Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-12-14
Affairs Of the Matiuu.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The Presidents message to the SecOnd Ses'
sion of the Forty-seventh Congress, which as
sembled on the 4th instant, Is an elaborate
document, and has generally received favorable
criticism as being an able State paper. After
reviewing foreign affairs, in which he repre-
sents our intercourse with other Powers to be
of the most friendly character, he discusses
the subject of the finances of the country, and
gives statement of the receipts and e1pendl'
lures of the treasury for the fiscal year ending
June 30. 1882, The ordinary revenues from all
sources were s403, ,525, ,250.2S; and the ordina-
rv expenditures for the same period were $751;
e8l .43s. 81, leaving a surplus revenue OF Sl45,-
543.slO.7l, which, with an amount drawn from
the cash balance in the treasury OF S2Q, ,737,
694s4. made the sum of S166, ,2Sl ,5o5.55. This
amount was applied to the redemption OF the
public debt. From this subject he proceeded
to that of the
REDUCTION OF TAXES,
and saws: In fulfllment of what deem my
constitutional duty, but with little nope thaS
] can make valuable contributions TO TINS vexed
question, shall proceed to intimate orieny my
own views in relation to it. Upon the show
inp Of our financial condition at the close ot
the last fiscal year, felt justified in recon-
mending to Congress the abolition of all in
ternal revenue taxes except those upon tobacco
in its various forms and upon distilled spirits
and fermented liquors, and except also the spe-
cia1 fax ,uon the manufacturers and dealers In
such articles venture now to suggest thai,
unless it shall be ascertained that the prooahle
expenditures of the Government Tor the COM
ing year have been underestimated, all lnIer,
nal taxes, save those which relate 10 alstiiieo
ohr0nafaN
course. if accompanied by Simphhcatlon OF
the machinery of collection which would then
be easy of accomplishment, might reasonably
he exnected to result in diminishing the cost
Of srch collection by at least two million and
half dollars. and in the retirement from o.
fee of from fifteen hundred to two thousand
persons. The system of excise duties has lleV-
er commended itself to the favor of the Amer
lean. and has never been reSorted to except IN
supplying deficiencies in the treasury Wheh, Dy
reason of special exigencies, the duties on ilnc
ports have proved inadequate TOT tne neeas OF
the Government The sentiment OF the coln-
try doubtless demands that the present excise
tax shall be abolished as soon as such course
can he safely pursued. 1t seems to me, now
ever. that for various reasons, so sweeping
measure as the total abolition of internal taxes
would, for the present, be an unWlse step;
Two of these reasons are deserving OF special
mention. First, it is by no means clear tnat
even if the existing system OF duties on I'M
ports is continued without modification these
duties alone will yield sufficient revenue tor al
the needs of the Government. 1t is estinatea
that one hundred millions of dollars Will be re-
auired for pensions during the coming year,
and it may well he doubted whether the annual
maximum demand for that object has yet
been reached. Uncertainty upon this question
would alone justify, in my Judgment, the re-
tention. for the present, of that portion OF the
system of internal revenue which is least OBJ
jectionable to the people. Second, atotal apo
lition of excise taxes would almost llleVltaoiy
prove a serious, if not insurmountable, oDsta-
Gle to thorough revision of the tariff, and to
any considerable reduction in import dutles.
The present tariff system is, in many respects,
unjust. 1t makes unequal distributions both
of it's burdens and it's benefits. This fact was
practically recognized by majority OF eacn
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 beginning of this ses-
Sion. and will. l trust, afford you such infor-
nation as to the condition and prospects or
the various commercial, agricultural, manu-
featuring, mining and other interests OF the
country, and contain such suggestions Tor sa-
lutary revision as will practically aid your ac-
tion upon this important subject.
The revenue from customs for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1879, amounted to Sl37 ,OOO,-
600. It has in the three succeeding years
reached. first, 1856, O0O,0O0, then $l9S, GOO 00o,
add finally as has already been stated, S22O,-
100000. The income from this source for
the fiscal year which will end on June 30th,
1888. will doubtless be considerably in excess
of the sum last mentioned, if the tax OH do
mestic spirits is to be retained. 1t is plain,
therefore, that large reductions from the Gus
toms revenue is entirely feasible. While rec
ommending this reduction am far from advis-
ing the abandonment of the policy of discrim-
mating in the adjustment of details so as to
afford aid and protection to domestic labor.
But the present system should be so revised
as to euualize the public burden among all
classes and occupations, and bring it into
closer harmony with the present needs OF In
dustry.
Without entering into minute detail, which
under present circumstances is quite unneees-
sary, recommend an enlargement OF the tree
list 50 as to include within it the numerous
articles which yield inconsiderable revenue, a
simplifcation of the complex and inconsistent
schedule of duties upon certain manufactures,
particularly those of cotton, iron and steel,
and a substantial reduction of the duties up
on those articles and upon sugar, molasses,
silk, wool and wooden goods. If a general re-
vision of the tariff should lie found to be i'm
practible at this session, express the hope
that at least some of the more conspicuous in-
equaities of the present law may be correc-
ted before your final adjournment. One OF
them is specially referred to by the secretary.
In view of recent decision OF the Supreme
Court the necessity of amending the law 10y
1,,,;sh tbo INT oh Of andard of color is alODt ed
as the saccharine strength of sugars IS TOO OBJ
vious to require comment.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The President calls attention to the need of
providing for the adequate defense of our har-
bors. and of larger appropriations for the mill
tia Concerning the compulsory retirement of
officers at the age of IA, there is an embarrass-
ment due to the Act Of 1878 which limits the
number of retirements to 400. and there is no
power to retire for disability or upon applica-
ton unless the number is less than 400. The
laws should be reconciled.
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
The reason which prompted the President
to veto the last River and Harbor bill prompt
him to express the hope that no similar meas
ure will he deemed necessary during the pres
ent session of Congress- Indeed such meas
ure would now be open to a serious objection
in addition to that which was lately urged
upon your attention. | am Informed by the
secretary of war that the greater portion OF
the sum appropriated for the various items
specified in that act remains unexpended. On
the new works which it authorized, expenses
have been incurred upon two only, for which
the total appropriation was S2lO,OW. The
present available balance, from different ap-
preparations, after making proper deductions,