Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-12-14
e nEprcrlov b REvEvuEs.

|
the treasury OF an excess OF assets IN he event
that congress fails to reach an early agreement
| for the reiuetiOn Of taxation. | hereby approve
| the secretary's recommendation IF an i'm Mediate
and extensive reduction in the annual revenues Of
the government. 1t will be remembered that
urged upon congress at its less session the i'm.
portancs of relieving the industry and enterprise
Of the country from the pressure Of unnecessary
taxation. II is Of the truest maxims Of polit-
ica economy that all taxes ae burdensOne
however wisely and prudently imposed. and
though there have always heen among our peo-
pie wide differences OF ssntmen. as to the best
methods Il raising the national revenue, and in
deed as to the principles upon which taxation
should be based there has been substantial accord
in the doctrine that only such taxes ought to be
levied es are necessary for the wise and economi-
cal administr atsn Of government. OF late the
pubic revenues have exceeded that limit, and I'M
less checked py appropriate legislation such ex-
cess will continue to increase frois year to year
For the fiscal year ended June Seth 1851 the.
surplus was more than Sl45 900, The report
OF the secretary shows what disposition has been
made OF these moneys They have not only su-
sgered the requi emen.s of the sinking fund but
have afforded large balance applicable 10 other
reductions of the public debt. Bnt renew the
expression Of the conviction that such rapid ex-
tinguishment OF the national Indebtedness as Is
now taking place is by no means a cause for con
gratulations. 1; is cause rather for serious APP
prehension.
Fit continues, 1t must speedily7be followed by
OF those evil results so clearly set forth in the
report of the secretary; eithef the surplus must
be idle in the treasury, or he government viii bo
forced to buy at market rates its bonds not then
redeemable, and which under such circum-
stances, cannot fail to command an enormous
premium; or the smaller revenues will be devoted
TO extravagant expenditures which, as expert
ence has taught US, is ever the bans of the over
flowing treasury.
1t was made appa'cn in the course Of the an
mated discussion which this question aroused Of
the last session of cong'ea that the policy Of
diminishing the revenue by reducing taxation
commanded general approval of the members Of
both hsuses. / regret that because of the conflict
ions as TO the best methods by which that policy
should be made operative, more of its benefits
have not been reape1. 10 fulfllment Of what |
deem my constitutional duty, but with little hope
that can make valuable contribution to this
veNed question, | shall proceed to intimate
briefly my own views in relation to it.
PRESIDENT ARrHuR's PLAv FoR REDUCING
TAXATION.
Upon the showing Of our llfancial condition at
the close OF the last fiscal year felt justified in
recommending to congress the abolition Of inter-
ual revenue, except THAI upon tobacco 10 It's 80.
riouS forms and upon distilled spirits and Ter.
mclted liquors, anu except also the special tax
upon the manufacturer and dealers in such arli-
ces. ! venture now TO suggest that unless II
shal be asccrtainted that the probable evpcndi
lures Of the government for the coming ear have
been nndcr estimated the interal taxes, save
those which relate to distilled spirits, can DO pru-
IDENTIFY nbrogated.
Such reduction, accompanied by simp liica-
iOn Of the machines Of collection, which would
then be easy of accomplishment might reason
ably be expected TO result in diminishing the cost
OF such collection by az least two millions and q
half of dollars and in the retirement from Office
from 500 to 1000 persons. The system Of ex.
else duties has never commended itself to the ia
vor of the American people, and has never been
resotted to except for supplying deficiencies in
the treasury, when, by reason OF special eTgen-
ciel the duties on imports have proved made
quate TO the needs OF the government
The ssntim n; of the country doubtless COM
mends the present excise law shall be abolished
as soon as such course can safely be pursued. 1t
seems " me, however, for various reasons 50
sweeping a measure, as the total abolition OF in
te lal tax, would for the present be an unwse
step. Two OF these reasons are deserving Of
special mention:
First, it is by no means clear that even if the
existing system of duties on imports as contin-
ued without modification that those duties alone
will yield sufficient revenue for all the needs of
the government. II is estimated that one hun
bred millions of dollars will be required for
pensions during the coming year, and it may VOL
be doubted whether the maximum annual de-
mand for that object has yet been reached. I'm
certainty upos this question would alone justify
in my judgment the retention for the present Of
that portion of the system of internal revenue
which is least objection able to the people.
Second, a total abolition of excise taxes
would almost prove a serious, if not unsurnount-
able, objection to thorough revision of the
tariff, and TO any considerable reduction in i'm
port duties.
THE PRESENT TARIFF SYSTEM
is, in many respects unjust. 1t makes an une-
quail distribution both Of its bu-dens and its
benefits. This fact was especially recognized by
ajoritY OF each house of congress in the pas
sage of The act creating the tariff commission.
The report of that commission will be placed be-
fore you at the beginning of This session and will,
trust, afford you such information az to the
condition and prospects of the various CONNER
cal agricultural, mining, manufacturing and
ether interests of the country, and contain such
suggestions Tor statutory revision as will pract-
caly aid your action upon this important subject.
The revense from customs for the fiscal year
eudlng June &c. 1879, amounted to Sl37 900 900.
IL has in the three succeeding years reached
first, SlS6 coo 600, then $i9S GOO 900, and final
", as has been already stated SEQ 900 600.
The income from this service for the fiscal year
which viii end On June Both, 1883, will doubtless
he considerably in excess of the sum last men
toned. If the tax on domestic spirits is TO be
retained, II is plain, therefore, that large reduc-
tons from the customs revenue are entirely teas-
bic. While recommending this reduction, l am
far from advising the abandonment of the policy
dScrim mating in the adjustment of the detail 20
as to afford aid and protection 70 domestic labor.
But the present system should be SO revised as to
gqualze the publics burden among AL classes
and occupations, and bring it into closer har-
mo0y with the present ueeis Of the public interest.
Without entering into minute details which,
under present circumstances, is quite unnecessary,
! recommend an enlargement OF the free list So
as to include within il the numerous articles
which yield considerable revenue, a simplidcation
Of the complex ana inconsistent schedule cf
duties upon certain manufactures, and partieu-
,arly those upon cotton ir.n and steel, and a
substantial reduction Of duties upon those ar
iicles and upon sugar, molssscs silk wool and
w0,len goods. 1t general revision Of the
tariff shall be found to he imprac ieable az this
session. | express the hope Jhst at least some Of
the more conspicuous inequalities Of the present
law may be corrected before your lnal adjourn
wcnt One Of them is especially referred TO by
tae secretary. In view Of a recent deciiun of the
supreme court the necessity Of amending the
law by which the duties on standard OF c ''or is
adopted as the test of Saccharine strength Of
sugars is too obvious to require COMMENT
TIE wAR DEPARTMENT.
From the report Of the secretary Of war Il ap