The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-10-21

SIX IL 600 90
ugar'-.''.'.'...'''... 90 80 90
800 c
"a 500 0Ot
sl5I.os5 ool
Here we have articles representing four.
fifths of the income the Nation obtains
through the custom-houses. They represent
all that the people at large have any direct
personal interest in.
The first fact to be taken into consdera-
ton in studying the list is that the taxes
imposed do not have anything TO do with
the Governments requirements for money
they are imposed for quite another purpose
that of protecting our industries For ex-
ample, we do not collect $5O,0O0,00O year
from sugar and molasses imported because
we need the money TO pay pensions OF to
redeem bonds. We do it to develop the
manufacture Of sugar at home, and to pro-
tect the Louisiana sugar plantations, the
Kansas sorghum-felds and the corn-fields of
Illinois and other States against competition
from Cuba and Porto Rico. The same is true
with regard to the other articles on the list.
The wool-growerso of Ohio and Texas are indif
erent as to whether the pension-rate for total
disability is $40 or 500 month. What they
want and will have is protection for their
business against the sheep-raisers Of Aus
tralia and South America If this protec-
ton cannot be secured by taxing imported
woods s27,5OO,OOO a year, then the Govern
rnent must raise the tax to SiO,OOO,OOO or
S50,OO0,0OO. What it does with the money
after it gets it is matter with which they
have little concern.
The South Carolina rice growers insist that
the Government shall tax foreign rice at
least 100000 per annum. They would
like TO make the duty still higher, if it
could be done. Whether the Government
spends that money in equalizing bounties or
in pensioning prisoners of war is a minor
matter, but they are just as fierce for its COL
lection as measure of protection to them as
the New England cotton manufacturer is
that the Government shall assess the foreign
cottons Sl1 100000 or more year.
1t is therefore plain to every reasoning
man that the pension legislation can have
no relation whatever to this form of taxa
ton, for it is governed by reasons that have
no bearing on expenditures for pensions.
Now let us consider the other great source
of reyenue-the taxes on whisky, tobacco
and beer. AS shown above the yearly aggre-
gate of this is Sl12,OOOOO0 in round num-
bers
1t is subdivided as follows:
5ll EOS
Iobacco....-......- 26.407 .0ss
Ale aud Is go 2s2
slI2,I4s,57s
This aggregate is made up by taxation
according TO the following schedule:
Ale and beer, per barrel Of 81 gaons....... 81 90
.s.....
Brewers manufacturing 500 barrels or more,
per 100 90
Cigar manufacturers, per annum- ............ 6 90
Cigars per 800
Cigarets per 900 .... 80
Liquor dealers twholcsaie). per annum...... 100 90
Malt liquor dealers Wholesale, per annum. so 90
Manufacturers OF stills per annum-.......... 80 90
Manufacturers OF stills for each still made. % 90
Reciihers-less than 500 barrels per year.. 100 90
Recifers-more than 500 barrels per year. 200 90
snuff, per pound .......... 08
Tobacco per pound .............. Os
Tobacco, dealers In manufactured, per
annum 40
Tobacco manufacturers Of, per annum...... 500
Tobacco dealers twholesale), per annum...... II 90
Tobacco pedders using more than two
horses per annun 30 90
Tobacco pedlers using two horses, per
annum Is 90
Tobacco pedlers using one horse, per
anuum 20
Tobacco pedlers on foot. per annum.-...... 3 90
Whisky, per 80
Let the reader present this schedule to any
anti-tax-fOr-pensions ranter, and ask him TO
point out a single item on which the tax
could be reduced or abolished to public adj
vantage. Let him be asked where the peo-
pie at large would be benefited by reduc-
tion-where any poor mans comforts would
be cheapened. This will be conclusive. He
cannot answer the question satisfactorily.
Even if he asserts that IL is desirable that