The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-06
TIC Ia.ernal.Revenue system.

THO NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SySS0hA.
In advocating the total abolition Of the
internal-revcnuc system-a work in which
we have been engaged, on occasion, for
more than ten years--we have time aud
again argued that the friends OF free trade
could as consistently act with us on that
question as could the distinguished protcc-
tlon,st Mr.. KELLEY, Of Pennsylvania, who
has long been in favor Of the entire aboli-
ton Of internal taxes. We are pleased to
see that Mr.. TUCKER takes the same view.
In the little speech which he lately made in
the House OF Representatives giving his
reasons for not voting for the bin to reduce
certain special taxes and abolish certain
others. he said:
"The internal-revenue system is fear
full nest, from which public patronage
matches The instruments for controlling
elections In the States. We must labor to
rcncal the whole system. Duties laid with
a view 30 the required revenue upon our
largely increasing imports will sufiice Tor
an economical and efficient administration
81 the Government, and will less interfere
with the freedom OF political opinion In the
country. now so much fnenaced by Federal
patronage. Corruption, which is produced
ALWAYS by extravaganza, which Itself Is in
duccd by an overlooking Treasury, would
be checked by return TO strictly reNe-
nue. system and an economical adminlstra-
tiop OF public affairs. The abolition OF the
internal-reyenue system would break up
those nests Of Federal patronage whlch
have infested the States for twenty years,
and have been the source OF more petty
tyranny and OF more interference with the
freedom Of elections by the patronage Of
the Federal power than has ever been
known in the history Of the country. With
these principles and this policy the Demo
cratic party will win victory for right
Justice, purity, liberty. and the Constitu-
tlon."
We grieye over the wrongs OF Ireland,
forgetting that in this country no man can
raise tobacco and sell it freely to whom he
wlll--no man can convert his apples OF
peaches into brandy--no man can make q
gallon OF whiskey-without paying heavily
for the "priyilege" thus to use the pro-
ducts OF his own industry. The petty
prosecutions, to say nothing of the infa-
nous and outrageous prosecutions, which
result from the intornal-reyenue laws, are
enough Of themselves TO condemn those
laws in the estimation OF every good citi-
zen. 1t requires about four thousand Off
cials OF one sort and another to execute these
laws, besides an expenditure OF over five
millions of dollars annually. Mr.. kELLBY
remarked last Noyember in a speech
which he made in New York city that to
relieve the Government from the annual
expenditure OF five millions OF dollars in
personal patronage, and remove four thou
sand persons from public service and re-
mand them TO private pursuits, would GER
taiDly be a long stride in the direction of
civil-service reform.
More than one thousand so-called
"ilIicit" dlstllleries are seized every year,
on an average. Commissioner RAUM's re-
port Of 1880 stated that in fifty-two months
1889 persons had been arrested for ''illicit
distilling," and that 26 officers and en-
ployes OF the Government had been killed
and 81 wounded in trying to enforce The
internal-rcvenue laws Think of thar
And these offences against the law are not
smala in Sc, but merely mdla prohibita-
are not real offences OF crimes; but crimes
made such by the law itself. Two thou
sand persons arrested annually FOR making
or selling apple or peach brandy, OF whis-
key, or tobacco!
There is no earthly necessity for the con-
tinuance OF these odious laws. The Gov
ernment can easily collect as much revenue
as it needs from other sources.
1t would hardly be an exaggeration to
say that but for the internal-reyenue Off
cials TILDEY would have been inaugurated
President in 1877, and HANCOCK, or some
other Democrat, in 1881.
Let the Democrats everywhere come out
for the abolition OF all internal taxes.