Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-05
Tarifr and Rerenue Reduction.


FOreseeing that the people of this coun-
try are positively determined upon being
relieved from the tremendous burden of
taxation to which they have for years been
subjected through our Ubiquitous internal
revenue and protective tariff systems, the
Republican leaders have at length agreed
that it will be their wisest policy to do
something themselves i'm that direction
before power finally passes out of their
hands on the 4th of March next. How
and what to do seems TO be the difficult
problem to be solved, however. Some of
the party are in favor of a reduction of the
customs duties, while Others-and they
form the high prOtectiOnist wing of the
cOncern-favOr an absolute abolition of
the internal revenue system and the
maintenance of the present high protec-
tive tariff.
That the internal revenue system could
be safely abolished has been made clearly
evident by the report of Commissioner
Raum, published yesterday. 1t is an OPP
pressive and burdensome tax, created in
the first place solely as a measure to pro-
vide the means for carrying on the civil
war, and for paying off the obligations
which grew out of that conflict. The reye-
nue. from that source has been so large,
however, and the national debt has been
paid off with such rapidity, that at present
the customs duties received upon goods
imported from abroad are sufficient to
supply all needed revenue to the govern
ment, and whatever is now derived from
the internal revenue is just so much sur
plus-which surplus, according to Com
missioner Raum, was, in the last fiscal
year just ended, $146, 100000.
There is no doubt then that the entire
internal revenue tax might be abolished,
and the government could still be carried
on through the customs revenue. But
will it be wise to adopt any such princi-
J pie? 1t is again shown by Mr.. Raum that
the great bulk of the receipts from internal
revenue taxation is from whisky and to-
| baccO-luXuries that can be dispensed
| with. On the other hand, the revenue de-
rived from customs duties represent a tax
/ placed largely upon the absolute necessi-
/ ties of life. If continued, therefore, it
/ must simply mean that only the rich
will be enabled to indulge in imported
! goods, while the poor will be forced to
| put up with inferior articles of American
manufacture, for which they will have to
/ pay double and treble prices according to
/ the will of the manufacturer. In other
| words, it Will be left to the wealthy of the
land to support the government, while upon
the poor and less fortunate will devOlve
/ tba dutV of oT1nnortiDr tho mo mn 20 ot1rorc
The demands of the government can be
easily met without imposing such burdens
upon the humber classes of the body
/ polite, and without placing them at such
/ great disadvantage with the rich, thereby
/ creating a privileged class in the country.
/ All that is needed is to keep a small tax
/ upon the luXuries we have mentioned
/ and reduce the customs duties on imports
/ to a strictly revenue basis at the same
| time. This would be equitable, Just and
| constitutional, and to our mind is the only
/ true policy upon which the Democratic
| majority in the FOrty-eighth Congress
/ should insist. 1t is too late, under any
/ circumstances, for the Republicans
to begin to pirate about reform
/ at this date, but such so
called reform as they do propose to
/ institute should be determinedly COM
/ bated by the Democracy. The people
are tired of speciOus shams and delusive
/ promises, and they look now to the Demo-
cratic party to give them something sub
/ stantial. They want no reform by
| which the few will be benefited at the eX-
| pense of the many, as would be the case
with taxes taken from whisky, cigars,
banks, bank checks, cosmetics, etc., and
yet kept at a high figure upon blankets,
overcoats and clothing, and other necesa-
/ ries Of existence.