Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27
Internal Revenue Taxation.
SP E ECH OF
HON. ANDREW G. CURTIN,
OF PENNSYLVANIA,
In THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, June 81, 1882.
OF PENNSYLVANIA,


The House being in Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union, and having under consideration
the bill (H. II. No. 553s) to reduce internal-reyenue
taxation
Mr.. Curtin said
Mr.. Speaker: If this Congress at its
assemblage had approached an empty
Treasury cannot Tut feel that its ac-
ton might have met with the much
more hearty appreciation of the people
who sent US here. We would have been
compelled to legislate in the direction OF
economy, and would have endeavored
to originate measures by which the
Treasury would have been supplied so
as to maintain the national faith and
pay the necessary expenses OF the Gov
ernment. 1t would, no doubt, have
been the general sentiment as well as
the disposition of the members of the
House to have SO legislated in the inter
est of economy as to reduce the eXpen
ses of the Government; and, really, it
seems to me that it would be better for
the country and it's future, and more
creditable in the legislative action Of
Congress, for us to endaavor, as far as
possible, to retrench and tighten the
burdens now resting upon a lax paying
people.
We have legislated lavishly from a
full Treasury. We have provided for
the erection of court-houses and post.
offices where such conveniences may
have been needed, but fear they were
in many Instances passed by combina-
tions in this House, where there was no
actual necessity for them. We have
been liberal, and it might not be unjust
to say lavish in appropriations for the
improvement of river navigation to
facilitate internal commerce and the
improvement of harbors for the better
accommodation of our foreign commerce
We were invited to full Treasury when
we came here, and we seem by our ac.
tions 10 have accepted the invitation.
WHAT RELIEF Is OFFERED TO INDUSTRY?
When the session commenced it was
expected by the people that large re-
duction would be made to relieve the
people from the burdens of internal
taxation, and thus afford a measure OF
relief to the productive, interests and
industries of the country. In the bill
presented to the House from the Com
mittee on Ways and Means | now ask
what measure of relief is afforded to
those who produced? l presume the
bill under consideration is to pass as 1t
comes from the committee under tle
inexorable will of the majority, trained,
disciplined, and ready for action. 1t was
certainly anticipated before the intro
duction of this bill, and it is even not
unjust to say that it was promised that
there would be actual relief to the in
dustrial interests OF the country and to
the pursuits of productive labor.
The bill now about to become law
has offered broad field for discussion
in this House, and no doubt many of
the speeches made were intended for
home consumption, and will find their
way into districts represented by gen.
tlemen on this floor. The Democrats
stoutly contend for large reductions,
and many of them for the repeal of all
the war taxes, the entire abrogation Of
the internalrevenue system and with 1t
the four or five thousand public officers
who find their means of support in the
continuance of the system. The bill on
passage does afford relief to the people
IN relieving them from the tax on
matches that nobody seriously felt and
which is scarcely appreciable, for, as
was repeatedly stated on this floor, es'
pecially by the distinguished gentleman
who stands at the head of the Ways and
Means Committee, that relief was to be
afforded to the producer, and as the tax
on matches is the only relief which Is
offered by the bill; not much in that di.
rection has been accomplished.
ARBITRARY AND OPPRESSIVE TAX LAWS.
Early in the session the gentleman
from Missouri Mr.. Hatch introduced a
bill to relieve the onerous taxation from
which the tobacco interests of his con
stituents suffered. He represented that
the law as it then existed rested op.
pressively upon large portion of his
constituency, and his presentation was
so clear aud the justice of his demand
so impressed the House that he came
within seven votes of the two.thirds
necessary to have the bill taken up out
of order and passed; and yet of the
number of amendments offered to this
bill, directed TO the relief of that inter.
est by that gentleman and others, not
one of them was accepted by the ma
jority.
gentlemen had changed their views
and political considerations had affec-
ted their judgement and their consci.
ence and the force of discipline made
the majority solid in the House with
very rare exceptions. ] voted for every
amendment offered to the bill. to give
relief from that oppressive tax and the
manner of its collection, and cannot
but be of opinion that this bill when
passed will afford no relief to that indus.
try without that provision in it.
1 will not pretend to offer to this
House the various acts of Congress on
the taxation of tobacco and its means of
collection that have been reiterated over
and over again and are we'll understood,
but will confine myself to presenta-
ton of the various laws and their op
pressive features as briefly as possible.
The dealer in tobacco who is licensed
pays an annual fee of $25. The farmer
who produces the tobacco can sell to