National Republican., 1885-09-07
Tho informal Reyenne Tnxes.

Decreased collections Of taxes are q
ulturalituot anncyi;ahlo result Of the many
changes recently made rs to the officials
aud employees Of the internal revenue SER
vice In all parts of the country.
II Is not charged that the new commits
sicncr is lacking in honesty, capacity, or
fidelity, for he is maintaining the high ropu-
tgtion for executive ability which he had
earned before he was appointed tohis present
positions; nor is II alleged that dishonest,
incapable, or unfaithful men have been Sc
lCctcd for official positions under this
luroau, either here at Washington or in the
various collection districts.
But IL remains true, nevertheless, that
rapid changes IN the personnel Of this SER
vice have been prejudicial to the public in
terests In that they have decreased the
chances Of detecting or preventing frauds.
Aud we do not see how the administration,
coming in as II did, pledged to reform
abuses, can frame any excuse for the adop
tlon Of u course that was reasonably certain
to create abuses
Many years Of careful and intelligent
study had been expended on this branch of
the governments business operations be-
fore President Buchanan's first Democratic
successor was elected. To devise and per-
feet a system for the collection of internal
taxes was ono Of the most difficult problems
that has ever been solved In this country.
But II was solved, and the system was
brought to a state Of perfection which chal-
lerged admiration at home and abroad.
Such a sudden and radical change as tho
putting out of large number of expert
cnced collectors aud all the expert officials
attached to their offices, and the putting in
Of new men, totally ignorant Of the details
cf their varied, delicate, and difficult duties,
was TO invite confusion, encourage fraud,
and generally dcmoralize the bureau. II
was countcr-mGrch In reform. 1t was one
of the worst possible exemplincations Of
| the spoils system. The results are what
| they could rot help being, and the worst Is
| net yet reached.
There Is another consideration which
should have been very carefully weighed
lCfole many changes in this bureau were
decided upon. The President and his adj
yiseis could not have been ignorant of the
fact that, in most Of the Democratic states
The internal taxes, and especially the tax on
distilled spirits, are antagonized as the most
| tyraInicGl oppression. 1t has been notori
Gus for years that in those states public
| opinion has been with the "moonshiners, y
GLd against the government in the incessant
conflict that has been carried on. Murders
Of revenue officials and officers Of the De
rariment Of Justice employed. in aid of sucl
officials have been numerous, and have been
characterized by most un-Amcrican atroci
tics. But the perpetrators of these horrd
crimes have generally gone unwhipped oi
| justice, for the reason that the communities
in which they resided sympathized Will
them.
We say these facts are and have for years
| lCCn notorious, and the archives Of the
| government, Gs well rs the columns Of al
| public prints, warrant the assertion. TC
| put the Offices Of this bureau, in such com
munitics, into Democratic hands was tc
turn the bureau over to its enemies. Ever
If the most honest Democrats In those
states were appointed as collectors, depu
ties, gaugers, &C., and II they tried to dc
their duty faithfully, the mere fact of the
change would suffice to demoralize the
business; for most of the southern Demo
Gratis voted TO kill the internal revenue sys
tCm when they cast their ballots on the 4tl
Of November last Such task as the col
lection Of revenues and the suppression Of
"moonshining" in parts Of the south is
simply impossible of performance by Q
party which hates the liquor tax as the
sum Of all denominations.