National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-12
THE SURPLUS REVENUES.
The Manner of Its Collection, and the
Proposed Modes OF Distribution.

The Manner OF Its Collection, and the
Proposed Modes OF Distribution.
Questions relating to taxation by the gem
eral government have, ut all times, been
among the most prominent affecting the
general welfare Of the United States. These
questions have heretofore entered largely
into party issues-have been given promi-
nence in party platforms aud In discussions
Of party policies.
The present time offers no exception TO
the above remark
Taxation, revenue reform, a tariff for
revenue, a tariff for protection, tariff
with incidental protection, and free trade
are the prominent topics Of discussion In
Congress and among the people. Vague,
indefinite and confused ideas are generally
entertained on the subject for want of clear,
concise and exact determinations or defini.
tions OF the words, terms, and phrases there
employed. Very few, II any, of the citizens
Of the United States, whether native born
or naturalized, who enjoy the rights of
citizens and the protection of the govern
ment, but feel and cherish some degree or
national pride. More than this, the citi-
zens Of this country feel that the govern
ment OF the United States must be sus-
tanned, Its integrity preserved, its debts
paid, its obligations met to the very letter
Of the law, and its prestige and influence
among the nations OF the earth preserved.
To this end revenues must be collected
and taxes paid In the future as in the past.
Admitting this necessity, and estimating as
near as possible from known data the amount
Of money required to be raised annually,
the question arises: BY what mode or modes
can given amount of revenue be levied
and collected so as to be uniform In its
operation, the least burdensome on the peo-
pie. and the best conduce to the general
welfareP
The constitution of the United States
gives ample power to Congress to levy and
collecttaxes for all the purposes herein re-
ferred to. These taxes may be direct or in
direct. They may he levied on polls and on
real estate; ON goods, wares, merchandise,
and products Of home Industries; on goods
imported from foreign countries, and on |
trades, prCfes siCDs, and occupations carried |
on and prosecuted In this country.
Wisely, the 81 dice OF modes is left for |
Congress to d termne for any particular |
time, The best mode for fifty or sixty |
years go would not he the best mode for |
to-day, and tariff suited to the condition |
and wants of the country fifty or twenty |
five or ten years since might not be the best |
for the country now.
Prior to the revolutionary war, and for |
fifty years thereafter, the manufactures OF |
this country were few IN number, of the |
simplest character, and made to meet the |
commonest wants of the people. More at |
tention was paid to agriculture and to the |
exchange OF agricultural products, of the |
forests, and Of the fisheries, than to manu- |
features. From the exchange of these |
products we've derived the small accumu-
lations Of wealth and all the luxuries
to lie found in the houses and
families OF the aristocratic classes Of
early days. There are stlIl to be found in
the old and earliest settled towns, houses
built Of bricks and tiles imported from Eng
land. Even the paperhangings which
cover the walls, the carved mautels, and |
other ornaments and decorative fixtures |
were in like manner all imported. Within |
few miles from where these old colonial |
mansions now stand, millions OF bricks and |
tiles are now annually made and sold at |
cost less than the freight paid for transport |
ing them at that time across the Atlantic |
ocean, or than would be required to be paid |
at the present time. The first President OF |
the United States journeyed from Mount |
Vernon, Va, to New York and to Philadel- |
phia In a carriage imported from England. |
And his personal wardrobe and those OF the |
ladies OF his household were all ordered |
from abroad. And so Of his household dec
orations, fixtures, and furnishings What |
was true In this respect OF Washington was
equally true OF the men Of his time who |
possessed the means to supply their wants |
and crafty their tastes with foreign goods, |
wares, and products. From these importa- |
tions OF foreign goods Congress deemed II |
wise and proper to collect revenues, and to
this end imposed duties. Preference, at that
time, w0s given to this mode of collecting
revenue over all others. The early tariff
laws were purely revenue measures. The
more modern idea OF tariff for pro-
lection, or Of tariff combining the two
objects Of revenue and protection,
does not seem to have been entertained.
The revenues collected under the different
tariff laws from l790 TO 1869, with the ex-
ception OF two short periods, were found to
be sufficient 10 meet all the wants OF the
government without recourse to the other
modes OF collecting revenues provided by
the constitution, to wit, direct taxes and
excise or internal revenue taxes,
During this period, however, great
changes and progress were made, aud 1t
became evident that wise, comprehensive
system for collecting revenue from mposts
slould not only embrace the idea Of rev.
enue, but also the element Of protection,
and that duties on imported articles should
be so adjusted as to afford protection and
encouragement to American industries aud
American manufactures. Aided In part
by what was then deemed judtclOus sys.
tenn, and which is believed to have been
judicious so much Of protection has been
given TO manufacturers that they have been
enabled TO build up, not only IN the north
eTn and middle states where the attention
OF the people was earlier drawn TO the mat
ter, hut IN later years all over the west and
In many Of the older southern states, man.
ufactories where goods, wares, AMI mer-
chandise Of every conceivable name and for
every possible use are made and placed
upon the market In competition with like
goods and articles imported from abroad
The man who wishes to build for himself
mansion can do so, employing only native
architects and mechanics, and using ma
teIals, whether of brick, granite, or mar
BILE, made or quarrled In this country. Aud
be may furnish IL with every modern APP.
pliance for taste, utility, and convenience
from the workshops In close proximity.
Foreign manufacturers OF cotton, wool,
fax, hemp, wood, glass, leather, paper,
mon, steel, lead, tin, copper, zinc, brass,
gold, silver or other materials Of
whatever description ana whatever
use, can, at the present time, have but little
or no advantage oyer,like manufactures OF
goods made aud produced in this country,
except In the matter Of price. That the
success which has attended the efforts to
put this country on a par with foreign
countries In It's manufacturing industries