The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-09-08

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measure here 1t cannot be made an issue
of this campaign, much as Mr.. Mcdonald
would ike to make it so. for Mr.. Voorhees,
supported it, and the convention has in
dorSed him as a faithful representative
The report of the commission must under
the law, be presented at an early hour next
session, and we NAV hope before the session
closes to see law enacted that, while wisely
protecting our home interests, shall correct
many evils and anomalies in the present
tariff system. Mr.. Voorhees, being the Judge,
the Republicans in one session have done
more for revenue reform than the Democrats
did in six
INTERNAL-REvENUE TAXES
Our internal revenue is now derived from
a very few sourees-the tax ON distilled spir-
its, on tobacco, on the capital, deposits and
circulation of banks, and the stamp tax on
bank checks, matches, proprietary medicines,
perfumery etc. These are all that are left
of a tax list which the necessities of war had
extended to almost all property and every
trade, The Republican party, which had
been compelled by the stress of war to i'm
pose these taxes, had, as the credit and
necessities of the Government would allow,
lifted the hand of the tax gatherer from one
and other till the brief list 1 have given
above is all that remains. The fact that
these are left implies that, in the opinion of
Congress, the subjects upon which they are
able to bear tax, of all those which have
been the subject of internal taxation. But
the question now is, Shall we continue to
exact taxes we do not need, and thus per-
petuate the evil of an overfull treasury :?
The Democrats say they favor a reduction of
taxation. I assert that but for Democratic
opposition the tax burdens of the people
would have been reduced at least $50 COO, 600
annually at the last session of Congress-
Even Mr.. Mcdonald does not assume that
we have yet reached a position where we
may abolish the internal revenue system
But may we not reduce the acknowledgements
taxes now, and, if they are to be reduced,
which of them shall be dropped? Shall we
abolish the tax on whisky and keep it on
banks? OF take it from tobacco and keen it
on patent medicines? None of those sub
iects of taxation are favored subjects but if
we reduce revenue we must exempt some
of them, In my opinion, whisky and TO-
bacco should be the last on the list from
which the hand of the tax-gatherer is lifted
These articles are Injuries, and by that I do
not mean that they are good. 7 dodge that
question-but they are not necessary; one
may well do without them They yield d
large revenue at few points, which, if the
tax is not excessive, can easily, be collected
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION.
Every possible effort was made by the Re-
publicans in the Senate to pass a bill for the
Democrats successfully resisted, and the
x-gatherer still goes his rounds. Some
forty amendments, covering the whole range
of our tariff, were proposed from the. Demo-
cratic side of the Chamber and one Demo-
cratic Senator advised us that forty more
were to follow They would entertain no
proposition to limit debate and refused to fix
any time when they would consent to come to
a vote on the bill and peSding amendments
It was quite plainly iltyimated by some
OF them that they wanted to keep the bill on
the calendar until next session, as the basis
of general tariff bill, for fear the Hoitse
would not send another bill to the Senate
No pretense of lack of time can excuse this
Democratic opposition to tax reduction. IF
their pretended zeal had been real, ten days
time would have been amply sufficient to
perfect and pass the bill. If there is gath
cred this yeaf $30000,Q Of money frorfl the
people that is not needed for the hubble use
the responsibility is upon the Democratic
party
Shortly before adjournment, Mr MorrIII,
in charge of the bill, proposed that the Sem
ate should agree to take the bill as it came
from the House, with the tobacco reduction
of the Senate added, and pass it, taking off
everything else. The proposition vas re-
iected by the Democratic Senators-notWith-
standing they had themselves proposed
practically the same reductions in the last
Congress, except tobacco, and that was
added on the motion of a Democrat, and
largely by Democratic votes. They would
not pass a Tax-Reduction bill, every i'm
portant feature of Which was supported by
the recommendations OF Democratic conf
mitteeS. Fellow citizens Mr.. Mcdonald has
not located the fraud properly-hot the Tax
Reduction bill but the Democratic platform
is sham and fraud
MR.. VOORHEES, POSITION STATED FOR HIM.
If am capable of understanding Mr.. VooT-
hees' position, it is this: [ am in favor of
abolishing all the taxes on banks, but not
now am in favor of abolishing the tax on
patent medicines, but not now. | am in
favor of abolishing the tax on perfumery,
including the balm of a thousand flowers,
but not now want the report of the Tariff
Commission, which [ voted for, first, and
then | want time to study the whole subject
of internal and customs duties together, and
then | will be ready to consider the subject
of reducing taxes, and to name one article
from which [ would remove the tax.
1t was perhaps in line with these views
that Mr. Voorhees, afterWard voted with Mr..
Bayard and six others, all Democrats, against
taking the tax off matches. If there is any
article Of wide and prime necessity to all
who are not light unto themselves, it is
matches, yet Mr.. Voorhees,, after processing
an anxiety to release the hecessafies of life
from taxes, voted to continue this needless
and oppressive tax.
PoLYGAMY, BANKS, FINANCES, ETC.
do not intend now to enter upon any de-
tailed review of the work Of the last Con-
gress. The session was very protracted one,
and good deal of legislation of an important
and permanent character was enacted By
the Edmunds Polygamy bill the first hard
blow has been struck against an institution
that we characterized more than twenty
years ago as one of the twin relics of bar
barism" The Republican party throttled
the other twin in fight that rocked the
country. The surviving one must go-not
in violence nor blood, but under the pressure
of law We have created no religious test;
we war against no mans faith, but have de-
termined that polygamy shall no longer hide
it's hideous face under the cloak of religion
shall no longer sit in the council of the ma
ton or hold any public place of trust in the
| Territories.
Every amendment offered either in the
Senate or House, that tended to diminish the
efficiency of the bill came from Democrat
and was supported only by Democrats, and
on the final passage of the bill in the House
| forty-two Democrats voted against it,
| The bill to extend the charters of the ma
! tional banks which also became law, Will
| | believe, be generally accepted as wise ano
| useful measure According to the report Of
| the Comptroller of the Currency, nearly lO'
! charters expired from April 1, 1882, to Jan
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/ but have exerted a most unfavorable effec
upon the business of the country, New banks
| could, of course, have been organized undel
| existing law, but the disastrous effect OF thu
| locking up of money and bonds and OF thu
! sudden calling in of loans, could not have
been avoided except by extending the char
/ tiers.
The bill also contained some provisions no
directly connected with banking Of great in
terest and value 1t authorizes the Score
tary of the Treasury to receive the 81 pc
cent bonds of the Government and to issu
| 3 per cent bond instead The new bond
are to be payable al the pleasure of the Gov
ernment and may be taken up whenever w
have the money to pay them, the only con
dition being that we will notpay one OF the
per cents as long as there is a bond bearin!
a higher rate of interest which we have tn
right to pay, and that the first 3 per cent
issued shall be the last paid. Fellow-citizens
| the Republican management Of the finance
of this country can have no better eulogy
A struggle at the door of the treasury as t
who shall get the first per cent. bond, AM
the KEY to this wonder is in the fact that tn
first bond issued will be the last paid.
When the Democrats last managed our ma
tional finances there was also a scuff1e abou
the door of the treasury. But the excitln
question then was who shall be paid first
for it was not certain that the cash WouI
hold out.
Ii the causes of the delay of the publ
business were sought out it would be foun
that large amount of valuable time wa
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