The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-12-07

stOrag IL scarcely sufficient to contaa It. 1t Is
not apparent why 1t is de sirable to continue thi,
coinage now. - enor Eously exec ~ OF the
publ. d. mand.
SILVER CERTIFICATES.
As to the silver certificates, in addition to the
grounds which SCENE last year to Justify their
retirement may he mentioned the effect which
u likely to ensne from the supply OF gold Ger
made provision, and which are now in active
circulation.
REDUCTION OF TAXES.
You cannot fall To notice with interest the
discussion by the Sec etary ~ to the necessity
of providing by legi lati m some mode o. free
inI the t'easu' OF an exec - of assets. In the
even. tina. Congress fa Is to raach an early
ag cement for the r. dnction OF taxation, heart
lily approve the Sccr,iarys rec ,mmenda ion Of
immc iiate and extensive reductions in the an
membcrcd that / urge npon tho attention Of
c ngicsl at It Last session the importance Of
relieving the industry AMI enterprise OF the
country from the pressure from unnecessary
tlxaton. 1t II enc of the trit at maxims OF
political economy that all taxes are burden
some, however wisely and prudcntly imposed
among our people wide differences Of sentiment
as to the best methods Of raising the national
mysnua-, and, indeed as e the principle. upon
substantial accord In the doctrine that only
sn II taxes ought to be levied as are necessary
for 9 wise and economical administration OF
the Government. or late the public revenues
have FAR exceeded that limit, and unless checked
by appropriate legislation, such excess will con-
time increase from year TO year For the
fiscal year ended June 30. 1881, the surplus rev.
lue amount ii to $tt0,VA,o00. For the fiscal
ycar ended on the 30th Of June last, the surplus
was more than $li5,a, 900. The report of the
ccre.ary shows what disposition has been made
of these moneys. They have not only answered
the requirements Of the sinking fund, but have
afforded large balance applicable to her re-
ductons OF the public debt. But l renew the
expression of my conviction that such rapid ex-
| tinguishmcnt Of tho national Indebtedness ~ is
fsSNn n a f,nr fnra
app ehension Ii II continues, 1t must speedily
he followed by one Of the evil results 80 clearly
sSt I ,on y, the rehor. & o. the ec,e.asy Either .s
Government will be forced to buy, at market
rates, its bonds, rot then redeemable, and
which, under such circumstances, cannot fail
| to command an enormous premium, or the
| swollen revenues will be devoted to extravagant
| expenditure, which, ~ experience has taught,
was made a, parent in the course OF the animated
| discus sion which the question aroused at the
last session OF Cong ess, that the policy OF
diminishing the revenue by reducing taxation
/ commanded the general approval OF the men,
bers of both houses ! regret that because OF
| conflicting views M to the best methods NV
none OF its benefits have Is yet been reaped In
/ fu filment OF what l deem my constitutional
duty. but with little hope that can make
valuable contribution to this vexed question,
shall proceed to intimate briefly my own views
\ in re alton to It:
| Upon the showing Of our finsncial condition
4
in recommending TO Congress- the abolition Of
/ internal-revcnue taxes except those upon tobacco
In Its various forms and upon distilled spirits
and fermented liquors, and except, also, the
! special tax upon the manufacturers and dealers
| in snch articles venture now to suggest that
unless 1t shall be asccrtained that the probable
, year have been undercstinated, all internal
taxes save those which relate to distilled spirits,
can be prudently abrogated. Snch . course, IL
accompante by simplification OF the machinery
of collection, which would then be easy of
accomplishment might reasonably be expected
to- result in diminishing the cost OF such
in the retirement from Office OF from 500 to 2aoo
| persons. The system of excise duties has never
commended itself to the favor Of the American
people. and has never been resortcd to except
for supplying deficiencies In the treasury, when,
! by reason Of special exgencies, the duties on
imports have proved inadequate for the needs Of
the Government.
The sentiment of the country doubtless COM
mands that the present excise tax shall be abol-
ished as soon as such course can safely be pur-
sued 1t seems to me, however, for various
reasons, SO sweeping measure ~ the total abo-
lion Of internal taxes would, for the present, be
an unwise STEP Two OF these reasons are de-
serving OF special mention.
