Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-21
RCOCCE TIE TAXES.

REDrCE TIE TAXES.
The prolongation of the session of Con-
grcss consequent upon the precipitation OF
the question of taxation, in the Senate, will
be good thing for the country If it leads to
anything d, csive and substantial in the way
of the reduction OF taxes. Ever since the
war the people of this country have strug-
gled under burden Of taxation ut once oner-
Gus by reason of its weight and vcXatious in
that it concerned itself largely with the de-
tails of private business affairs and gave en-
ploymcnt to multitude Of spies, uformers
and all sorts of petty officers, who consti-
tutc in the aggregate small army. The
National debt has been paid off with n
rapidity wholly without n parallel in
the history Of the world and in yearly sums
so vast as to excite the wonder OF the flnan-
ciers of Europe. But now, almost a genera
ton after the war, with our improved
| finances and stronger credit, ii is high time
TO call halt in this matter of taxation. To
show the expectancy aud dcsirabili,y of n
cite the figures of the Governments income
and outlay, Las, year it collected $780,
100000. 1t spen, $500, 900, 900, and thus
the tax payers were obliged 10 pay $780,.
900, 900 more ,haH the Government needed
for ali purposes, INCLUDING pensions. This
year it is estimated by good authorities TINT
the Government will collect the enormous
sum of $3.50, 900. Congress has doubled
the appropriation for pensions, making il
| 500, 900 900, instead of so, 1000, 900 as ii
stood last year but with The decrease in the
interest on the public debit c expenditures,
if they are kept within moderate bonds,
should not, or indeed could not, exceed $3.50,
900, 900. which would leave 0 surplus revenur
for the year of Sl70,0O0,000, The bill
now before Congress proposes reduction OF
taxation of only $4,000, 900, which still
forces The people to pay in taxes $3.50, 90 DOC
more than the total amount required for all
purposes by the Government. Surely Their,
| is no good reason why the taxpayers Of
this country should be called upon to pay
this enormous sum, which benefits no ont
but which is, on the contrary, needless
burden imposed upon the business and the
industry of the people.
AS TO the particular direction to which We
should look for the reduction of taxation
the New York HeraM makes a forclblc ar.
gument for the abolition of the entire inter
nal revenue system except so far as relate.
to the manufacture and sale of distilled
spirits. 1t says
| With proper and only moderate economy
in the expenditures the whole internal rev.
enue taxes, except those on spirits, could bt
easily spared. The total receipts from inter.
nal taxes amount 10 about one hundred and
fifty.seven millions. OF this, spirits yield
about seventy millions. leaving eighty seven
millions from all other sources. But taking
the lowest estimate of next years surplu:
revenue, which is one hundred and seventy
two millions, and If the whole internal rev
enue system, except the tax on spirits, were
at once abolished, the people would still bt
required TO pay to the Government eighty
five millions more than it needs for all pnr
poses, including the enormous pension charg,
and Mr.. Robesons monitors. The past yea
they were Obliged to pay one hundred mil
lions surplus and not needed taxes into tn,
Treasury. Next year, with the internal rev
enuc system, except for spirits abolished
they would still have to pay within S15 900,
600 of the same amount more than the Govern
ment requires, and the Treasury would saw
at least "A, 900, 900 by getting rid of larg'
staff of oflice-holdcrs, who now cost, for tn,
whole system, 50, $50 900 per annum, ant
whose duties force them to interfere in thu
business of the people in n way vexatious ant
not tolerable, if, us the figures show, the tax
cs are not required.
However this may be-and it certain.
has very plausible loOk-there is no doub
but that large reductions in taxes are expedi
ent and desirable that the people demant
them, and that the well-being of individual
and communities require them. The time i
ripe for them; and if they are to be one o
the results of the session the public will no
complain, no matter how great its length.