The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-06-09

Taxes.
When the conference committee
finally reported the Tariff bib toDtlle
House OF Representatives is was said
by tie chairman of the sinanagers
chat about $35,0O0,000 red action
will result from the changes made In
the internal revenue laws" On that
occasion Mr.. Flower asked. allow
many ofiiceholders do you dispense
with?" Mr.. Kelley replied, "The gen.
tleman's question is not relevant to
the question put to me by the gentle
man from Kentucky"
That was the only satisfaction the
minority could get from domineer.
ing majority. The Republicans claim
ed the merit Of reducing the internal
taxes by more than a fourth of the
aggregate revenue, and yet they made
no reduction in the official machinery
of the bureau. which has been largely
used as political agency.
This same House had previously
agreed to reduction of forty collec-
tors as being unnecessary for practi-
cal service; but when the economy
could have been made effective the
leaders took good care not to carry
out their own professed policy. I'm
der the law the President has the
power to consolidate collection dis
tricts, and thus to diminish the num-
Der of these costly offices.
The Deputy Commissioner opposes
a reduction of more than thirty col
lectors. Like other bureau officials,
he believes in the largest number to
do the least work. Ii the revenue was
reduced one-half, or more, the incum.
bents would still contend that the
present full force ought to be kept up
to the maximum. The expense Of
maintenance never enters their minds
so long as they have an overlooking
Treasury to draw upon.
Itcost IS, 107, 481 to run this bureau
last year, and Mr.. Raum modestly
asked for an increase Of $106,70
chiefly for his own office, in the face
of his recommendation of q reduction
of nineteen millions in the taxes.
And he got what he wanted in sub
ordinates.
Four thousand persons are en-
ployed in and under this bureau.
There are one hundred and twenty :
six collectors, with salaries ranging
from $4,000 to $2,l25 year each.
The deputy collectors number nine
hundred and seventy-six, with salar-
les beginning at $4,000 and running
down to 800. These collectors and
deputies have one hundred and nine
ty-nine clerks, janitors and porters
who receive graded salaries from
$1,700 to 500 a year. There are SG7
gaugers whose fees are not to exceed
S. a day; 1000 storekeepers and
guagers, who cannot exceed 81 day;
$50 storekeepers, who cannot exceed
81 day. Storekeepers and gaugers
assigned to distilleries Of Il capacity
not exceeding twenty bushels receive
SO day.
The Commissioner office in Wash
ington has a CLERICAL force all told of
nearly $50 persons, costing 100000
a year in round numbers. Mr.. Evans
will, therefore, command standing
army of four thousand regular parti
san troops, well drilled, well fed, and
we'll paid. They are all for the Adj
ministration, because the Admins
tration is for them. NJ
The whole internal revenue system
is most obnoxious. There is no good
reason for keeping it in existence
The Treasury does not need the rev.
enue thus collected. Mr.. Raum
boasted in his last report, that the
enormous sum of $74S,S34.071 had
been gathered in from these taxes in
six years.
The next House of Representatives
will be expected to remove this evil,
and to return to the simple policy of
collecting no more money than is
necessary to meet all public obliga-
tions, and to carry on the Government
with proper economy. Prodigality
must be stopped in the public SER
vice.-N. Y. Sun.