The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-29
INTERNAL REVENUES.

| Democratic convention, of reSolu-
ton favoring the repeal of the intern
al revenue system. The move was
met with defeat, and yet Mr.. Randall
adheares to the scheme he and his
protectionist friends attempted to
force upon the party. The Philadel-
phia Record asserts that, were such
a proposition submitted to the
people of Pennsylvania, it
would be defeated by an over
whelming majority. The same,
might be said of the people of the en-
tire Union, and, in view of the fact
that the protectionists are determined
to make the question of internal taxa
ton an issue before congress, it be-
comes one of general consideration
and discussion. 1t matters not what
are the theories as to internal taxa
ton. The conditions at this time af-
fecting the question are peculiar,
though they have existed for many
years. 1t is not denied that internal
taxation is not wrong in principle,
but as it now exists it is tolerable and
may be tolerated while the country
addresses itself to relief from a great
er wrong, one which affects
every man, woman and child in
the United States. The internal taxes
are now obtained almost altogether
from whisky and tobacco, and public
economies have taught us to know
that neither the use of one nor the
other comes within the range of public
blessing. The tendency, in fact, is to
make the use Of intoxicants pay large
ly the expenses of governments. Our
license systems in all the states show
this to be so, and public opinion
is universally admitting there
may be exceptions to the
theory that internal taxation is un-
wise. But, as it was said, it is for the
perpetuation.of greater public wrong
that questionable policies are now to
be attacked with vigor. 1t is plainly
in the interest of protectionists TO re-
peal the internal taxes, that the high
duties on imports may not be disturb
ed, while it is the policy of the party
that favors revenue tariff to prevent
repeal of the taxes on whisky and to-
bacco. Parties in the East are confus-
ed on this subject, and possibly the
protectionists expect their opponents,
Jealous for cheap whisky and tobacco,
will repeal the internal taxes without
any active assistance from them. By
insisting too loudly upon repeal of
the internal revenue system the pro-
tectionists might expose their own
hands too much, and at the same time
fonenG-. powerful sentiment in the
country that regards liquors and to-
bacco as peculiarly fit objects of taxa
ton. If their opponents will do their
work for them they can afford to
maintain prudent reserve. The OPP
ponents of internal taxation urge that
the government is spending five mill
ions, annually, in collecting the inter-
nal revenues. This is true enough,
but this five millions expendi-
ture in service is bringing
into the treasury one hundred and
twenty millions of revenue, by far
the cheapest system of revenue col
lection in force in this country. To
meet objections, that internal revenue
laws are unjustly and oppressively en-
forced against portion of the people,
it is only necessary to amend the tax
laws and reorganize the revenue bu-
reau by purging it of all incompetent
and bad officials. If the tax on spirits
be an obstruction to certain manufac-
turing industries, there should be a
drawback for the amount of spirits
consumed in them, under careful pro-
visions against fraud. But there
should be no repeal of the taxes on
liquors consumed for drink or tobacco
These are taxes "for revenue only
and are in perfect harmonywith the
principles and policy of those who in
sist that the government has no right
to levy taxes for any other object but
revenue. The taxes on liquor and to-
bacco when fairly collected do injus-
tice to no portion of the people. None
are unduly favored, and none are OPP
pressed, while every dollar collected
by this system is poured into the pub
lie fisc for the support of the govern.
ment. A repeal of the internal
revenue system means non-re-
vision of import duties; the repeal
of one making the other a necessity
for purposes of government. While
imposition of the internal taxes may
be made to hurt none but those who
most hurt themselves, the perpetual
ton of the high import tariff will
have the effect of maintaining in all
its harsh integrity system of rob.
berry by which three times as much is
expressed from the people for purely
private gain as goes into the
public treasury. 1t has been
frequently shown that for the one
hundred and fifty million dollars of
revenue levied on imports for protec-
ton at least five hundred million dol
dars is annually wrung from the con-
sumers of the country in the enhanced
cost of articles of domestic produc-
tion. If all this money does not go
to swell the income of producers it is
wasted, lost, in maintaining an I'M
natural policy which forces labor and
capital into Improbable channels
Compared with the extravaganza Of
this policy the FIVE million dollars Of
cost for collecting the internal taxes
is mere trifie. But these projections
lists, who hope to control congress,
propose to repeal the present taxes on
liquor and tobacco and to leave rht
incidental taxes of protection un
touched. They are determined that
the people of this country shall sub
NIT to wholesale robbery, that &
limited number of private pocket:
may be made to swell with treasure
they would, when the people
ask for bread give then
a stone-cheap whisky and to
bacco-which with its cold incubus
will press from them, annually, hun
dreds of millions of dollars, flow.
ing not into the public treasury, but
into private Golfers in the guise O.