matches,
that on bank and savings bank deposits,
and one or two others, and for the rest
abolish a great number OF the customs
or tariff items and reduce others which
are now exorbjtautly nigh.
The interests of our foreign trade re
uuire the adoption of the latter policy,
while no considerable part OF the public
calls for the repeal OF the taxes on whis-
XIV and tobacco. The extraordinary de-
mands on the revenue made by the ar
rrnrs ii pension law, so far from hinder
ing the proper amendment 10
our revenue system, on the contrary
makes it necessary.
Ii the Commissioner OF Pensions is
correct we need not merely the revenue
We now get, but more, and there Is but
one way to increase the reyenue-that
is by judiciOus amendment OF the reve-
nue. laws, external and internal. AS TO
internal taxes, a wide experience in the
past shows that, in the first place, we DO
not now collect nearly the whole Tax
due on whiskey. We fail to do 80 be-
cause the tax is too high. The largest
amount ever collected on whiskey
was when tine tax stood at
fifty cents per gallon. 1t
il is now much higher. There is no
doubt that ii the tax were reduced to
fifty cents the revenue from this source
would be considerably increased, and it
would be possible to repeal the taxes
on bank deposits, matches, perlumery,
etc. which are generally believed to be
iniudicious, without decreasing the in
terual revenue.
Practical tests and experience in
MANY countries prove that low rates OF
duty on 4 few articles produce a much
greater revenue than heavy duties on 4
great many.
The benefits 20 the country at large
saws q leading independent journal, OF
revising and liberalizjng the tariff will
be twoio.d-we shall considerably in
crease the revenue AMI We shall be en-
sbled greatly and rapidly to enlarge our
foreign commerce. In doing the latter
we shall secure, what is very much
needed, wider market for our home
manufactures. The manufacturing in
dustries Of the United States have now
become 50 great that we are able TO pro-
duce, OF all the staple articles, large
surplus over and above what in COM
mon times our own people can consume
4 large foreign market is, therefore, ao-
solutely necessary to the steady employ
mrut OF the rumerous Operative pop.
u,atiou. The capitalists who own the
mills and ioundrles can afford, perhaps,
10 lie idle when they have OverStOC&ed
the home market, but the hundreds OF
thousands OF lahOrlng people whom
they employ suffer when the home mar
ket is gluttei, because the present tariff
disables Us from entering foreign mar
kets with our manufactures to an ade-
Uuate extent. To sell abroad we must
also buy, No nation is rich enough IN
the precious metals to pay gold for what
il buys of another; and we have no for
eign commerce simply because the
tariff makes and was designed to
make all buying abroad, except OF
Injuries, improbable. 1t lays eNorbl'
| tlnt duties on everything and aims to
exclude all foreign products, raw mate
rial as well as finished articles. Such q
revision of the tariff as would admit free
Of duty, or at very low rates, all the raw
materials needed by our various indus
tries would st once enable American
manufacturers to produce more cheaply
or to paw higher wages, and secure them
an adequate and profitable foreign mar
ket for their surplus product. The re-
suit would be permanent employment
for the operatives, increased and stead
fast prosperity, and, in addition,
larger revenue for the government.
1t is on this basis, as to both lnterna
| taxes and customs, that Congress is likely
to amend and improve tie tax laws.