Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-15

For the fiscal year ending June 81 last, .ne
snrplus was more than $145, 0OO,OOO Inc re-
norf Of the Secretary shows what dlspOsluon
has been made okthe moneys Iney nave nos
only answered the requirements OF tne sinAi-I 3
fund. but have afforded a large balance SP-
plicable to other reductions Oh tne PLUM nH.'
debt But renew the expression OF my con-
viction. that such a rapid extin- uishment OF
the nublie debt as is now taking place Is py no
means cause for cOngratulaton. -
a cause rather for serious appren ension; II IL
continue Il must be speedily lonoHeu ~ V he
- the evil results SO clearly set forth In the
report of the Secretary; either the surplus
must lie idle I'm the treasury or the GoVern-
ment will be forced to buy at market rates It's
bonds not then Iedeemable, and Wmch, unoer
! anon circumstances, cannot fail TO command
! an enormous premium, and the swollen rev.
enues will be devoted to extravagant exPenoi-
tures which, as experience has taught, Is
| ever the bane of an over1Owlng treasury.
TWAS made apparent in the course OF the
! animated discussions which this question
1 aroused at the last session OF Congress that
! the policy of diminishing the revenue by re-
| ducin0 taxation, commanded the general APP
| DroyaH of the members of both houses. /
| regret that because OF conflicting views as 10
the best methods by which that policy should
| be made operative, none OF its Dement'S have
as vet been reached In the fulhllment OF
| what deem nv constitutional duty, but with
| little hope that can make valuable contri-
button 10 this vexed question, shall proceed
to intimate briefly my own views In relation TO
] IL.
Upon the chewing of our financial condi-
ton at the close of the last fiscal year L felt
| justified in recommending to Congress the
| abolition of internal revenue taxes, except
| those upon tobacco in its various forms, and
| upou distilled spirits and fermented liquors,
excep. also the special tax upon the manufac-
lures and dealers in such articles, venture
now to suggest that unless IL shall be ascer-
tanned that the probable expenditures of the
Government for the coming year have been
underestimate all internal taxes save those
which relate TO DISTILLED spirits can be prudent
ly abrogated.
Such course IL accompanied by simplihca-
ton of the machinery OF collection which
would then be easy OF accomplishment, might
be reasonably expected to result In the di-
minishiDg of tue cost OF such collection by at
least 50 5OO, 90, and in the retirement flom
office OF from ], 500 TO 2 600 persons. The sys-
TEN of exc sc duties las never commended it.
sell to the favor of the American people, and
has never been resorted to, except for supply
ing deficiencies In the treasury when by reason
of special exigencies the duties on imports
have proved inadequate Tor the needs of the
Government. The sent ment of the country
doubtless commands that the present excise
shah be abolished as soon as such a course
eau safely be pursued. IL seems to me, how
ever, for various reasons, SO sweeping a
measure as the total abolition of internal taxes
would for the present be an unwise step. Two
of these reasons are deserving OF especial
mention.
First-It is by no means clear that even IL
the existing system of duties on Imports are
continued without notifications, those
enue for all the needs of the Gov
eminent 1t is estimated 800, 900, 900
will be required for pensions during the coming
year, and II may we'll be doubted whether the
maximum annual demand for that object has
yet been reached. Uncertainty upon this
question would alone justify in my judgment,
the retention for the present of that portion
OF the system of internal revenue which 10
least Objectionable to the people.
Second-A total abolition OF excise taxes
would almost inevitably prove a serious, if not
an insurmountable object to a thorough re-
vision of the tariff and To any cons deraOle re-
ductiOn in import duties. The present tariff
system Is in many respects unjust. Ii makes
unequal distributions, 10th of It's burdens and
and it's benefits. This fact was practically
recognized by majority Of each house OF
Congress in the passage OF the act creating
the tariff commission. The report of that
| commission will be placed before you at the
| beginn ng OF this session, and viii, trust,
Afford you such information as to the condi-
ton aud prospect of the various commercial
agricultural, manufacturing, mining aud other
| interests OF the country, and contain such
suggestions for statutory revision as will
practically aid your action upon this impor-
| tant subject.
The revenue from customs for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1879, amounted to $780,
| CoO,OOO. IL has in the three succeeding years
| reached SlS6,OO,OOJ, then $l9S, 000,OOO, and
! hnally, as has been already stated, 5000 -
QUO. The increase from this source for the
| fiscal year which will end on June 30, 1888
will doubtless have been considerably in eX-
cess OF the sum last mentioned. If the tax
| on domestic spirits is to be retained, it is
| plain, therefore, that large reductions from
the customs revenue are entirely feasible.
Nhih recommending this reduction am far
! from advising the abandonment of the policy
Of SO discriminating I'm the adjustment of
duties to adord aid and prote ton to domes-
tic labor, but the present system should be so
revised as to elualZe the public burden
among all classes and occupations, and bring
| IT into closer harmony with the present needs
| OF industry without entering into minute de-
taC5 which, under the present cir circumstances,
| Is quite unnecessary. ] re ommend an en-
] la cement of tie free list so as to include
| within 1t the numerous art Giles which yield an
inconsi able revenue; simplfcatiOn of
the complex, inconsistent SEIZED lie of duties
upon certain manufacture, particularly those
q cotton, ion AMI steel ana d substantial e.
auction OF the duties upon those articles, and
| upon sugar, mOlasses, six. wool an WOO en-
goods. IL general rev zion of the tariff
shall be found to be impra .ticab at this SEES
SION, express the hope tn at least some OF
| the more conspicuous lniquites OF the pre- ent
law NAV be corrected be.o c your final ad
louTnmeut. One OF tbem specially re erred
| To by the Secretary In view OF a recent deci-
sion of the-Supr me Court. The necessity OF
amending the law by which the duties stand.
ard OF color Il adopted as the test the sac
charine strength of sugars is too obvious to
require comment.
CONDITION OF THE ARMY.
From the report of the secretary OF War II
appears that the only outbreak OF the Indians
during the past year occur c in Ariz ma and
in the southwestern pat of New Mex CO.
These were promptly quelled, and the quiet
which has prevailed in all other parts of the
country has permitted such an addition to be-
made To the mil tary force in the region en-
DANCE ell by tie Apaches, that there is little
rom to apprehend trouble I'm the future
those parts of the Secretary's reports which
relate to our sea coast defences and Their
armament suggest the gravest ques ions. Oul
eXts Ing fOrtincatiOns are notoriOusly made.
quate 10 the defense OF the great harbOrs and
cites for whose protection they We built
The quest on O providing an armament suit
ed 10 our present necessities has been the
subject of cousderat Oh b. a boarI whose re-
port was transmitted to Congress at the las
session.
/ invite the attention OF Congress TO the
Propriety of making more adequate provision.
Tor armlng and eiuipp ng the m litia than i.
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