The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-06-07

without compensation to the extent Of that
three fourth. To the extent Of one-fourth we
are recompensed by Governmental protection.
II is for that reason that, so far as method is
concerned, direct taxation is to be preferred to
the other operation Of which we are permitted
to trace only in uncertain effects.
The great object in regulating incidental
taxation is to take from the taxpayers as little
as possible over and above what goes into the
treasury. 1t is only what goes into the treas
ury that is properly taxation. The rest is
tribute paid by the taxpayers, not for its pro-
lection to the State, but upon the commodity
he consumes, or wears, or in some way en-
ioys, to the one who produces il. Immense
mense sums are thus paid which are simple
burdens. 1t is estimated that the people
of the United States have been subjected to
a burden of $4,000, 600 every year for the
past 20 years, making an aggregate OF
over eleven French billions of dollars, not one
dollar Of which ever went into the National
treasury. This has been done under tariff
laws, for the protection Of what in popular
phrase are called our 'infant industries"
which never outgrow their infancy.
The following illustrates the operation Of
incidental taxation. Taxes which are inn
posed on the necessaries of life," observes
Sir Matthew Decker, "are sometimes repeat
ed and accumulate four or FIVE times. In the
price Of leather, for example, you must pay
not emily for the tax on the leather in your own
shoes, but for part of that in the shoes OF the
shoemaker and the tanner" Another exam
pie of the heterogeneous operation Of this sys-
tenn of taxation is in the case Of duties i'm
posed on consumable commodities. The
duties increase their cost, which reduces the
amount Of consumption. BY reducing con-
sumption the demand is diminished and thus
all kinds of industries are injuriously af-
fected.
at would tax the ingenuity of the political
observes Congressman Springer
in the North American Review, "or the
Treasury expert, or even the actuary of Life
Insurance company, to ascertain with perfect
accuracy just how much real value, and h ow
much tax cost are represented in the price of
any commodity when it finally reaches the
hands Of the consumer.
1t is PROFESSIONALLY true that the structure
Of tariff, of duties imposed on goods and
merchandise for the purpose Of producing in
come, whether specific or ad valorem duties,
is as simple as the rule of three, yet when we
come to add 10 such duties the problem as to
the measure imposed, of discriminating among
hundreds of conflicting interests SO as to affect
none unjustly, or to the detriment of others,
there is at once Cretan labyrinth TO pene-
trate and occupy which is likely to entangle
the sharpest acumen and embarrass the
shrewdest minds. 1t is fundamentally true
that there should not be in government any
entangling meshes; simplicity should be the
rule, and as the simplest, plainest and most
expression Of any proposition
is the logical one, so the inductive process
should secure healthy exemption from all
premises that are vague and insecure in mat
tiers of government economy.