Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-02-23
The report of the commissioner of internal
revenue gives the items of receipts from that
source, as follows

checks, $2318, ,i55.14; friction matches,
s2 ,25s; patent medicines, etc, 81,-
Oib,3B0bbl 7t669lOB 10
From penalties, .799 $50 "a
From collections not otherwise provided
bltoov OO
lotul .......s...... ............tl - O2didt0 tE
According to the treasury estimates the
surplus for the present fiscal year and for the
year ending June 30, 1884, after the pay
ment of 800, 600, 900 each year for pensions,
payment Of interest on the public debt and
the application of $1,000 600 annually to the
sinking fund, there will be a surplus in the
treasury each year, of 100000.
A reference to the statement of the public
debt shows us that the collection of such
large revenues is not required for its pay
ment. In the eighteen years that have inter
vened since the close of the war we have re-
duced the national debt from 81, 3Sl, $50, 294
which was its highest point in 1865, to s Sl,-
COZ 15l3,G ,G7G on December /, 1882. OF this
debt the per cent. loan, redeemable May
1881, and continued at 80 per cent, amount
ing to 800, 1926, 200, and the 3 per cent, loan
Of $3.50, jG3 $50 payable at the option Of the
government, are alone payable at the present
time To say nothing of the gradual redemp-
ton of the public debt by the application of
forty five to sixty millions annually to the
sinking fund at present revenues, the $780,
600, 600 of - and 3 per cent. bonds now pay
able will be redeemed in the next four or five
years, after which nothing more can be paid
till September, 1891, when the $3.50, 600, 600
of A. per cent. bonds will be redeemable,
after which none of the bonds of the govern
ment are payable till 1907
Therefore it follows that in q short time
there will either be vast accumulation of
funds in the treasury or the government will
bo obliged to go into the market like other
4 -.
ing the high premiums they command, and
the higher premiums they would command
were it to become a known purchaser in the
market. We are obliged to raise about $780,
600, 600 annually by customs and internal
taxation for the necessary expenses of main
tanning the government. 1t appears, how
ever, that we are raising each year these
enormous sums in excess of all requirements,
and that we must reduce the internal reve-
nues or the tariff upon importations or both.
This neglected duty of reducing tho aggre-
gate of our revenues ought to be performed,
and performed at once.
At the last session of Congress the COM
mittee on ways and means brought in a bill
which had it become q law would have re-
duced the internal revenues about SO, ,OOO,
600 and practically abolished internal taxation
except that upon spirits, fermented liquors
and tobacco, and even made a slight reduction
of the tax upon tobacco " and yet, sir, this
bill, Just and reasonable as it was in all its
provisions did not meet the approval of the
Democratic side Of this House. When gen
eral debate had terminated, our friends on the
other side of the hall sent up numerous
amendments to the bill, all tending to reduce
the taxes upon tobacco and whisky, one of
them providing for the entire repeal Of all
laws imposing taxes upon tobacco and cigars
after July |, 1888, another decreasing the
tax on whisky nearly one. half and another
abolishng the tax on certain kinds of dis
titled liquors altogether. Another amend
ment, offered by gentleman who evidently
foresaw the great decrease in the revenues If
these amendments should be adopted, pro
posed additional sections to the bill levying a
direct tax upon the income of citizens All
these proposed amendments were voted down,
and rightly voted down by this side of the
| House
The government roaps revenue of Sl23,
| 600 600 annually from tobacco, spirits and
fermented liquors. These articles are luxu-
| ries and ministers of vice. They are manu-
factured and produced il contravention of
the best sentiment of the country and at
| great profits, and they are the last articles
upon the entire list of foreign and domestic
| productions from which taxes should be re-
moved. When the bill finally came to a vote
| III lub llOuhb Tue beltlclLeL Ol lhc ObucI hluti
with few notable exceptions, voted against
it. If they could not get it amended SO as to
| repeal or reduce the taxes on whisky and to-
| bacco, they did not want the bill passed.
The bill was passed and sent to the Senate
| There the finance committee proposed TO
amend it by the removal of the duty of 20
per cent. on sugar which was added in 1875,
and by a reduction of IS per ton on Bessemer
steel rails. Had these proposed amendments
! been adopted and the bill passed, reduction
of between thirty five and forty million dol
lars would have resulted.
The customs duties will now bear a large
reduction without eudaugering American in
dustries. They can be largely reduced and
the government derive an ample revenue
! therefrom.
1t would be difficult task for the ways and
means committee, composed nearly equally Of
| Republicans and Democrats, to perfect re-
vision OF the tariff during session of Con-
| gress in addition to the other duties that are
cast upon it, The committees of the two
| Houses must have been greatly assisted by
the testimony, the report, and revision sub
mited by the tariff commission. l hope that
after all the labor that has been bestowed up
on this subject by the commission, by the
committees, and by the House and Senate
the bill will not be cast away on the rocks of
| free trade.