The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-10-21
Internal
Customs
Total. $3.50 S9, $50 s629,932,s17


Total. 1870, 7s9, $50 1929, 1872, BIT
Here are fifteen hundred millions
of dollars raised by taxes, which fall
mainly on the toilers who earn their
bread by the sweat of the brow.
Deducting Sundays and holidays, the
taxation averages about million Of
dollars daily for these five years!
These are appalling figures, and
they show constant and regular in
crease from 1878 to 1882 in both
kinds. If there was great public
exigency demanding taxation, the
people would freely submit to it, as
they did during the civil war. The
existing tariff and the internal reve-
nue. system were established as war
measures. More than half a genera
ton has passed away since the close
Of the rebellion, and yet these taxes
are continued in full rigor, without
an attempt at modification.
The necessary consequence of this
iniquitous policy is an increasing CUR
plus in the Treasury. In 1881 it ex-
ceeded one hundred millions, and in
the fiscal year of 1882 more than one
hundred and fifty millions. This sur
plus is the objective points of the
Rings, the jobbers, the spectators
and the adventures, who thronged
the corridors of Congress at the last
session in anticipation of the feast
assured by Republican control of
the House of Representatives
These plunderers had been shut out
from the spoils by six years Of Dem
ocratic ascendency. They rushed
with ravenous appetites to the cap
ital as to land of promise, when
they knew that Secor Robson,
Keifer, Hiscock and Page were to
handle the reins. They were not dis
appointed.
The excessive appropriations for
the current year, aggregating sew
enty- eight millions over those for
the preceding year, are to be ascrib-
ed to the surplus. The River and
Harbor steal would never have passed
but for the surplus. The jobs in the
Navy and other acts are the outcome
of this surplus. But for the elections
this fall, which had a restraining eff
feet on the candidates for re- election,
the bulk of the surplus would have
been squardered.
Schemes which will require tens of
millions are ready to be launched at
the next session, with every prospect
Of success. Mr.. Blaine and his
friends are engaged in large spec
ulation in both the Virginias. The
proposition TO assl+aae-the State debt,
of which Malone has repudiated
more than third, or about the
share assigned to West Virginia, has
u political and financial object.
This projected raid on the Treas
ury will naturally attract the sup
port of all the schemers who infest
Washington, as basis for their jobs,
by logrolling arrangement like
that by which the River and Harbor
steal was carried through. A coop
erative plan of plumber is always
popular with the traffickers in legis-
lation. 1t brings in votes from both
parties, and divides responsibility.
The programme of the Republican
leaders is to keep up the tariff and
the internal revenue abomination, be-
cause they furnish the surplus by
which ring and robberies flourish
and raids on the Treasury are made
easy. And while they do this for
their own enrichment, the great mo-
nopolies are protected in their extor-
lions, and are always ready to con-
tribute large sums of money to re
tain a majority in Congress that will
be subservient to their purposes.
The surplus in the Treasury has,
therefore, not only opened the door
wide to an organized gang of plum
derers, but it has debauched our pol
itics and offered an unlimited pre-
MUM to corruption. In moral
sense, it would be public blessing
to cast every dollar of this vast ac-
emulation into the ocean, if by that
sacrifice the Government could be
restored to the simplicity and homes
ty of the republic, and frugality
again become the wisdom of admin
istration-N. Y. Sun.