Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-06
Aailp 8err,ttbtf yournal.
Augusta, Wednesday Morning, Dec. 8.
Congress and the Tariff.

Congress and the Tariff.
Congress has assembled and made
ready for work. of which there is great
deal before it. The republicans have
come together under more than COM
mon sense of responsibility. Much de-
ponds upon their course between this and
next March.
One of the chief subjects to employ
them will be that of civil service reform.
1t must be taken up in real earnest. and
acted upon with a determination to i'm
prove the manner of making appointments
and secure the best service that can be
had.
The reduction of taxation and the
revision of the tariff will be the
most important subjects OF the ses-
sion. That taxation should be reduced
is self evident, likewise some revision
of the tariff. Upon these subjects
the Boston Advertiser has received and
published communications from many
leading members OF Congress. including
Senator Frye, aud Representatives Reed
and Dingley.
Mr.. Frye believes that the first thing to
be done by Congress is reduction of tax
alton. Economy" he says, land an over
flowing treasury are inconsistent with
each other. While the talk about the bur
dens Of the people under our system of
internal and external taxation is the
most Of it nonsense. inspired by
demagogism, this reduction, under pres
ent conditions, is none the less duty.
The internal taxes. other than those laid
upon spirits and tobacco, should be re-
pealed, while the latter should be retained
at the highest revenue point. The diff
Guilty we shall encounter here will come
from purpose of the democratic party,
in which, singularly enough, very few
high protectionists participate, to repeal
all internal revenue taxation, the demo-
Gratis inspired to this by the Southern
wing of the party, the protectionists, by
the hope Of increasing and ensuring pro-
tCttiOns lHt St'OHu bttP bt7b bC ~
vision of the tariff Change in values,
circumstances, methods OF business, the
creation of new industries, rulings of the
Treasury department. and hastily con-
sidered amendments to the law, make the
necessity of revision imperative"
Mr.. Reed saws lit seems the plain duty
of the republicans in this Congress to at
tempt the revision. and the plain duty of
the people. in their own interest, to see
who prevents the revision. BY refusing
TO take the usual holiday recess the time
may be obtained, sufficient time, unless
there be partisan opposition"
Mr.. Dingley saws: 1.-The country ex-
poets, and ought to have, at the approach
ing session revision of the tariff. one
feature of which should be a reduction of
the duty on sugar; a reduction of internal
taxes in the directions provided in the
bill that passed the house at the last
session, and no more than that bill pro-
vided and such modification of our
tive distractions to the prosperity of the
American merchant marine. | am utter
ly opposed to the proposition which has
been made in some quarters to abolish
internal revenue taxation, the main fea-
lures of which are the taxes on whiskey
and tobacco. The tax on whiskev is a
tax on a luxury, and is paid by no one
necessarily. Whatever reduction of taxa
ton can be made should be in such di-
rections as will reduce the price of neces-
saries of life. which the poor. as well as
the rich, must use in about the same
quantity per capita. The duty on sugar.
for example. increases the price exactly
to the extent of the impost. which aver
ages over three cents per pound, or fifty
five per cent. and last year yielded nearly
fifty millions of revenue. il we could
raise all or the most of the sugar that we
use, then the price would be determined
by competition at home. But we do not
raise much more than one-twentieth, and,
therefore. the duty is added to every
pound sold. To abolish the taxes on
whiskey and tobacco necessarily means to
leave the duty on sugar and the duties
generally provided by the tariff substan-
tally as they are now"
Congress has already before it the tariff
commission report with its suggestions
and recommendations. In short time
all the various plans in regard to this sub
ject will be presented. and we shall see
what we shall see.
A Great Storm Predicted.