Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-11
The in,ernal.Reyenue System.

Tie internal. revenue issue Is coming to the
front again, and that, too, In form that
threatens to give the Democratic party
serious trouble. In Virginia and North
Carolina especially the people are com.
planning that the internalreyenue laws are
enforced more rigidly under Democratic
rule than they were under Republican
rule, and that the Democrats in Con-
grtss have fallen far short Of making
the fgbt for the abolition Of internal taxes
they Che people, we're led TO expect would
be mace. As to the first complaint, II
must be said that 20 long as the internal.
revenue laws are on the statute-book they
should lie enforced. The revenue officers
have no option In the premises, and 1t Is to
The credit OF the Democratic party
that their officials regard their oaths
OF Office strictly. That complaint is
therefore unreasonable, as every law.
abiding citizen must recognize. As to the
second complaint, certainly the record OF
the House Of Representatives In large mea.
sure iustifes II. The Democratic party OF
Virginia Is committed uDequiyocalIy TO the
abolition Of iDternal.revenue taxes. The
internal-revenue plank In the State Demo-
cratic platform reads:
"Tbe acknowledgements system, brought
into existence by the Republican party
and perpetuated by 1t when there was
no necessity or reasonable apology for
its continuance, survives as relic
OF the war, Is foreign 10 the spirit OF our
institutions, and obnoxious 10 the Interests
and convictions OF our people. We favor
its complete and unconditional abolition"
The Democratic party in North Carolina
as the above against the system, and
the party I'm several other States
Is committed 10 its abolition. For the
Virginia and North Carolina Democratic
members Of the House Of Representatives
1t must be said that they have not been
anmindiul Of their pledges. As rule
they have taken sdvantageoi every occasion
that has offered for pressing the matter
upon the attention OF the House. But their
efforts In this direction have accomplished
very little, owing to the opposition OF most |
OF the Republicans In the House and too
many OF the Democrats. The indifference |
q some OF tho Democratic members from
the States In which the internal-revenue
system docs not directly Cypress the peo-
pie Is jeopardizing the integrity Of the
party In the States where the system
Is one OF tho greatest curses In
the way Of taxation that ever were
inflicted. 1t Is true that the passage of q
bin by the House Of Representatives for
the abolition OF interna,-revenue taxes
would he but the beginning OF the fight.
1t would never pass the Senate so long as
that body was Republican. But that is no
reason why the Democratic party, by its
representatives In the House, should not
place itself on record as opposed
10 methods Of taxation that are foreign TO
the spirit OF our institutions. That Is no
reason why the Democrats in the House
should not endorse principle which is in
entire harmony with the genius OF Demo-
crazy. That is no reason why they should
not set the seal Of condemnation upon a
system than which no greater power for
evil in the way OF Matchmaking and tyranny
has ever existed in this country. The fact
that Democratic revenue officials have not
abused their power so far affords no guar
antee that they will not do so in the future.
The system Is In itself no less odlous now
than II was when the Republican party was
In power. There IL no more excuse for re-
tanning 1t than there was when II was used
as political engine by the Republicans.
Apart from the facts that the internal.
revenue system Is burdensome, that II falls
lightly upon some States and heavily upon
others, that il Is war relic for which no
necessity now exists, and that IL Is wrong
IN principle, we believe that the passage
by the House OF Representatives Of bill
for It's adjustment would DO long
step towards securing q Democratic ma
iority In the Senate. The popular agitation
q the question which would follow such
action on the part OF the House could hardly
fail to strengthen the Democratic party
with the masses. The people throughout
the country would learn that the system
Is not only obnoxious for the reasons
we have given above, but that 1t
Is false economy as far as the
nation Is concerned; that II tends TO create
Iswlessness, and that IL is calculated TO
make the people Of whole districts of coun.
try antsgonistlc TO popular education and
the development Of the material resources
Of those sections. In "moonshiuing"
district nearly every man thinks that the
hand OF every one outside Of the
district Is against him, and he repulses
capital and immigration. When the
masses come to understand all this
they viii hardly rest until the political
complexion Of both houses Of Congress Is
scch as 10 insure the wiping out OF internal
Makes. Let the Democrats In Congress see
80 II that the pledges on tins point OF the
party in Virginia and other States arc re-
deemed as far as possible, II they would
build for the future.
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The Blair Bill.