The Portland daily press., 1885-12-10
workingmen must inevitably result in defrauding
them OF portion Of their wages.
From currency reform the secretary passes to

wOrkingmen must inevitably result in defrauding
them OF a portion Of their wages
From currency reform the secretary passes to
TAXATION REFORM.
He regards the tariff laws as being like the cur
rency laws legacy of the war. If its exigeneies
excused their origin, their defects are unneeessa-
ry after twenty years of peace They nave Deeh
retained without sitting and DISCRIMINATION a-
though they were enacted without legislative de
bate, criticism or examination. horizontal re-
dueton of 10 per cent was made in 1872. but this
abatement was repealed in 1875, and rejected in
1884. The tariff requires at our custom houses
the employment OF a force sufficient to examine,
appraise and levy duties upon more lhan 41oz
different articles. The duties have been retained
upon articles used as materials for our manaIac-
lures to such extent that in the year 1854 tney
added S3O,OOOOOO to the cost OF manufacture
thus handicapping American exports. The secre-
tary points out that duties upon articles not pro
duced in this country are JUSTIFIED byttne lact tnat
such duties cost the producer no more than the
government receives. He then lays down the
principle that when duties affect articles which are
also produced in the United States, the first to be
safely discarded are those upon materials used
our manufacturers, as these duties now subject
the manufacturer to hopeless competition at
home and abroad, with other manufacturing ma
tions, none of which taxes raw materials. 1t Is
not TO be doubted" he says, that In any reform
which shall finally receive the approval Of the two
houses of Congress, they will maturely consider
and fayorably regard the interests which can, on
ly gradually and carefully be adjusted, without
loss, to changes in the legislative conditions for
their advancing prosperity. with TINS view.
have invited, in some 2000 circular letters 10 our
manufacturers and merchants, their enlightened
cooperation in the Improvement OF our nScal poll
cy and the replies received VIII hereaIter DC SUD
mitted to the Consideration of Congress-"
In reference to the
INTERNAL REVENUE,
the Secretary points out that the revenue amount
ed to SIP 421 121 in 1885, against SI21 ,590,039
in 1884, a reduction of S9,16s,91s. There was
decreaseo of s9,394,176 ON spirits, an increase Of
s145, 1927 onfsImented liquors and an increase Of
S344,6S8 on mandffesstInred tobacco. The value Of
the spirits produced amounted to S74,ell55363 IN
1885, against $50 ABS, ,739 in 1884 decrease Of
s52O,376. In regard to his action upon the re-
mOval of distilled spirits bonded for export, he
states that he followed the opinion of the Attor-
ney General that the strict enforcement OF the
letter of the bond was the only lawful course for
the department to adopt In this view instruc-
tions were given to revenueI collectors, which re-
suited in either the payment OF the tax or the ex-
the bond. The limit of thirty days between the
bonding of the spirits for expectation and the ac-
tual shipment of the same was restored In the reg
ulatiOnS, that time being deemed ample for all
purposes of expectation The Secretary indorses
the recommendation OF the Commissioner OF In
ternal Revenue as to an amendment OF the law
which shall postpone the collection OF the tax on
distilled spirits under certain conditions, until
withdrawal for consumption. He also
CoNCURs IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS
of the commissioner as to the abolition of the
office of inspector of tobacco, whose fees are an
tion of tobacco under regulations prescribed by
the Commissioner of lHrcsaal Revenue and ap-
proved by the Secretary of the Treasury and as
to the taxation of fractional parts of the gallon OF
distilled spirits He regards the reasons given
by the commissioner for an increase in the num-
Der of internal revenue agents as strong, and be-
leveS that such increase should be authorized.
The remaining features OF the report are OF less
general interest The Secretary alludeS to the
work of the mint and Of the bureau Of engraving
and printing, well as to the national banks, the
movement of immigration, the revenue marine,
the life saving service and other minor subjects,
and closes with recommendation for the passage
of general
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
f'The necessity" he says, ''for general statute
of limitation upon the presentation Of demands
against the United States becomes every year
more apparent. The policy of all enlightened ma
tions protects the individual against demands set
lapse of time. But the government haalA
even more need of such protection.
Usually the individual has such personal
knowledge of his business as will warn him
against unjust claims, and guide him to the evil
dence which may protect him. The vast business
of the government is carried on entirely through
agents, and many causes tend to produce frequent
changes among them Even when an ex-officer
can be reached, his memory is likely to be lmper-
feet in respect to some long past transaction
his supervision, and many ex-officers. in view OF
the multitude of inquiries addressed them, have
been compelled to decline the unremunerated
task of researches in their retained papers. The
government is debtor always to be found and
ever ready to pay its debts and long delay ought
in favor Of an individual, against the justice of
demand