The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
rtEIrr ANp I.EvExrE.

The report of the Secretary efthe Treas-
ury exhibits in detail the condition Of
the public finance cf the several branches
Of the Government related To his depart
ment especially direct the attention Of
the Congress 10 the recommendations
contained in this and the list preceding
I report II the Secretary touching the sim
pliticstioa and amendment of the laws
relating TO the collection Of our revenues.
aud in the interests Of economy and JUS
tice to the Government hope they may
be adopted by appropriate legislation.
The ordinary receipts Of the Government
for the fSal year ended June 81, 1856.
were S336. 80. .727 Oh. OF this amount
/ sla2 905.023 Il wis received froln Gus
toms and sI16SG5.s36 IS from internal
revenue with total receipts - here stated.
I SlsTi4G2o IS greater than for the preyi-
eu5 year. bur the increase from customs
r-ss sIl. .4340S4 10 and from internal rev
enue. - .4o7 .21o -. making a total gain
In these items for the last year If Sl5.-
81 .2a5 o. falling off in other resources
reducing the TO al iucr.ase TO the smaller
amount mentioned The expense At the
different custom houses Of collecting this
increased customs revenue was les than
the expense attending the collection Of
such rsvcuue Tor the preceding year by
stoo6fS. and the increased receipts Of IN
s teruaI reyenne we've collected at q co-t To-
the Internal Revenue Bureau IF Sl55.-
94l 80 jeS- than the exrel~e Of s'lrh cal-
lection for the previous wear. The total
ordinary expenses of the Government for
the fiscal year ended June ~. ISss. were
s2i2. IS. .l3S "a, being les~ by SI-,7S3.7a7
than such expcn3itareS -or the year pre-
ce,iins and leaving surplus in the
Treasury al the ,io-- Of the last fiscal
year II SaS. .g56.5SS 81 as against ~. .4G;}.-
81 , AZ the close Of the preyious year,
being an increase in such surplus Of s3o.-
493Sl7 - The message then gives the
figures of the Treasury repoTt.l
rHE QUG-TloN or REVENUE
In my last annual u,eSsage To the Con
gresS attention was directed 70 the tact
thar the revenues of the Government ex-
creleJ is actua, needs. and II was sug-
eeS1ej thgt legislative action should be
taken 10 relieve the people from the un-
necessary burden of taxation thus made
apparent. In view Of the pressing i'm
. porance of the subject, deem It my d.
~ "a again ur-e its consideration. The
income OF the Government, lv it, iucreaS-
ed volume and through economies in it,
collection is now more than ever IL ex-
ces- Of public necesSitis. The applici-
ton of the surplus 70 the payment Of such
portion Of the public debt ~ l. uow At
our option subject 70 extineuishment il
continued 81 the rate which has lately
prevailed. would retire that elas> of ia
debtedness within leSs than one wear from
this date. Thus q continuation Of our
present revenue system would soon re-
sult in the receipt Of an ann TAI income
much greater than ne-ss-ary 20 meet
{ government expenses, with no indebted
ness upon which It cDulJ be applied, re
should then be confronted with a vast
quantity Of money, the circulating snedi-
um If the people boarded in the Treas
/ ury. when it should be in their hands, Or
we should he drawn into wasieful public
extr4yaeance. all the corruption. and na-
tionsl decentralization which follows in
IT. train. But IT l. not the simple exis-
tence Of this surplns, and IL threatened
attendant evils, which furnish the strong
est argument against our present scale Of
federal taxation It. worst phase i the
exac,ion Of such Il surplus through per-
version of t'le relations between people
and their government and dangerous
departure from the laws which limit
right ii federal taxation. Good govern
ment. and especially the government of
which eyeTy American citizen toa-t.- has
for IT. objects the protection of every per
-au within irs care ia the greatest liberty
consistent with good order 81 ~ocieiy
( his I.-rt,,t security in the enjoyment of
hi> earnings with the least possible Ill
ninution Of public needs. When more
of the peoples substance l. exacted
through the form of taxation than i nee
( e--ary 60 mset the Just Obligations of the
! government anj the expense of rs e,-o-
nouieal a,lnini~il.ltion. such ezsriion
hs-cou4es r,rthles, exlortioI and si,,.a-
ton IF thr fundamental principles of q
free Government. Tbc indirect manner
ID wh;ci tl,,--e pS..rtion- art Iasde h;ss
tendency ts conceal their true character
and their extent Bat We have arrived
al stag of supertiuou- n.,enue which
has aroused the people 30 a realization of
the fael fIiai theaniount raised profess.-,l-
IL for the support OF the tioterumeut j.
paid by them a. absolutely. if added to
the price of the thing, which supply
their daily wants. ~ if It was Il,id At FIX
ell proces-l- into ise hand Of tie &. gath
er-r.
Those who toll for daily wages are l,e-
ginning to understand thai capital.
thoOsa sometimes Wanting it> impar-
taBee and clamoring the protection snd
csr- th, Government j. sluggish sill
toarhe,l b, rhe magical hand of ls;.or. II
springs into activity. furnishing an coca-
son fp7 federal taxation and gaining the
value which eilable~ It to hear H. bur,ien
and the llboring man i thoneh;iully
inquiring whether IN these circumstances
and considering the tribute he constantly
lays into the pablic Treasury aS he sup
plies his daily want, he receives his fair
sllarc of advantages There Is al,n a SIS
picion broad that the surplus of oar rev
cnues indicate, abnormal and exception
al business profits which uiricr The sys-
tenn which prc,iuos such surplus. in
crease without corresponding benefit to
The people At lsFe.. ihe y.iSt ac-r,lsul.-
tions Of lev amsn. om citizens who's.
fortunes violating the wealth u thr most
F favored in anii-llemocfzt;c nations, arr
not the natural growth Of = steady. plain
ami industrious Repabiic Tar farmers.
/ t.a5. and those engaged directly in supply
+ ing the products of agriculture, see that
DAY by day and ar often as the daily
work Of their households nacur, they are
forced to ray excessive and needless tax
.stiov, fvtifa their r,rfsi,4,..s e-v,,sryi, -,