Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-12-06
MIR. BIaine's Plan of Relief.

was only another resort W dn oiu
scheme once tried with no par
ticular advantage either to the
states or to the general govern
ment. Arguments against it were
easily found, and they presented
themselves with force to all
thoughtful men.
Last week Mr.. Blaine-in his
| retirement still first among our
statesmen and present in their
memories and affections-ad-
dressed a letter to the Philadelphia
Press. This letter has attracted
| the widest attention. and COM
ment, favorable and otherwise, Is
the order of the day.
The present condition of affairs
| is an anomaly. The national
| treasury contains an immense sur
| plus, and Notwithstanding the
| fact that the preceding Congress
| reduced the receipts from GUS
| toms by nearly forty millions OF
| dollars annually, the surplus con>
| tinues to increase until it's very
bulk is an objection, and the minds
| of our legislators and statesmen
| are continually burdened with
| the unheard-of subject of reducing
the revenues and disposing of the
| surplus On hand. Some propose
| to distribute the accumulated sur
plus among the states; some de-
! mand the immediate extinction OF
! the national debt; Others call for
| the creation of a national educa>
! tional fund out of the surplus;
others, still, want the tariff re-
| duced to the lowest standard, and
| some demand that the taxes on
| liquors and tobacco be abolished.
To all of these plans there are
| strong objections, as Mr.. Blaine
! demonstrates. To distribute the
! accumulated surplus among the
| states will furnish them with much
money, it is true, but 1T solves the
problem only in part and gives
| them no certainty of a steady in>
comet to abolish internal taxation
removes taxes from industries
1 which are not hurt or burdened By
| them and releases the people IN
one respect where the release can
not be felt or appreciated; while at
the same time it requires high and
permanent duties on imports and
| thus creates an opposition to the
scheme on the part of the anti
| protection people which would
| make its enactment practically
! impossible in thesesdays of small
majorities. To. proceed with the
I payment of the national debt jeop>
ardizes the banking system, for
the reason that the only bonds
now subject to the call of the Sec
rotary of the treasury are bonds o.
series held by the government a:
security for the circulation of the
national banks. To call these in ani
tpay then would produce instanta'
neous contractionlto an extent which
would create a panic Throughout
the country. The remaining prop.
osl tion-to reduce the duties OF
imports and rely on internal tax
alton to furnish means to defra.
the expenses OF the government
is the democratic free trade craze
and is not to be thought of for a
moment.
Finally, Mr.. Blaine's proposition
is .this:-to distribute annually
among the states the revenue de>
| rived from the taxes on spirits
| and tobacco, and to rely on import
duties to supply a sufficient in
| come to meet federal expenditures,
| outside the expenses incurred i'll
collecting the internal taxes, which
are, of course, to be paid out OF
the sums derived from this source.
Of all the plans proposed it is
by far the best. The machinery
of collection is in perfect operation
is comparatively inexpensive and
could not be duplicated by the
states in efficiently or economy.
Tennessee's share of this reve>
nue. will be in excess of 100000
of dollars annually, and that sum
would either make a magnificent
school fund in time, OF, If applied
to defraying the current expenses
of the state, would enable us to
dispense with state taxation al
together.
The only impeachment is the
certain hostility of the democratic
leaders to the measure, as calcu-
Iatedto sustain protection an dwin
favor for a republican statesman
who has a bright prospect of being
the next president of the United
States.
How many democratic votes
would there be in Tennessee next
year with a democratic platform OF
s'Taxat1on'' and q republican plate
form of "NO TaxatiOn?"
MIR. BrOwuIOw's Record.