West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-10-15
Wilson on the Tariff.

ufoh NuS SAV'AiSou Di'i iaOtinS tue
reduction OF taxes. Mr.. Wilson in
opening his speech, said:
NJ. Chairman, we s;,ud TO day in the
! i..c> 80" ot fact rs significant as any
that cou 'r oSt the attention OF the req.
iesentanN,> OLA fee people. An i'm.
mcu>e surplus revenues pouring iuto
the national 1roeSury, the product OF an.
just aud excessive taxes. eau wo 20
back TO our constituent, with the cou.
seriousness of duty performed if We do
nothing to relieve them OF this uuwar.
rantSblo cNactiour
Is tue,e anv,hing In Federal taxation
thai nIaSes :, different in las effects ant
In iIS on gdens from Sue ~. municipal
taxation The UuuVd safe, b,Na no
independent IeSorces from walch to catn.
or revenue. They nave no ntuuev except
wu1' ''ev N>e FROM IN" peap q in o.'e or
RnC, u,r mode u eNac,ipn. Bat ,rcau>e
Federal ;aNSyoh - indirect. because II
operates through different methods aud
under Tile ent GlWc, i.pu slate taxa.
lion, are we,I go ,u.t1 ruo people TIM
what IL "pc v.m auo with ,no nmc i
reSH:dvt ~ a ue"-,>t"N eN. tI',,. ;u.
"t"c. Eul>o ,nd win diac,o't nam,
may te,ome blessing ana >nu ~ OF
general pIu>pe ~ aud suvIu.enrIt
Such suggestion j. mc,e iuSsicry of
words. j, may de'ude iu" uutollo,.,ny.
II can not deceive those vino look thuou,h
tho No'i" l"nA"'-", 90 the Gc. il>e e.
ihey eau no more bc persuaded Gy the
Interested adNuCU7s OF modem times
tnan were the American culoui,ts nre.
suaded by DR.. johnson th,t "taxntion a.
no iVrany,' tut rather bencficcut ami
wealIh-produc ugcXercise OF the power
OF government.
When the State collector presents his
tax bill aud enCorceS pa,men r neoJ Inn
10y process OF law, ihcrc is none 80 S,unid
hS not to sce that IL le..ch~ tho means
with which he may acquire the com forts
and necessities OF life. When the Fcder.
al col o1tor lays mus upon these samo
comforts nvCc, sites aud increases their
c"e' To tho purchaser the effect is the
sane, though the act may not DO so direct
aud palpdblc, Whether you take from
me by taxes portion OF tho money |
haYe earned for the support OF my faml-
~, or add the amount to the cost of aeir
support, the result To mo aud to them is
the same. Tue RN-gatherers for tho
State meets me in the way as | go TO pur-
chase the comforts and necessities of ex-
stance aud forces from mo oue-third of
my h"rd-carmed wages the tax-gatherer
Tor the Government Out-strips inc To the
store aud marks up so per cent. the price
OF these comforts and necessities. In
what respect does the former harm mo
more than the latler7
a Treasury surplus gathered by excess
I've taxes ~ ~ much wrong under the
United States ~ under a State. IL il not
only wrong bat a danger. 1t represents
All Illegal eXiction, an abuse Of power
without warrant in law or in any sound
theory Of government. Ii II n standing
menac" to the freedom OF our institutions
and to The purity o! their administration,
ioi II Is standing temptation 10 di,hon-
es,y, cupidity, and pro1ig,lity. A great
thinker has truly said that the world new
or saw government So pure n not TO be
corrupted Ii surplus revenue were placed
at It's disposal. II - therefore dangerous
symptom, tp he dealt with vigorously
and summariIy.
Lot me dwell briefly but with some
detail upon this matter of Federal rev
enue ~ brought to the attention of this
congress by the official report of the Sec
rotary "f The Treasury.
The entire income of tho last fiscal
year was In round humble y $I0O 600 900,
of Shlch amount sllj 900, 600 were deriy-
od from costums, Sl4j 600, 900 from inter
nal revenue aud tie remainder from
miscellaneous sources The total ordinary
Expenditures were les, tb'n 500, 1000, 900,
leaving u surplus in eAh"t figures ofSlJ2.-
$40, il1,Il. For tue present yc,f Eo osti-
mated receipts at 1913, 900 900. e%pendi-
tures at SOS 100000. This would suIl
leave surplus income Of 500 900 900.
Later Ia formation shows ibis o. IN ,te to
be too smal aud 1t Within bounds to
say that Tor the present fiscal year. euuiug
June 30, the surplus will be not lesg than
500 .OL0 .OOO and without some reduction
Of taxes IL will exceed this enormous sum
next year. Consider for moment THIS
protentous fact Aner every legitimate
demand Of the Government on its proseut
liberal and extravagant scale of expendi-
turo is met and sat. sfed, the rapacious
hand OF the tax-gatberer goes on until it
sweeps into the Treasury one bundi od
millions more And this at time when
business is depressed, trade Ioverisb, la
Dor dissatisfied. manufactures strugg ling
aud agriculture threatened with the loss
Of its markets.
Where is the member of this House
who will go back 10 his people and con
fess that for ono whole session he stood
here. seeing this great ponuting flood
pouring into tue treasury, gathering us
streams from every neiSnUorhood, it,
cODtributary riyulet hOri the home Of
every tOiling worker in the land, and yet
lined not hgure to stay It's exhaus,ing
flow Yet SIR, that is wiz t, 10 eject, we
are urged 20 do by those who Oppose all
legislation in the direction proposed Ivy
this bill
FROM what sources ars these revenue
drawn, aud Ina what VIZ portion do the
people Of tho United So ties contribute to
Them A. havo gtatod tho cbtof s,u p