1. 1t Is by no means clear that, even II the ex-
listing system OF duties on imports Is continued
without modification, those duties alone will
yield sufficient revenue for all the needs OF the
Government. II is estimated that Sl0O, ,OO0, 900
will be required for pensions during the coming
maximum maxi nun annual @ demand an % for that Object has has
vet been reached Uncertainty upon this ques-
tion would alone justify, in my Judgment, the
system of internal revenue which is least OBJ
jectionab.e to the people
> total abolition Of excise taxes would al
monntabie objection to 4 thorough revision Of
the tariff and to any considerable reduction In
import duties.
THE PRE- sENT TARIFF SYSTEM
Is. in many respects, unjust. 1t makes unequal
distribution both Of its burdens and its benefits
This fact was practically recognized by . major
ity OF each house Of Congress-, In the passage Of
the act creating the Tariff Commission. The re-
port Of that commission will be placed before
yon at the beginning of this session, and will,
truss. afford You such information az to the con-
dition and prospect of tn, various commercial,
AGRICULTURAL manufacturing, mining and other
intere .ts u the country. and contain such sug-
gestions for statutory revision, will prac ic l.
ly aid your action upon this important subject.
The revenue from customs for the fiscal year
ending June ~. 1879. amounted to &i37 .000,Oo0.
1t has in the three succeeding years reached first
Sis6. 0o: then sl9s 900 .o1; aud finally. ~ has
been already stated. S.ao.OoO0So. The income
from this source for the fiscal wear which wi
end on June 30, 1881, will doubtless he consider
ably in excess If the sum last mentioned. II the
tax on domestic spirits is Ia he retained; 1t i
plain, therefore. that large reductions from the
customs revenue are entirely feasible. While
recommending this reduction am far from adj
vising the abandonment of the policy Of 40 dis
crinlinatng in the adjustment Of details "a r.
afford aid and protection to domestic
labor. But the present system should be 80 re-
vlscd as to cIua ize the public burden among all
classes ami occupations, and bring It in Q c'oscr
harmony with the present needs OF industry.
Without entering into minute detail. which, un-
der present circumstances, Is quite unnecessary,
recommend an enlargement Of the free list SC
n To include within II the numerous article
which yield inconsiderable revenue: SIM
plirication OF the complex and inconsist-
cnt schedule Of duties upon certain man
ton, iro and steel, and : substantial
reduction OF the duties upon those articles and
upon sugar, molasses, silk. wool and woolan
I've found to be impracticable ut this session,
express the hope that at least some Of the more
conspicuous In qualities Of the present law may
, he corrected before your final adjournment Ont
Of them IL specially referred to by the Secretary
In view OF the recent decision Of the Supreme
which the Dutch standard Of color IL adopted ~
the test OF the saccharine strength OF sugars, /.
, too obvious to require comment
THE INDIANS
from the report OF the Secretary OF War IL ap
pears that the only outbreaks of Indians durinl
the past year occurred In Arizona and In thu
southwestern part OF New Mexico; They wers
vailed in all other parts OF the country has per
mitted such an addition 20 be made to the mil
itary force In the region endangered by the Apa-
ches that there is little reason to apprehent
trouble in the future.
sEAcoAsT DEFENsEs.
Those parts of the Secretry's report which re
late to cur seacoast defenses and their arina
4
listing fOrtitcations notOriously inadequat,
TO the defense OF the great harb0rs and cities
for whose protection they were built. The ques
tion OF providing an armament suited to 0ul
present ecessitv has been the subject OF con
sideratiun by board whose report WAS trans
mtted To CongTessat the last session. Pendint
the consideration Of that report the War Depart
mcnt has takel no stops for the manufacture d
. conversion Of any heavy cannon, but the 6ecre
. iary expresses the hope that authority ant
means TO begin that important work will b
soon provided.
4 THE MILITIA.
1 invi . the attention Of Congress to the pro
priety OF making more adequate provisions fo
) arming aud eluippng the militia than arc at
forded by the act of 1906, which Ii still upon TIN
; statute hooks. The matter has already been tn,
, subject OF discussion in the Senate, and bill
which seeks to supply the deficiencies OF existing
| laws is now upon Its calendar.
The Secretary Of War calls attention to tn,
fact that an embarrassment Ii craving out Of TIN
recent get OF Congress making the retirement o
officers OF the army compulsory at the age OF "a
The act Of ls7s IL still In force, which limits u
800 the number OF those who ran be retired TO
: disability or upon their own application.
lhe acts, whei construed together. seem (,
fori Id the relieving, even for incaracity OF off