Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-04-18
NO. 81.

tons but five articles of cotton yarNs,
not the finest, dutiable above 40 per
cent. in woolens; but on coarse, car
let wool, which we do not produce,
above SO per cent and on iron and
steel, but few above so per cent.
These rates have been fixed as limit
above which on these articles no
duty shall be collected. The pres
ent rate on the finest cotton is 40 per
cent and yet it is an unQueStionahle
fact, as shown by invoices ana pay
mentS made. that duties exceeding
100 per cent, exceeding first cost are
exacted and paid on cotton goods The
duty upon which is in the estimates
referred to stated to be less than 20
per cent. The same is true of iron
and steel, in a different degree. In
the woolen schedules these abuses are
most glaring. They result from the
enormities hidden and concealed,
both in the classification of articles
and rates of duty. The limit, 40, so
or 90 per cent. on the cotton, metal
and woolen schedules is intended to
expose and remedy these hidden
enormities- Those really desirous of
atfording some relief from existing
abuses will not fail to find their op-
portunity in removing taxes yielding
| IS, 600, 900 on sugar, as much on cotton
and woolen goods, and $4,000, 600
on otker articles used in every home.
The insufficient, not to say deceptive,
character of the late revision, the
manner of making it and the cireum-
stances attending its adoption, alike
forbid that it should be permanent.
The only security from agitation and
change is to contine the taxing power
to its rlghtful purpose-obraining a
revenue limited to the necessities of
the government. When no revenue
is needed by the government of the
people, it has attained the limits of its
power to tax the people. The esti-
mates of the census statistics show
people do some work or are
occupied in some business, and
that the average annual earnings of
at least $4,000, 600 of these do not
much exceed $500, and are wholly
consumed by the means of daily sub
siStence. There, too, are millions who
in the shop and in the field strike
| the blows of all production All the
accumulations of, and boasted addi-
| ton to, our national and individual
wealth, so TO one tenth of those who
earn it. OF those, q few appropriate
the great mass of savings of the peo-
pie and are enriched by the profits of
the labor of other men. Like eSti-
mates will show that the few who
profit most from the labor of all
contribute little under this sys-
| tenn of unequal taxation = not
more than per cent of their savings,
while the great mass of workers, in
cluding the dependent poor. pay the
bulk of the taxes, all of which is sub
tracted from their too scanty means
of comfortable living. Ours is very
free country of very free men, both
very fr ely taxed. In the same sense
that we are free men in free country
which is free V taxed, we may be cor
rectly named free traders, when we
insist that the trade and commerce Of
the country, and the necessities of a
comfortable living, shall be freed
| from all taxes not essential to the gov
ernment for the public uses. The
amount required from customs
is dependent upon what may
be received from the internal
revenue. The abolition of internal
revenue means free and cheaper
| liquors, but with heavier taxed and
higher priced sugar and other articles
essential in every household. | am
not called upon to defend system
which has so many abuses. OF these
two systems, however, it Is cheaper in
the administration, immensely cheap
er in its results. To repeal the inter
nal revenue means more than addi
tional cost Of living and privations to
the poor, it means permanent public
debt, which is owed to a few, and the
many pay, and which corrupts the
administration. While we cannot
doubt the existence of great wrongs
III the execution Of internal revenue
laws, especially in the south Atlantic
states, many of these may be cured.
| Neither is it because of these abuses
in the administration that the aboli
| ton of the liquor and tobacco
taxes is demanded in the states
of the far North and substantially
free from these fragrant abuses Nor
rison said that during more than
half of the last ten years wages had
been lower than before the adoption
of the taxing policy as a pretended
means of making wages higher, and
continued: There is but one hori-
zontal reduction for which our oppo
nents are willing to legislate-the re
duction of wages-and this, their
favorite, with or without regard to
legislation, they are now executing
day by day with cruel regularity. In
! the opinion of minority of the mem
! bers of this committee, representing
as they do the friends of the prevail
ing policy, cures for whatever national
ills exist, so far as they
result from taxation, is to
be found in higher priced
clothing and other articles useful in
fields, mines and homes, for that is
what is meant by higher taxed wool,
fence rods, cotton bands and tin
plates. Some of our friends here
would cure the ills of over-taxation
with a declaration of the purpose of
execution which they would carefully
avoid and here is the declaration. it is
called the Ohio platform: eve IA
vor a tariff for revenue, limited to
the necessities of the government,
economically administered and so ad-
iusted ia application as to prevent
unequal burden, encourage product
i've industries at home, afford just
compensation to labor, but not to
create or foster monopoly" a tariff
for revenue limited TO the necessities
of the government is demanded by
this plan of relief. Is the tar
if now 80 limited7 If not.
then why refuse to limit it2
Who among the representatives of
/ the goodly people of that state who
made this declaration, believe 1t IS SO
limited. Who among them believes
that the pending bill will reduce the
reduce the revenue below the necessi-
ties of the government These are
questions to which the plain people of
the country want an answer. They
will demand to know why the tariff
| taxes are not removed in part If they
are beyond the revenue limit. Do the
| gentlemen expect TO escape the re
sponsibiiity because the rates are not
rightly adjustedl The adjustment
will be the same when the reduction
IS made, but whatever monopoly be-
| longs to IL will be fostered by 20 per