The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-02
UNITED STATES SENATE,

Advocated.
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 20, 1856.
Prof: R. Means Dav;s, Chairman Er
ecutive Conmittee Free Trade Asso
ciation Of South Carolina, Colum
bia, S. G.
Ny DEAR SIR: Some time ago
received from you the following let
ter: -,
TSenator Butler then quotes the
letter sent him by The Free Trade
Association on the 4th Of March.
Recognizing the right of your as
sociation or any other number of re-
spectable citizens of South Carolina
to know my opinions on any ques'
tions affecting the public interest, l
cheerfully respond in this form, not
having the time for public addresses
as suggested by your letter.
You will permit me to say, in pass
ing, I am much pleased at the pros
-. snect of full discussion of this most
vital subject, about which so little is
understood. and I trust it will be con-
Quoted in a spirit of candor and tol-
Grafton worthy of the topic, and free
from those unseemly personalities
anG aspersions which Of late enter
into every controversy that arises.
1t does not strengthen the force o.
any mans argument or views to i'm
pugn the motives or sincerity of those
who differ with him, but often de-
grades the controversy and leads to
pernicious consequences.
The question of taxation is, and
has always been, one of the most
difficult and complicated problems Of
civil government. Taxation is ne
cessary evil, and how to lay taxes,
and where and when, upon what OBJ
jects and persons, so as to make the
evil as light and as little burdensome
as possible, and operate with justice
and fairness, has always been most
perplexing and troublesome to the
minds of those whose duty it has
been and is to deal with the subject.
When it comes to determine what
shall be the objects of direct taxation,
you are constantly confronted with
complications and difficulties. in
South Carolina we have the al valo-
rem system, which appears TO be the
fairest and most simple, that is. that
a man shall pay according to tue
value of his property; and yet there
is always room for complaint of un-
uss: valuation or uncqUs1 sluation,
whether YOU should tax mortgages
and at the same time the thing mort
oaccd, chooses in sction, moneys in
hand, nc. .-..
These and others Of 3 kindred
character are ali subjects that have
battled the best intellects softhc ablest
statesmen and politio<economists
Of this and every cI ID country.
The internal or vise system of
Federal direct alton has alw/ 5
been the most odious of all forms.
The army of agents and inspectors
employed to prevent and detect fraud
on the public revenues are oppress-
i've to the people and unrepublcan
undsr the mildest form Of admins
t-stion. The powers of the Federal
and State governments in regard TO
sxation, except as to imposts, are
seoncurrent. Both may tax the same
sassct st the same time and each
o0J>Saye its own agents, separate
mus ,;st,act, to collect taxes for the
sannors auu Of easa.'~enaer the "AF,
s:alss srIs Of Confederation" it was 10uno
.nat s,.' the Federal government couIo
net rely upon the State Tor fes .un,or+ sns ,t'
o0rcps no' and revenues for its support
sod hence, chiefly, the necessity lor
tbe +Iu ~more perfect Union formed e
Under "rr the present Constitution so
thst. when we talk about supporting
the government bya system o' al Al
o+ Wv taxation, you perceive some 0l
+Hs obstacles in the way: AS nave ave
ohssryed, sbs all forms of taxation &ss