The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-09

Hen. ,. l.. NJ. Curry on Mr. Blains's
Proposition.
m. A. xa<l,t>re ~ nc D3cf,0}rI.

late proposition and Senator hairs bill In
Aid OF public schools, furnishes me an OPP
portunity 10 make some general remarks,
wider In scope than the limit you assigned.
Mr.. Blaine's proposition can be con-
cisely stated. Ii ~ that the Federal Gov
eminent, through It's machinery, shall col
,ect an excite tax on malt and spirituous
LIQUORS, and assign II 10 the States In pro-
portion to their population. This Is not
to be an occasional gift, but Is TO be paid
over annually, ~ permanent resource, 10
enable the states 70 dispense with their
own systems OF taxation. or definitely to
reduce their taxation. There In no dis
guise In the plan. IL Is bold, specious,
and alluring.
1. IL Is q tax on liquors instead OF a tax
on farms. homesteads, ana personal pro-
perty--on hurtfui Injuries instead OF ne
cessities.
Q. II shoves into the background. or
abolishcs entirely, State systems OF taxa
ton. Tax-assessors and collectors, with
their inquisitions, valuations, and exac.
lions, sre always unwecome visitors.
3. IL secures, through Federal officials,
and somewhat indirectly from one OF two
kinds OF property. sum sufficient for the
ordinary cost OF State governments, and
would greatly reduce county and munich
pal taxation. II Is partially true that the
people will pay, a. without word OF pro-
test or sense of hardship" millions OF dol
lars In the form OF customs and millions
more through the iniquities OF The "pro-
tective" system. a heavy tax Is imposed
on foreign products and collected indi-
rectly. not solely TO bring revenue into the
treasury, but TO compel labor and capital
TO leave one mode Of profitable investment
and seek another in which legislators and
those TO be specially benefited think II
would be better that the labor and capital
should be employed. II what we pay at
the custom. house and TO a few favored or
protected " interests were taken directly
from our pockets a revolution would oc-
cur In day.
4. Ii lifts al once from the States heavy
burden Of Indebtedness, takes away the
temptation TO repudiate, restores tot
tering or shattered credit, and opens
an inviting future. A relief from bur
densome taxation L. pressing need.
The report OF the Secretary Of the Treasu-
~ shows the revenues OF the General Gov
eminent for the last fiscal year to be nearly
S4o0, 900. Exclusive OF charges levied
by the Federal Government, the taxation
borne In many towns aud cities ranges
from TO per cent. on an assessment OF
property at cash valuation. Such taxation
Is oppressive TO the industrial interests OF
the country, takes away the stimulus TO the
accumulation OF capital, and pIovokes citi-
zens to resort to most questionable eXpedi-
ents for avoiding such heavy exacuons.
The widest notions OF arbitrary power
are held by city fathers and applied with a
freedom that amounts TO contscation, or
legalized robbery. | know no subject OF
practical politics which more demands a
thorough discussion than the claim to I'M
limited taxation and condemnation Of pri-
vafe property set up by counties and mu-
inequalities.
Some suggestions adverse to the PROPOSE
ton OF Mr.. Blaine may be allowed
I. II is not certain that political morality
or legislative aud administrative economy
will be promoted by the abolition Of sys-
TENS OF taxation for the support Of State
governments. IL Is check on public
officer when he knows that appropriations,
both as TO object and amount. will be dill
gently watched by those who furnish the
money. When the people are ignorant Of
the mode of obtaining the revenue, or in
sensible as to any hardship, they will be
careless as to expenditure and Indifferent
as to objects or schemes. Ii Is now COM
On remark that he is the best representa-
tive In Congress who gets the most money
for his people.
2. May there not be fallacy in the argu-
ment that indirect taxation is to be pre-
ferred because "direct taxation comes
upon property with crushing force"f Am
l any the less poor il one fourth Of my
property be taken indirectly than ii il be
taken directlyY Is the aggregate wealth Of
the United States affected in one way or
the other by the mode OF collecting the
taxesS Is the direct form OF taxation more
an infringement OF citizens right Of pro-
perry than the indirect. II one has to pay
the city OF Richmond 300, is his property
any the less after payment, whether he
paid ignorantly or with his eyes opens
3. While it il conceded that the Federal
Government can more effectively levy and
collect an eXcise-taX on whiskey than can
any single State, yet this is so because OF
the influence of the liquor interest upon
nominations and elections rather than be-
cause Of any inherent difficulty in framing
or executing an excise law.
4. Desirable rs it may seem TO be TO get
rid OF State systems OF taxation, and TO
throw upon q few citizens rather than
upon all the burden Of supporting the
state governments, yet ii can hardly be
doubted that the blessing o. would be pur-
chased ut the expense OF the autonomy OF
the States. The States. shorn OF their
manly Independence and Of their con-
seriousness Of self-support, would sink
rapidly into mere dependencies upon the
Central Government. Those who accept
and live upon charity, by an inevitable
law merge their separateDess, their indi-
viduality, into the agency which sup
ports. With such a system Of ma
tional contributions IL would be use
less to inveigh against Capitalization. All
power would soon be consolidated at
Washington. Some OF us think the ten
deucy In that direction does not need
Fastening. A State, living aud having its
being through national laws and national
revenues, win not criticise harshly, nor
resist strenuously, the action OF paternal
government which relieves OF all taxes.
Each State officer would become. to some
extent, an officer of the General Govern
ment. Each State would soon sustain TO
the central dominating head the relation
which a county does TO the State, all fede-
ratiye features would disappear, and we
hhoutu uaNt oho oti1thit %N"tiOhot pVNNi
ment with paramount control over the
States.
o. Mr.. Blaine does not argue the consti-
nationality Of his plan, but TO my mind II
has not the semblance Of foundation in any
OF the enumerations of Federal power.
Men NOWADAYS look at the Government
aud the Constitution from standpoints 50
different from those occupied by the fathers
Of the republic that there is hardly com.
mon ground on which one OF the old school
can stand long enough and firm enough to
get the basis for an argument.
Let me assume that the Federal Govern.
ment II one Of limited powers, which are
enumerated In the Constitntson-tbep grant
OF power from the states-for the purpose
OF forming Federal constitutional rennb-