Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-10-25
RANDALL-s POLICY.
The sweenkng eAbolitioa of Internal


{. Y. Tr,bane.
Having returned from Ohio, Mr..
Randall takes early occasion in .
speech~in Pennsylvania to make
public declaration of his intention
to have all internal taxes abolished.
His argument is that taxes are vex>
~atious, that the Government can
spare-the revenue, that their aboi,
Ftion witt render necessary a tariff
sufficient for protection, and that it
will enable the government to gel
| get rid of the whole army OF official.
Of the internal revenue service and
| all the expense of that service. This
reasoning, it is now plain, has the
/ approval Of many leading Demo'
| Gratis, and it is not unlikely to be
made the basis Of efforts to legislate
in Congress next winter, and of the
Democratic campaign for the Pres
ldency next year. It pleases all
liquor dealers and manufacturers,
with those dependent upon the
liquor traffic. It pleases the Dem
ocrats In Pennsylvania and else
where who lean toward projections
But will 1t please a majority of the
people, or even Of the Democrats ?
The internal taxes yielded last
year about 100000 OO. The re-
duction already affected by
the change Of the law at the last
session will probably exceed $685.
900, 600 for the revenue during the
first quarter of the year was only
5000, 900, against $38. 100000 for
the corresponding quarter Of the
previous year. The redu :tion of
debt during thelast fiscal year was
$15S, OOO, 900. so hat abolition of all
internal taxes would even then hav~
left the Government without quite
enough money for its current ex-
penses, and no means to pay any
thing on the debt. But since that
| the tariff has been reduced; as far as
can now be ascertained, the revenue
from customs will be about $40,-
OOO, 900, less this year than it was
last year. To restore the duties
taken off O not now be possible,
even if it. were desirable, and not
even Mi. Randall will venture to
urge that course upont the Democrat
ic, majority in the House. A repeel
of all internal taxes, therefore,
would leave the Government about
S47, 100000 less money than it ex-
pended last year otherwise than in
reduction of debt: 1t would not
only be unable to reduce the debt
at all, but would have to increase
the debt by about $47,0O0,0O in
order to meet its ordinary expen-
ses. - 49, go
1t is very hard to say what ex>
travagant and dangerous thing a
Democratic majority may not do.
But one would suppose. that this
thing would be too extravaganza and
dangerous, even for q democratic
majority That it will not meet
with public approval to leaye the
government bankrupt it seems safe
to say. There are some who wish
that a reduction Of the debt could
now be discontinued. To that end,
some would be disposed to repeal a
part of the internal taxes, or to
lower them.. But the opinion held
by a very large-majority of the peo-
pie, we beIieye, is that the taxes on
liquors and tobacco out to be retain
ed, They fall on no one who does
not voluntarily choose to bear a
part Of them, If they were repeal
ed, the only effect would probably
be that drinkers would drink more,
and smokers smoke more, so that
the expenses of the people for these
Injuries would be as great as they
are now, while no part of that ex-
would go into the Treas
ary. Meanwhile, there are otBer
taxes that all the people have to
bear. They paid duties amounting
TO SAC, 100000 on sugars in 1882,
and these increased the cost of living
for the poorest family as vel! as for
The richest. Duties wer paid on
Of many kinds, which de-
many poor people of relief In
A great number OF du>
ties could be named which the ma
jority of the people infinitely prefer
to have removed rather than the
taxes on liquors and tobacco. But
he will not find the plain people of
this country anxious to bear taxes
everything else in order to have
free whiskeY.