The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-12-05
TARIFF REVISION.
Opinions of Maine congressman.

|
at once to revise the tariff and to lessen the
burden of taxation. Some of the Maine dele
cation responed as follows:
SENATOR FRYE LETTER.
In reply to yours of the 25th ultimo, say
briefly that the duty of the Republicans in
Congress seems to me perfectly clear. 1t is to
make an earnest and prompt attempt to re-
duce taxation, revise the tariff and respond ia
vorably to the demand of the people for some
practical reform ia the civil service.
First. Reduction of taxation. Economy and
an overfiowing treasury are inconsistent with
each other. While the talk about the burdens
OF the people under our system of internal and
external taxation is the most of it nonsense, in
spired by demagogism, this reduction, under
present conditions, is none the less duty. The
internal taxes, other than those laid upon spir-
its and tobacco, should be repealed, while the
latter should be retained at the highest revenue
point. The difficulty we shall encounter here
will come from purpose of the Democratic
party in which, sineularly enough, very few
high protectionists participate, to repeal all in
ternal revenue taxation, the Democrats inspr-
ed TO this by the Southern wing of the party,
the protectionists, by the hope of increasing
and ensuring protection. / cannot help think
ing the latter are making grave mistake. If
our whole income is to be derived from the
tariff, it seems TO me that success in raising it
can be achieved alone by reduction of the du-
ties to an extent, not only to permit, but to in
vite largely increased importatons.
Second: Revision of the tariff. Change in
values, circumstances, methods of business,
the creation of new industries, rulings of the
treasury Department, and hastily considered
amendments to the law, make the necessity of
revision imperative. Take sugar as an illus
tration The schedule of duties is SO intri-
l at has haa
IN disturbed condition for years; a conflict
has been going on between the importers and
the Treasury Department, seriously detrimen-
tai to the interests of both; the Treasury off,
! Gals have attempted legislation, and the courts
have overhowed with suits. In the meantime,
the necessities of the Treasury demanded and
Congress increased the dnty. That increase
still stands, though the reasons for it long ago
ceased. The whole duty is direct tax upon
| the people, differing in this from nearly all
others. The necessity of simplifcation in the
| method OF laying this duty, and of its collec-
/ tlon, and of large reduction IN the same, is
| very pressing Ii the Democrats in Congress
are friendly TO revision, and the Republicans
earnestly enter upon it, it can be reasonably
| and satisfactorily accomplished in thirty days.
1 Ii, on the contrary, the Democrats fac
| iiously opposed, it cannot be effected during
| the shorC session, but none the less is it |
the duty of the Republicans to make the
| attempt, and let the responsibility of failure
4 fall where it ought. The law creating the |
commission was an admission of the necessity
| of the revision: it proposed by leading |
Democrat voted for by members of both par
| Ties Limitation of the time in which the re-
port should be made, was proposed by Demo- |
.crat, adopted by large majority, proposed
and adopted for the avowed reason that only |
| by such a Limitation could the revision be &C. |
eompllshed at this session. The Democrats
charged us with favorlng this commission only |
for the purpose of delay We vigorously re-
| PEELED the charge. Now is the time for both
parties to illustrate their honesty, / am OPP
posed to any waste of time on holiday recesses,
and warmly in favor of entering at once upon
this revision.
Third. Civil service reform. While we
have the best civil service in the world, a mar
vel for efficiency and integrity, it can be i'm
proved IN certain respects.
During the last Campaign both parties |
seemed 10 be running race, with civil service
reform as the goal, and now both have splen-
ola opportunity to prove TO the spectators that
the race was no pui-up job. It is the first time
in thirty years the Democratic party has advo-
Gated any reform in anything, and the Repub-
cans Will neglect duty if they do not seem to
think they ctually mean It, and join hands
with them in its accomplishment.
This is a somewhat crude and hasty reply to
| your questions, and is, OF course confined to
the subjects suggested by you, but it has one
merit-sincerity.
