The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-08-12
The Internal Revenue.

yention, Mr.. Poore, a delegate, submitted
as substitute for the platform adopted,
a resolution requiring the various aSpir-
ants for the nomination to publicly de-
clare their respective positions upon the
Blair bill, Internal revenue, &c. as d
matter of course proposition so fair and
honest was voted down, and the nominee
was told that he must accept the declara-
tion of the Democratic National and State
platforms upon the subjects named. Else
where we have shown what the party an
nouncements mean in reference to the
Blair bill, and now let us look into the
true intent of Democratic declaration or
the subject of the Internal Revenue, as
interpreted by the leaders of the party, and
emphasized by the record.
In the Democratic National platform OF
1884, the last official utterance Of the
party. occurs this plank
'sThe system of direct taxation, known as the
Internal Revenue, is war tax, and so long as
the law continues the money derived there
from should be sacredly devoted to the relief o.
the people from the remaining burdens of the
war and be made q fund to defray the expense
OF the care anu comfort OF worthy soldiers ulS
=. abled in line of duty in the wars of the Repub-
lie and for the payment of such pensions as
Congress may from time to time grant to such
soldiers" &c,
In other words, as long as there are pen
SlOns to be granted, the Internal Revenue
system must continue in existence. AS
there is no prospect of pensions ceasing fol
generations to come, the Internal Revenue
system must be perpetuated as long as the
Democratic party controls. The revenue
to meet the eXpe nditure for aged and dis
abled soldiers must be raised, and as the
Democratic party is opposed to leyying
duties upon imports, there is no other way
to collect the necessary amount, except by
direct taxation, as proposed by MI. Morri
son in the last Congress. Moreover, the
tariff scheme submitted by Mr.. Morrison
as the embodiment of Democratic views
upon this subject, and which on the test
vote was supported by every Democratic
representative from Virginia, and only
defeated by some forty Democrats voting
with the Republicans. contemplated the
perpetuation of the Internal Revenue sys-
TEN, and incorporated it as part of the
general revenue system. AS representing
the opposite view-the position of The
forty Democrats who voted with the solid
Republican representation-Mr Randall
submitted his tariff bill, in which provision
was made for the abolition of the Interna
Revenue System. This last measure was
ridiculed by the Democratic majority
speaking through their recognized leader
Mr.. Morrison
The only practical effort made to relieve
the people of the system by the last Con-
gress was of Republican origin. AS early
as December, Gen. Malone introduced
two bills in the Senate, one granting a re
bate OF duties paid on imported materials
employed in the manufacture of tobacco
for export and the other repeating The
law imposing the inspection, and the ia;
or fees Tor inspection. of export tobacco
About the same time, Representative
Brady, (Rep.) introduced similar bills in
the House. Subsequently, late in May
Mr.. Wise, DEM introduced bills looking
to the same end, except in respect to re
bate. His bill gave advantage to manu-
facturers engaged in the export trade ex
clusively, of whom there are only three il
Virginia, whilst Mahone's bills granted
rebate to all classes of manufacturers
those engaged partly in home and partly in
the export trade, as well as to those en-.
gagged in the export trade exclusively
These two House bills passed the House
and the one abolishing inspection and in.
spector's fees passed the Senate The
other is still before the Finance Com.
mittee of the Senate, with an. amend
ment applying the rebate to all manufac.
tured tobacco for export, whether manu-
featured by parties engaged partly or ex.
clusiyely in the export trade.
Besides, Malone introduced an amend.
ment repeating the law imposing taxes on
manufactured tobacco, &C., in effect abol-
ishing the Internal Revenue System as it
relates to tobacco. That amendment is
now before the Senate.
The Democratic State platform is loud
in its denunciation of internal Revenue,
1t says
'srhe Internal Revenue System, brought into
existence by the Republican party and perpet-
uated by it when there was no necessity for or
reasonable apology for its continuance is a
institutions, and is obnoxious to the interests
ana convictions of our people. We favor its
complete and unconditional abolition"
One would have supposed that a party
whose virtuous wrath would be so excited
at the mere mention of system which it
had classed as a nursery Of spies and in
formers, - and as obnoxious to the people,
would hasten, upon its accession to power,
to cut off the offending member at the
very first opportunity. Indeed this is
what its orators promised upon every hus-
tings two years ago. Since then the tune
has changed. The perpetuation of the
system has been practically endorsed by
every Democ ratio representative from
Virginia, in his vote on the Morrison bill.
The nursery of spies and informers'' has
been peopled with the first families The
srevenue gang" has been superseded by
the scions of the best people, and the OBJ
noxious system has been transformed into
a thing of beauty which it is hoped will
remain joy forever.
Not only this, but additional offices in
the service have been created and filed
with political pets, and the mountain peo-
pie in many instances have been subjected
to a persecution without a parallel in the
history of the government.
If the Democratic tariff idea prevails
there is no possible hope of abolishing the
Internal Revenue system, for it would be
only through that measure that the gov
could be sustained. The Repub-
lican policy is to support the government
mainly from import duties, and gradually
DO away with internal taxes.
Recall the declarations of Democratic
two years ago, and then
compare the promises then made with the
subsequent performances, and you have a
Fair idea of what the District convention
meant by reafirming the National and
State platforms upon this subject.
A number of prominent Republicans of |
the Third Congressional district of West |
Virginia, formally announce Col J. w. |
Davis, of Greenbrier, as a candidate for |
Congress. In their card they say that in
1884 he received more than l3 900 votes
more than Kenna or any other candidate
,a6 rncnivpd nm tO that olpof ION and Nv