The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-10
SENATOR BROWN ON The SUBJECT.
HE GROWS ELOQUENT OVER THE
WOES OF HIS CONSTITUENTS.
The Wrongs Psrpstratsd by the whisky
Ring-The Evils Endured by
North Georginns.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, January "a number
of memorials and petitions were pre-
sented and bills introduced.
A bill was introduced by Mr.. Pugh,
by request, to establish a Court of Ap-
peal.
BY Mr.. Ransom-Appropriating $500,
Diamond Shoals He made q brief ap-
peal for the prompt consideration and
passage of the bill, stating that the loca-
ton was ter or fifteen miles from the
point of Cape Hatteras, where the exist
ing hight house stands, and that there
days in human history than the day
when the dark horrors of Hatteras
should be overcome by the illumination
of human science
MR.. BROWN ON INTERNAL REVENUE.
The Senate then took up the resolution
offered by Mr.. Brown on the 4th of
January, declaring that the practice Of
the Government for the first three-quar-
ters of a century of its existence was
correct in collecting the necessary reve-
ing that the internal revenue laws ought
to be repealed. Mr.. Brown addressed
the Senate in support of the resolution.
He occupied his seat while reading his
remarks on account of his suffering
from an attack of sciatica. He said, the
/ tint, of ha Init fata Inf hos
Congress with full power to collect the
revenues of this Government, by duties
or impOsts on imports, by excise laws,
called internal revenue laws, ard by di-
rect tax, and Congress has used all three
methods. There is no constitutional
ter of policy or interest with regard to
local State interest and the welfare of
the people. The first internal revenue
act was passed in 1899, and subsequent
revenue acts were passed in 1918 and
1861. All during war periods and in
tended to supplement the ordinary reve-
nues by tariff and meet the demand for
extraordinary resources called for by
war. In both of the earlier cases. inn
mediately upon the cessation of war
these revenue laws were repealed.
JEFFERsoN's VIEWS.
President jefferson, in his first annual
message, recommended the abolition of
the internal revenue system, and dis
eussed the principles involved with mas
terful ability. This father of Democracy
tb.,,
emergency to justify the continuance of
internal taxes, nor to warrant taxation
of industries to accumulate treasures.
Congress promptly repealed those laws
and did away with the army of unneces-
sary officers. jefferson, commenting
upon the system, said that there ''had
already begun that process of domicili-
ary vexation which once entered is
scarcely to be restrained from reaching
successfully every article of produce and
profits"
The internal war revenue measure of
1918, during the Presidency of Madison,
was repealed three years after peace,
| and before the war debt was paid or the
soldiers pensions were paid, and until
the civil war of 1861, over forty years,
all parties united in resting upon a tariff
| for raising the revenue to support the
| TEN of 1861 was likewise a war measure
and adopted to raise money in a great
| strait, but unlike the first two examples
the system has been continued beyond
the emergency, and is now in existence
twenty-three years after the war has
closed. We are still collecting, in round
numbers, S117, 7,OO0, 200 year under the
internal revenue system, and at time
when there is a heavy surplus of rev
enue i'm the Treasury, and the effect Of
statesmen is to get rid of the surplu.
and OF to increase it.
TWO SYSTEMS OF TAXATION.
The principal remaining revenue is tn,
tax ON distilled whisky and fermente,
liquors. of nearly $Ss, ,OOO, 900, and on to
bacco and cigars. of over $50 600, 900
We are maintaining two systems of tax
alton, and two armies of officers, wheI
one should do. The government EN-
ploys in the internal revenue system al
army of nearly 1000 persons, who's
practice of espionage and domiciliar,
vexation creates both annoyance an,
much disloyalty. Frivolous prosecution
inlpel the people to to take the chance O
evading laws that restrain them from
the privilege which they regard as
birthright, to make stimulant whicl
they think they need, out of the product
of their own labor. The reason for hos
tility to law is shown by the fact that il
the northern district of Georgia alone
for ten years-from 1877 to 1ss7-ther
were ,641 prosecutions, and ,533 cor
victions, of men, hardy mountaineers
who during the war were most loyal {
the United States Government, and wht
under sense of oppression by odiou
laws. are probably le-s loyal no'
to the Government than are the peopl
in any part Of the State. Dragged tie
miles 20 Atlanta, imprisoned, with ha
a dozen witnesses in each case, the
neighbors compelled to make two {
three trips to their trials, neglectin
their crops, suffering privations. it is Ii
tie wonder that they hate the law an
desire it abolished. That sentiment
largely shared in by the people uf Il
State.
THE LEGISLATURE OPPOSES IT.
The Legislature of the State of Georgi
backed by an Overwhelming public sent
ment, have passed almost an unan
nous resolution instructing their Sen