Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-12-14
MIR. BLAINE,s SCHEME,
Re Favors the Distribution OF the Revenue
from the whisky Tax Among the Several
States.


from the whisky Tax Among the Several
States.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 3o.-The Press
| publishes the following letter to its editor
from Hon. James G. Blaine: II have re-
/ ceived your note. inquiring whether would
be willing TO live, in the more authentic
form of a letter over my own signature, GER
tain views which, expressed in conversation
several weeks since touching an important
I financial question. understand you TO re-
! fer TO some observations ! m lie to one Of
y Jur assistant litors on the proposition OF the
! Republican Stale Convention of Pennsyl-
vania for the distribution of the surplus
revenue Of the National Treasury among
the States | understand you to refer still
more particularly to a suggestion of my Own
as substitute for the Pennsylvania propo-
sitiOns, to which l thought | saw fatal OBJ
jections. j have 10 reason for Withholding
my views, and admit the wisdom OF your
suggestion that / would better state them
myself than 10 have them possibly mistated
by others.
1.-The proposition of the Pennsylvania Re
publican Convention is to distribute among
the States any surplus in the National
Treasury that may arise from redundant
revenue The first objection which / see
to this proposition is the utter uncertainty OF
the amount of redundant revenue. 1t may
be S1,OO0,0O0 or it may be 500, 900, 900.
Here in Maine they made an absolute per
capita distribution of il among the
entire pOpulation-a trifiins sum to each.
That of course, threw contempt upon
the whole measure. There is a sec
OIfi objection to the Pennsylvania PROPOSE
ton, which, in my judgment, is still more
serious. 1t would be unfair to Senators and
Representatives to lay upon them obliga-
tons and motives which would constantly
tend to turn them from the straight path OF
duty TO the National Government. You
can not have the National Government and
the State Government joint owners OF the
same treasury without miscellaneous conflict.
Such partnership is at war with the we'll
being of the State and Nation. A third
objection to the Pennsylvania propO-
sltlOn is that il proceeds upon
the assumption of a continuing recdin-
dancy of National revenue. This is opposed
TO all sound views of administration. The
Government wants just enough revenue. A
redundancy always leads to extravaganza,
to many forms of corruption, and to all man.
ner OF schemes for getting rid of money!
The time is rapidly approaching, however,
when, by reason of the terms in which the
National debt is funded, the payment of the
remainder must of necessity be postponed
Tor years the larger par: OF it, indeed, to
Tie next century. This brings with it the
necessity of reducing the National revenue
1.-The present system of taxation is yield.
Ing more than 500, 0O0,0O0 beyond the
amount required for the ordinary expense OF
Government. Its reduction will soon be-
come an imperative duly. Indeed, strong
movement is already on foot for the repeal
OF the entire system of internal revenue, OH
the assumption, which Is justified by facts,
that receipts from customs will afford
abundant revenue for the needs of the
Government The PrOtectionists desire this,
but not they alone. Judge Kelley is not more
earnestly i'm favor of II than is Mr.. Cox OF
New York, who is a most intelligent repre-
sentative of the free-trade interest Many
of the leading free-tTaderS i'm Congress are
opposed to the continuation of the tax on
spirits. 1t is, therefore, quite evident-it is
at least highly pTobable--that n coalition OF
men holding antagonistic views on the ques-
ton of protection will, at the first oppOrtu-
nifty, effect the abolition of the system of i'll
ternal revenue.
Our state and municipal taxation is di-
rect 1t comes upon the property with
crushing force. There are few commune
ties in the United States that pay so little
a. one cent per annum on the actual value
of their real property. There are many
communities that pay more than two cents
on the actual value. The houses, the farms,
the factories, the stores, the shops,
all feel it is q heavy burden-a bur
den unrelieved by any form of indirect
taxation. Why, therefore, should not
the States be permitted to have the tax
on spirits for their own benefit, If the Ma
tiOnal Government does not need it? The
National and State Governments, as / think
/ have shown, can not safely share the same
revenue; but il the National Government
has no longer need of the tax on the spirits
why should not the entire amount which il
yields annually be paid over to the States?
Could it be regarded as wise craftsmanship
to continue the heavy, oppressive direct tax or
all property under the State Governments
and at the same time command hurtful
luxury like spirits to go free? That would
be folly which no other Government OK
the globe could by any possibility commit.
The tax on spirits Expresses no one. 1t il
paid only by consumers, and the most ex.
IRENE advocate Oftemperance can not main.
tain that taxing the article increases the
consumption.
"The more l have reflected upon 1t the
more evident 1t has become to my mind that
1t Is wiser 10 tax whisky than it is to tax
farms and hOmesteads and shops, and that il
would be an act of inc ileulable folly to re-
NIT the $50, 900, 900, instead of giving it &c
the States for the relief of oppressive taxa
ton. l trust l have made the differences
between this proposition and the Pennsyl-
vania proposition sufficiently plain. The
one which l have suggested gives
the revenue from specific tax
wholly to the States, and does moi
depend upon chance surplus or an acct
dental remainder in the National Treasury.
1t makes the tax on spirituOus and mali
liquors a permanent resource to all the
States, enabling them thereby definitely tc
readjust and reduce their own taxation.
Each State could most wisely use its share
according TO its own necessities. In Maine
for example, our share would enable us tc
repeal absolutely the State tax proper, leav-
ing only the county and town taxes upon the
people. In your State of Pennsylvania. where
licenses support the State Government, the
cities and towns could receive pro rata the
S1,5OO;I00 which would fall to your share.
Your city of Philadelphia would receive
nearly 81 800, 600 per annum. States thai
have been so oppressed by debt as to be
tempted or driven TO reputation would be
enabled to regain their credit, and every
community from ocean to ocean would, in
one form or another, realize that burdens of
taxation were in some degree ameliOrated
believe the measure would prove great
benehcence' to the people in all parts OF the
Republic. Very respectfully,
JAMES G. BLAINE"
NoIE-The revenue of the last fiscal yeal
nom spirituous and malt liquors was aqittlt
more than $50, OOO,0 OO This amount, di.
Vided among the several States and Terri
tories according to the plan outlined in the
preceding letter, would give the following
sums to each-the statements being made
ia round thousands:
Al4bana go <2,2Os 90 New Jersey. q. $50 OOC
rIA.hsaS.-.. Is l5UO0 New York.. S,893Of
SalIorlla -. l,551 coo y. Carolina 2,l5OOO(
C CoIoiAuo =. 94OtOOOhIo -..-...... 5,596.O0
SSoiieCucut.. l,SoOtOl oregon. 49,. 2,15500
Deia~are.... 29.O0O Pennsylvania. T,Ig3OOC
riprlda .--.... 10000 Rhode Island 4S}OC
IHrSOrRla-.---. l.5ye.0tO ;. Carolina. 1,7f2CO.
ilhnols ....... $4,000 Tennessee 2.6ls OOC
IInulaii'a-'-..- 556l OOO Texas .-...... 2.Ts5OOo