The Democratic advocate., 1888-01-21
VOL. XXIII.-NO. II.

who does, in fact, pay them ? When
these questions are correctly answered, it
will not be difficult to determine whether
the internal tax on whisky, beer, and
tobacco is more unjust and oppressive than
the tariff tax on salt, coal, and lumber, and
other articles upon which duties are laid
But it is said that the internal revenue
law is inquisitoriaT in its nature and irritat-
ing in its operations, and that, for these
reasons, it ought to be repealed. If those
who make this argument were not them
selves insisting upon the perpetuation of
much more inquisitorial and irritating
system Of taxation, it would be entitled to
greater consideration; but when the advo-
Gates of laws nnder which the persons and
houses of people are searched and their
property seized without accusation or war
rant profess to be opposed to harsh and
inquisitorial methods, there is at least ap-
parent reason to doubt their sincerity 1t
is true that both the internal revenue and
tariff laws are inquisitorial, and liable to
abuse by incompetent or arbitrary officials,
but to certain extent this is unavoidable
if the payment of the tax is to be enforced;
and if the same articles were taxed in the
same way by the several States instead of
the general government, there is no reason
to believe that the laws of their admins
tration would be less Objectionable. The
true policy is to mitigate the seventies of
the laws as far as possible, and provide for
such an administration of them as will pre-
vent unnecessary hardship and inconveni-
ence to the people; and this the Democratic
party has more than once attempted to do,
but was prevented by Republican votes in
Congress.
The statement constantly made, that the
Democratic party, if it had the power,
would at once reduce the rates of duty to
such degree as to give the products IF
foreign labor an advantage in our own
markets, is as groundless as the numberous
other false predictions with which the peo-
pie were deluded for twenty years by Re-
publican orators and newspapers, and yet
it has been successfully used to alarm the
laboring classes, and prevent them from
opposing system of taxation which, while
it does not increase the amount of their
wages, greatly diminishes their purchasing
power Every well-informed man knows
that any average rate of taxation upon i'm
ported goods which would enable the
government to realize the amount of
revenue it will be compelled to raise from
that source, would much more than COM
pensate for the difference between the cost
of labor here and in other manufacturing
countries. The amount of this difference
has been grossly exaggerated, but even ac-
cepting the most extravagant statements
that have been made upon the subject, it
can be easily shown that the present tariff
rates are greatly in excess of what is re-
quired to equalize the cost of production
SO far as labor constitutes an element Of
that cost; and it cannot be shown that any
Democratic proposition heretofore made
would have reduced the average rate below
that point. Whether the cost of ocean and
inland transportation, sea insurance, COM
missions, and other charges to which good:
produced in other countries are subjected
are not ordinarily sufficient, without tariff
taxes, to give the domestic product con
siderable advantage in the home market, /:
a question which will not now be discussed
the intention being simply to state tht
facts that the rates of duty are, and viii
probably remain, much higher than il
needed for that purpose.
As theoretical perfection is scarcely evel
attainable in legislation, the first measure
for the reduction of the reveue and taxa
ton, as already intimated, will probably be
the result of compromise, and include bott
tariff and internal taxes OF the three
classes of articles now subject to taxation
under the internal revenue laws-distilleG
spirits, malt liquors, and manufactured to
bacco-the exemption of the last would be
the least Objectionable, and if provision
for the total or partial repeal of that tax
should be included in a proper bill for the
reduction of the tariff duties, it would, al
a compromise measure, be almost certain tt
pass the Democratic House of Represents
tives. Whether the Republican Senate
would take the responsibility of insisting
upon free whisky and free beer as an ulti
matum, and thus force the question into
the next presidential campaign, is matte
about which no prediction can now b.
made.
Closely connected with the question o
revenue reduction is the question of hon
esty and economy in the public expendi
lures. That the ordinary expenditures o
the government, not including pensions O
payments upon the principal and interest 0
the war debt, have enormously outgrowl
the increase of populati on and public busi
ness, is a proposition which can b
mathematically demonstrated; and as this Isl
reversal of the rule that prevails unde
sound and healthy conditions of the publ
service, it proves the existence of som
vice in our present system that ought to b
eradicated. Since the fourth of March
1861, the Democratic party has not hat
control of both the Legislative and cxecu
tive departments of the government for
single day, nor has it, since that date, haC
control of both branches of the Legislative
department at the same time 1t cannot
therefore, be justly held responsible eithe