The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-09
rnErARIrr AND AMERICAN SHIPPING
Some sound Views Delivered ina Concise
Manner, and Pertinent Questions Asked
That Need Answering.
TO the Editor Of The Herald,

10 inc Edllpt oil inc ucfalu,
DALLAs, Septembers s, lss2. have always
read your editorials on tariff and other
questions with interest. Also your crti-
oisms on speeches in congress, aud a few
nights ago listened TO the able speech of
Hon. 0lin Wellborn, but up to this time
the questions upon which, ina great meas
urc depend the peace and prosperity OF the
people, and the power Of the nation, have
scarcely ever been referred to- mean the
internal revenue system and the decline Of
American shipping. To fortiy ourselves
against foreign competition, and to estab
lish free trade as nearly as the government
will permit, the internal revenue system,
which is wrong in theory and wrong in
practice, should be abolished. IL requires
cheap labor 10 compete with foreign manu- |
features which we cannot have unless we
have cheap living. We cannot have cheap
living while almost every domestic article |
consumed by the people ~ taxed before II |
reaches them, The high prices of whisky !
and tobacco do not deter them from their |
use. Thousands die annually from the use |
of adulterated or poisoned whisky induced |
by the attempt TO oyade the high internal |
revenue duties, Yet it, is a iact to be re-
GREETED that these two articles enter largely |
into the cost of living. Particularly, 80 far |
as the poorer classes are concerned. The |
evil results OF the use of whisky |
are much greater now than they would be-
il 1t were manufactured and sold at rates 80
low that IL would not pay to adutcratc it, |
or 80 low that Illicit distilllng and Snug |
Cling could not be carried on. There is no
question but that poisoned liquor q is |
dealt out to the people all over the country, |
and their lives are cOrrespondingly short |
enod by its use. To pass n law prohibiting |
the manufacture OF liquor would only cs-
tablish all over the country Illicit diStiller. |
les, and If prohibtory duty should be
placed on the importation OF 1t, Snug. |
Cling all along the American coast would |
be the result. This would increase the ex'
port of grain, which would be returned to
lis in the form of bad whisky That state
of things would require armies OF revenue
officers who could not control it, thinl, |
all inducements to commit crime in order
10 eyado the revenue laws should be re.
moved from the people II pos ible. So
far as
INTERNAL REVENUE LAWS
are concerned and laws imposing an in
come tax, etc, they can only be enforced at
the expense Of personal liberty, and do
more to destroy the harmony between the
government and the people than all other
causes combined.
The patronage of the internal
revenue department aud the power
to Cypress Is very great and with
out this department the need of
United States courts and marshals aud de.
tectiyos would be very limited. If II Is not
thought wise to relieve home manufactures
from taxes, let US relieve the people here by
making foreign consumers taxpayers by
relieving the articles of the internal revenue
tax aud substituting export duties to the
extent of the internal revenue tax on the
article exported. This Will relieve ny and
transfer the collection of taxes from the In
tcrnal revenue department to the custom
house department, or, in other words, for.
eign consumers, instead OF American,
will pay the tax. II the American people
could he restored to II condition of the
greatest possible freedom 10 pursue their
different callings In their own way, without
fear of arrest, conscious that they are COM
hitting no wrong without the humi0t-
ing necessity OF hiding from internal rev.
enuc collectors; il they dare defend their
property and the" iVt at nut violating ,
an odious law, the st.Yda.d of American
manhood would be somewhat modified. II /
we have few burdens TO bear here, we can
produce Chcapy, and be able to export
largely. II We export largely, there will be
corresponding imports, either Of goods or
money. Ana when there is the most per-
feet immunity from burdens on industry,
capital will seek investment
OUR HOME MARKET SHOULD M PROTECTED
TO the extent of the revenue required for
the support of the government , for so long
as our skilled labor is constantly employed ,
our farmers are sure of II home rs well as a .
foreign market.
When manufactures are closed part oil
tho time and strikes and riots cnsue, think
1t Is pretty evident that there is either u
want of protection, or that the duty on that
article is beyond the revenue standard for
II Is. said. that there isa point at which
protection don't protect and the eff
feet of that kind of protection is 20
rob the people. When prices are low in
Europe and the market oyerStocked and
mills closed then II is that American mar.
kots are Hooked with foreign goods, and
Americans are thrown out of employment.
An inability to withstand an occurrence
Ike this might be due to the high price OF
living, high price of labor or u want ofpro-
lection or too much protection, as the case
may be. Free trade means direct taxation
for the support of tho government instead
OF tax on foreign trade, II means no Gus
tom house, no officers OF customs, hut nj!
transformed to internal revenue taN,gath.
ercrS, turned loose upon tho people. Our
statesmen say there was time when pro-
lection was necessary, If so, when did
that timo eNpireG Aud II 1t is still necos.
safy that articles should be protected
What articles In u tariff revenue only,
should tho tax he placed on articles indus
orlininately, or upon articles that need (')
protection, or when 1t will aid in the lie.
velopmcnt OF our natural resources rs well
rs manufacturing interests.
Tho greatest question, however, In Amer.
lean politics, our statesmen are not inclined
to tackle, viz; | have never heard them
Ut "a. A .gaa