The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-05

',',,ro1.I 81 tbe members OF both houses.
.spp,.,a, ,Lot boco,se of conflicting views
~ 70 the best methods by which that poiicy
sbo,ld bc made operative none OF its pehc-
it, have ~ vet been reapcd.
In fulnIment OF what deem my constl-
,ui;onol duty. but with'littlc hope thai !
am mako n valuable contribution 10 thiS
voxeJ question, I shall proceed to intimate
briefly my own views in relation 10 IT,
Iinon the showing Of our financial condi-
,ion ot the close Of the last fiscal year i
felt Justified in recommending to Congress
the abolition of all internal revenue taxes
eycept those upon tobacco, in liz various
forms. and upon distilled spirits ana Ter,
meutcd liquors, and except also the spe,ia'
tax upon the manufacturers OF ana dealers
in such articles. venture now 10 suggest
that unless il shall be ascertained tlat
the probable expenditures H the Gov
eminent for the coming year nave
been underestimate. all internal taxes
save those which relate to distilled
spirits can be prudently abrogated. sufh
n course, il accompanied by simplilcation
Of the machinery OF collection, when
would then be easy OF Accomplishment,
miebt reasonably be expected to result III
diminishing the cost of such collection 10y
at least two millions and a half OF dollars,
and I'll the retirement from Office OF from
fifteen hundred TO two thousand persons.
The system OF excise duties has never
commended itself to the favor OF the Amcri-
can pcoplc. and has never been resorted 10
except, for supplying Deficiencies IN thc
Treasury, when, by reason OF special cNi-
gencieS, the duties on imports have proved
/ inadequate for the needs OF The HONerh-
mcnt. The sentiment II the country doubt
less demands that The present excise TAX
shall be abolished as soon rs such course
can be safely pursued. 1t seems to me-
however, that for various reasons 80 sweep
inc a measure A. the total abolition OF in
I ternal taxes would for the present be IN
unwisc step. Two OF these reasons are
deserving OF special menlion-ilrs,, II l.
bv no means clear that even il the existing
system Of duties on imports Is continued
without modification those duties alone
will yield sufficient revenue for All the
needs Of the Government. II i estimated
that 300 1000 will be required for PEN
sions during the coming year. and 1t may
well be doubted whether the maximum All
nual demand for that object has yet been
reached. The uncertainty upon THIS qle'-
| ton would alone justify, in my Judgment,
the retention for the present OF that por-
ton OF the system OF internal revenue
which i, least Objectionable 10 the people.
second. \ total abolition OF excise taxes
would almost inevitably prove serious ii
not an mSurmOuntablc obstacle to the tho
rough revision OF the tariff and 10 any con-
siderable reduction in import duties. The
present tariff system, in many respects, l.
unjust: it makes unequal distributions
| both OF it, burdens and il, benefits. This
/ fact was practically recognized by ma
ioritv Of each house OF Congress in the
] passage OF the act creating the Tariff Com
mission.
The report OF that commission will be
placed before YOU at the beginning OF this
/ session. and VIII, trust. afford you such
! information ~ 10 the condition and pros
poets of the various commercial. aericul-
tural, manufacturing, mining, and other
/ interest. OF the country, and contain such
suggestion. for statutory revision rs viii
practically aid your action upon This im-
portant subject.
|. REyESrE.
The revenue from customs for the fiscal
year ended June Sd. 1870, amounted TO
| SlS7 600. O00. u has I'm the three succeed
/ ine wears reached first SISG, zoo, then
/ SOS. GOo.00A. and finally. as has been
already stated. 20,000.0O0. The income
/ from thj, source Tor the fiscal year which
will end on June 30. 1883, will doubtless
/ be- considerably in excess OF the sum last
mentioned II the tax on domestic spirits
/ j. to be- retained il is plain, therefore. that
/ large reduction, from the custom, revenue
are entirely feasible While recommend
| ing this reduction, am far from advising
/ the abandonment OF the policy OF 80
discriminating i'm the adjustment OF
details as to afford aid and protcc-
/ ton 10 domestic labor. But the
present system should De so re-
y,ed o. to cqualizc the public burden
among all classes and occupations. and
bring il into closer harmony with the
present needs OF industry. Without en-
| fcring into minute detail. which under
/ Che present circumstances is quite lmuc-
ccs,ary, / recommend an enlargement Of
/ the free list so Is 20 include within il the
numerous articles which Weld incOn-idcr-
able revenue, q simpification OF the COM
plcX and inconsistent schedule OF duties
upon certain manufactures, particularly
those OF cotton. iron. and steel. and sub
,tantial reduction OF the duties upon those
articles, and upon sugar, mOla,ses, silk,
wool. and WOoUcn goods.
Ii general revision OF the tariff shall br
found 10 be impracticablc at thi. session,
cypress the hope that ut least some Of the
more con,picuou, incqualitic, OF the pre-
sent lawmay be corrected before your final
adjournment. one Of them j. specially
referred to by the Secretary.
In view OF recent decision Of the ST.
prcme Court, the necessity OF amending
the law 10y which the duties and standard
OF color j. adopted "a, the test OF saccharne
strength OF sugars is too obvious to re-
qnirc comment.
SECRETARY or WAR.
From the report OF the Secretary OF War
it appears that the only outbreaks OF IN
dianS during the past year occurred in
Arizona and in the southwestern part OF
New Mexico. They were promptly Guclled.
and the quiet which has prevailed in all
other parts OF the country has permitted
such I'M addition TO be made 10 the military
force in the region endangered by the
Apaches that there is little reason 10 apprc-
bend trouble in the future.
Those parts OF the Secrctary's reports
which relate TO our coast dcfences and their
armament suggests the greatest reflection.
our existing fortitcations are VIGOROUSLY
inadequate to the defence OF the great har-
bors and cities for whose protection they
were built.
The question OF providing an armament
suited 10 our present necessities has been
subject OF consideration by board whose
report WAS Transmitted to Congress M the
last session. Pending the consideration OF
that report, the War Department has taken
no step, for the manufacture or conversion
OF any heavy cannon, but the Secretary eX-
presses the hope that authority and means
to begin that important work will be soon
provided. i invite the attention OF Con-