Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-12-11

S13. 9O7. sS7. "A; tor the preceding yeaS, $16,-
Oh, O7969; for interest on the public debt.
S5O, $50, 1857; for the preceding year, $751;
$50, 256 AZ: for the District of Columbia,
81, 892 321 SO; for the preceding year, s., 449,
65O.95; miscellaneous expenditures, Includ-
ing public buildings, light houses and col
Iectine the revenue, $47 1856, 683.O4; for the
preceding year, $54, 72S, 056.2l.
For the current year, to the end OF June
80, 1887, the ascertained receipts up to Oc-
tober l, 1886, with such receipts estimated
for the remainder of the year amount to
1856, 100000, The expenditures ascertained
and estimated for the same period are $266,-
600. 600, indicating an anticipated surplus at
the close of the year of $50, 100000.
EXPORTS.
The total value of the exports from the
United States to foreign countries during
the fiscal year il. stated, and compared with
the present year as follows.
For the year For the year
ending June ending June
80, 1886 June so, 1885
chandise. 49,. s665,ee4,52e 90 $685.. eis 90
ohsndise. 18,560,3O1 90 1886, 800 90
Gold ~ 1882, I91 90 SAT-, 1872 OU
Silyer......... 29,5u, 2Is 90 S3,753,63S OO
The value of some of our leading exports
during the last fiscal year as compared with
the value of the same for the year imme-
diately preceding is here given, and fur
nishes information both interesting and sug-
gestive:
For the year For the year
p,oaDcts e Sc 1873 June d isss June
Cotton and cot
ton Mfrs. S219, 45,5I6 W $2l3, ,049 w
Tobacco and its -
P Presa ssas s0Sss.sis 90 i&.ssS955 90
IMPORTS.
Our imports during the last fiscal year, as
compared with the previous year, were as
follows:
M.r A5as5s II ls 90 j. assS 50
Silver e;:... T,s5O,sG7 90 iS,sso'SG 90
UNNECESSARY REVENUES.
In my last annual message to congress at
tention was directed to the fact that the rev.
enues of the government exceeded its
actual needs, and it was suggested
that legislative action should be taken to re-
ievs the people from the unnecessary burden
of taxation thus made apparent, In view OF
the pressing importance of the subject,
deem it my dutYsto urge its consideration.
Tho income of the government, by its in
creased volume and through economies in
its collection, is now more than ever in excess
of public necessities. The application of the
surplus to the payment of such portion of
the public debt as is now at our option sub
ject to e1tinguishment, if continued at the
rate which has lately prevailed, would retire
that class of indebtedness within less than
one year from this date. Thus continue
ton of our present revenue system would
soon result in the receipt of an annual in
come much greater than necessary to meet
government expenses, with no Indebtedness
upon which it could be applied. We should
then be confronted with a vast quantity of
money, the circulating medium of the people,
boarded in the treasury, when it should Do
in their hands; or we should be drawn into
wastefal public extravaganza with all
the oorrupting national demoraliza-
But it is not the simple existence
of this surplus and its threatened evils,
which furnish the strongest argument
against our present scale of federal taxation.
Its worst phase is the taxation of such sur
plus through perversion of the relations
between the people and their government
and dangerous departure from their rules
Good government, and especially the gov
erEment of which every American citizen
boasts, has for its object the protection of
every person within its care in the greatest
liberty consistent with the good order of
society and perfect security in the enjoy
ment of his earnings with the least posi-
BILE diminution for public needs. When
more of the peoples sustenance is e1actsd
through the form of taxation than is neces-
sary to meet the just obligations of the gov
eminent, and the expense of its economical
administration, such exaction becomes
ruthless extortion, and violation of the
fundamental principles of a free govern
ment. The indirect manner in
en- these exactions are made has q tend
sncS to conceal their true character and
theif hct ~ E2sS S
lperfuous revenue which has aroused
the } Rsapis that t. he . .@0an raised f
professedly for the support Of the
government as paid by them, is as absolute
IL added to the price Of the things which
supply their daily wants, as If it was paid at
fixed periods into the hands OF the tax
gatherer. Those who toll for daily wages
are beginning to understand that capital,
though sometimes Wanting its importance
and clamoring for the protection and favor
of the government, i5 dull and sluggish, till
touched by the magical hand of labor it
springs into activity, furnishing an occas-
ioE for federal taxation, and gaining the
value which enables it to bear its burden,
and the laboring man is thoughtfuly in
curing whether in these circumstances and
considering the tribute he constantly pays
into the public treasury as he supplies his
daily wants, he receives his fair share of adj
vantages. There is also suspicion abroad
that the surplus of our revenues indicates
abnormal and exceptional business profits
under the system which produces such sur
plus increase without corresponding benefit
to the people at large. The vast accumula-
tions of a few among our citizens whose
fortunes, rivalling the wealth of the most
favored in ani-democratic ma
tons are not the natural growth of
steady, plain and industrious republic. Our
farmers, too, and those gagged dire city and
indirectly in supplying t g products of agri-
cultural effort, see that day by day and as
often as the daily wants of their households
recur, they are forced to pay excessive and
needless taxation, while their products strug-
:ls in foreign markets with the competition
If nations which by allowing freer ex-
change of productions than we permit, en-
able their people to sell for prices which dis
tress the American farmer. As every patri-
otto citizen reioices in the increasing pride
IF our people in American citizenship and
in the glory of our national achievements
and progress, sentiment prevails that the
leading string useful to a nation in its in
fancy may well, to great extent, be dis
carded in the present stage of American in
genuity, courage a1d fearless sslf-relisnce,
and for the privilege of iadulging this SEN
citizens are quite willing to forego an idle
surplus in the public treasury, ana all the
people know that the average rate of federal
taxation upon imports is to-day in time of
peacs, but little ltss-while upon
come articles Of necessary consump-
lion it is actually more-than
WIS imposed by the grievous burden will
idgly borne at a time when the government
-ould need millions to MAINTAIN. by war,
the safety and integrity of the United States
It has been the policy Of the government
to collet the principal part of its revenue by
! tax upon the imports and no change in
this policy is desirable. But the present
condition of affairs constrains our people to
demand, that by revision of our revenue
laws, the receipts of the government shall
be reduced 10 the necessary expense of it's
Q economical administration and this demand
should be recognized and obeyed by the
peoples representatives in the legislative
branch of the government. In readjustiug
the burdens of federal taxation a sound
public policy requires that such of our citi-
zens as have built up large and important
industr g under present conditions should
not be q denly and to their injury deprived
of advantages to which they have adapted
their business, but if the public good re-
quires it they should be content with such
as shall deal fairly and eau
tiously with their interests while the just
demand of the people from need
less taxation is honesty answered. A
reasonable and timely submission
a. .,.l =, la,,.r1 ,borI3 ba Doa.;