The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-11-03
INTERNAL TAXES AND TARIFF.

We clip the following very sensil le
and timely article from the columns OF
the Philadelphia RECORD of last Sunday,
and recommend 1t to the perusal of all
our readers: How nearly the abstract
opinions Of modern politician may as
simulate with those of jeff rson, jackson,
and Polk on the tariff is matter of ex-
tremely small concern. A great many
men have most correct conceptions Of
the excellence and beauty of the Sermon
on the Mount without any disposition TO
practice its teachinge. The country has
had enough of distractions and theories
of free t-ade and protection. The plain
and practical question is whether the ex-
cessi;e duties of the present tariff sys-
tenn shah be redueed, moi what j fferson
may have said .bnut protection nor what
the Ohio resolutions do rot say. 1t is
not question of next Sear os Of some
other year in the distant iu.pre, Int Of
now.
With the revenues pouring in at t.Ne
rate of a million day, in spite of the
boasted reductions of the last tariff act,
nearly everybody, except the Wharton
Baker distributionists, comedies that the
enormous Treasury surplus must be low
cred by substantial reductions of taxa
ton. How this reduction must be made
is not to be determined by appeals to
Jefferson and Jackson, or to the more
or less equivocal expressions of party
platforms. For such situation as has
seldom if ever existed 10 the past expert
ence OF any government no authority can
be invoked, but the question is one for
the common sense of the people ana their
representatives in Congress.
On the one side are those who advocate
total repeal of the whisky and tobacco
taxes, and on the other are the advocates
OF reduction of protective duties on
imports. Between these two conflicting
opinions on the revenue there ia scarcely
room for another in the next Congress.
II 1t is not advisable to repeal the whisky
and tobacco taxes lest deficit be caused
in the Treasury, then revision of the
tariff cannot be delayed. II, on the 9TH
er hand, these Internal taxes be repealed,
anything like substantial revision of
the tariff for the removal of it's oppressive
burdens win be indefinitely postponed
What need, then, of the advocates Of re-
peal OF the whisky and tobacco taxes to
contend for the Democratic orthodoxy
of their tariff views when the aim and
end of their policy is to leave 'the>present
iniquitous tariff system uudisturbed2
Ioslead of vainly appealing to aathority
lor support in situation that never ex.
listed before, why do they not frankly
proclaim that they arc opposed 10 tariff
reform in the'Ie&t, Congress cr in any
subsequent Congress?' e :. ~ "a. ~ -
The advocates Of tue repeal of the
whisky ard tobacco taxes plead That
there should be no legielatio1r ON. the
tariff until the practical operations Of tie
last-act are witnessed. How. :ther can
they undertake etotal repeal of a hun
dred millions of internal revenue in the
absence of this experience? But it is
known already, as it was anticipated
from the beginning, that the small
changes in the tariff rates have caused
little or no diminution of the revenue
from imports. There is no good reason,
then, in the last revenue act for Interrupt
tion OF the work of tariff reform in the
next Congress.
When the tariff is brought by careful
and gradual revision more nearly TO n
revenue basis the internal taxes on
whisky and tobacco can be repealed. II
is mere waste of administrative enerpy
TO maintain two expensive establishments
fer collecting government revenues when
ono will suffice. But repeal of the rev.
enue taxes on whisky and tobacco is de.
signed by its advocates to obstruct the
reduction of the incidental taxes that
weigh so heavily on the industry of the
people. Revision of the tariff aud redue-
tion Of the enormous load Of Incidental
taxes through the protective system. on
the other hand, will speedily lead TO total
repeal of the internal taxes.
Tie plain issue on the revenue in the
next Congress is: Shall the whisky and
tobacco taxes be repealed, or shall the
tariff be carefully and nationally revised
Upon this issne, which appeals to the
business good sense If the people. little
authority is afforded in the writings Of
the pairisrcNs, md siill less in the am,
llgaous u:iersnees Of party platforms,