VIM. P. FRYE.
CONGRESSMAN DINaLEY's LETTER.
The rracticability Of general revision of
the tariff at the approaching short session will
| depend largely on the character of the report
| of the tariff commission. If that commission
has done its work thoroughly and satisfacto-
riy to the majority, it is practicable to secure
action on it, provided, first, the holiday recess
is dispensed with las think it ought to be, in
| any EVENT., and secondly, the Democrats
| do not Systematically obstruct for the purpose
q nd las of ri
House, as well as the Senate, minority can
obstruct legislation, and that, too, on the very
plausible excuse that they want more time for
| discussion, amendment, etc. The Republicans
have SO small majority in the House, and
none in the Senate, that it is very difficult TO
make progress with the public business unless
the Democrats desire that it shall go forward
| Judging from the tone of their organs, it will
be their desire to have little done as posi-
ole at the approaching session. Whether
these organs correetly represent the Demo-
Gratis in Congress or not, it is the duty of the
| Republicans to go forward with the revision of
| the tariff and other pressing public business,
| and show TO the country what they wish to do. |
Tne country expects, and ought to have at ]
the approaching session revision of the tariff,
| one feature of which should be reduction of |
| the duty on sugar; a reduction of internal
taxes i'll the directions provided in the bill that
| passed the House al the last session, and no |
| more than that bill provided and such mod
| ihcation of our shipping laws as will remove |
| legislative distractions to the prosperity of
| the American mt reliant marine. / am utterly |
| opposed TO the proposition which has been
made in some quarters to abolish internal rev.
enue taxation, the main features of which are |
The taxes on whiskey aud tobacco. The tax
on whiskey is a tax on luxury, and is paid
| by no one necessarily. Whatever reduction of
taxation can be made should be in such direc-'
| lions as will reduce the prise of necessaries
| of life, which the poor, we'll as the rich,
| must use IN about be same quantity per capt.
| ia. The duty on sugar, for example, increases
| the price exactly to the extent of the mpost,
| which averages over three cents pei pound, or
| fifty-fve per cent, and last year yielded near
/ ~ fifty millions of revenue. If we could raise
| all or most of the sugar that we use, then the
| price would be determined by competition at
| home. But we do not raise much more than
one-twentieth, and, therefore, the duty is add
| ed to every pound sold. To abolish the tax on
| whiskey and tobacco necessarily means to
| leave The duty on sugar and the duties gener-
rally provided by the tariff substantially as
| they are now. NELSON DINGLEY, JR.
ooNGREssMAS REEDS LETTER.
| 1t is difficult to say in advance of the ap-
| pearance of the report of the tariff commission
what action Congress will take at its next ses-
sion ON the tariff. The recent elections have
| very greatly changed the aspect of affairs
| Whatever is done now must be done under
fire. The country has but little realizing sense
of the strength of the negative which the mi
nority of the House can exercise; under the
present understandable system of rules. In
| fact the question of revision of the tariff does
| not depend upon the Republicans. If the De-
| ocracy prefer to resist and carry the revision
over to the next Congress they can do it. The
session is limited to March 4th What the Re-
pubIicans can accomplish may depend very
| much on the report of the tariff commission.
Should that body present succnct, easily I'M
| derstood and satisfactory plan of revisit ID, sat-
isiactory not only to Congress but to the coun-
| try at large it might be carried; because the
opposition might not dare to incur the respon-
| sibilty of thwarJiDg it. In any event it seems
the plain duty of the Republicans in this Con-
gress to attempt the revision, and the plain
duty of the people, in their own interest, to see
who prevents the revision. By refusing to take
the usual holiday recess the time may be OBJ
tanned, sufficient time, unless there be partisan
opposition. Nevertheless if our own newspa-
pers continue to ignore the rules of the House,
and continue to insist that, with our small ma
jority, we are responsible for negative action,