The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-10
HOMEMADE CORN JUICE.
,BNATOR BROWN TALKS AGAINST
INTERNAL TAXATION.

uODOlY IN EAlSGOAOO INV ANSA vi
Georgia Stands.
wAsgrNGroN, Jan. 9.--The Senate to-
,.,. took M the resolution offered by Mr.
p.ovn on Jan. 4. declaring that the prac-
;ce Of this government for the first three
,,or+ers of a century of its existence, was
,o,.rect. in collecting the necessary revenues
~ tariff on imports, and declaring that
Go internal revenue laws ought to be re-
,saled. Mr.. Brown addressed the Senate in
r,nnort of the resolution. He occupied
Hs seat while reading his remarks, on ac
.onnt Of his sufferings from an attack of
riatica. He said the Constitution of the
United States clothes Congress with full
,over to collect the revenues Of this gov
rnment by duties or imposts, on imports,
~, the excise laws, called internal revenue
o,vs and by direct tax, and Congress has
.sod aIl three methods There is no consti-
rtional question involved, out it is purely
= matter of policy or interest, with regard
:, local State interests, and the welfare of
,he whole people.
Roth WAR TIME MEASURES.
The first internal revenue act was passed
h 1902. and subsequent revenue acts were
nassed in 1918 and 1861, ali during war
periods. and intended to supplement the or
lina1.y revenues by a'tariff, and to meet the
jamand for extraordinary resources called
or by war. In both of the earlier cases,
Immediately upon the cessation of the war,
,hese revenue laws were repealed. Presi-
lent Jefferson in his first annual message
recommended the abolition OF the internal
ravenue system, and discussed the principles
involved with maSterful ability. This
ather of the Democracy urged its repeal
because there was no emergency to Justify
continuance of internal taxes, nor to war
rant the taxation of industries to accumu-
ate treasure Congress promptly repealed
hose laws and did away with an army of
unnecessary officers President jefferson,
commenting upon the system, said that
there had already begun that process of
IomiciiarY vexation which. once entered,
is scarcely to be restrained from reaching
alccessivelv every article of produce and
mofitn The internal war revenue measure
Df 1873, during the Presidency of Mr.. Madi-
son, was repealed three years after peace,
and before the war debt was paid or soldiers
PENSIONS were paid, and until the civil war
Of 1861, over forty years, all parties united
in resting upon a tariff for raising revenues
10 support the government.
THE SYSTEM OF 1861.
The internal revenue system of 1861 was
likewise a war measure and adopted to
raise money in great straits, but unlike the
first two examples the system has been con-
linued beyond the emergency and is now i'll
existence twenty three years after the waT
has closed We are still collecting in
round numbers $117,000,000 a year under
the internal revenue system and al
q time when there is heavy surplus OF rev
enue in the Treasury, and the efforts of
statesmen is to get rid of the surplus and
not to increase the revenue. The principal
remaining revenue is the tax on distilled
whisky and fermented liquors of nearly
$4,000 900, and on tobacco and cigars of
ever $50, ,000,000. We are maintaining two
systems Of taxation and two armies of Off
GERS, when one should do. The government
employs in the internal revenue system an
army of nearly 1000 persons whose prac
lice Of espionage and domiciliary vexatiOr
creates both annoyance and much dis
loyalty. Frivolous prosecutions impel the
people to take thechance Of evading laws
that restrain them from a privilege which
they regard as a hirthright, to make the
Stmulants which they think they need out
NORTH GEoRGIA's RECORD.
The reason for the hostility to the law is
hown by the fact that in the northern dis
lnct Of Georgia alone, for the ten years
from 1855 to 1887, there were 4, ,647 prosecu-
Tons and 1888 convictions of men, hardy
mountaineers, who during the war were
'aost loyal to the United States government
rhd who, under a sense of oppression by
o,llous laws, are probably less loyal now tc
We government than are the people in any
part OF the State. Dragged 100 miles tc
Atlanta, imprisoned, with half dozen wit
heSSeS in each case, their neighbors com
pened TO make two or three trips to their
uIals neglectlng their crops and suffering
tri'atlonS, 1t is little wonder that they
nate the law and desire it abolished. That
sentiment is largely shared in by the people
81 the State, the Legislature of the
nate OF Georgia, backed by an over
TheImlng public sentiment, having passed
almost unanimous resolutions instruct
ing their Senators and Congressman
~ attempt arepeal of these odious
A"s; The Senator here gave illustrations
VI the hardships worked by the revenue
mIS ID Georgia, and statistics of seizures
M au arrests, and argued that the facts given
demonstrated an outrageous, oppressive anG
"lq1Ious system that should never be fol
oHeu by a Republican government, except
when necessary under war or other great
lllJies, and never to raise surplus money
"a @e treasury.
CALLED STRONG OBJECTIONS.
Inc discrimination against tobacco and
anNSy made by the internal revenue sys
II tit ne sad, constitutes a strong objection
roi. Inc whisky tax occupies peculiar
/ Ii.loh. The whisky taxpayer does moi
J'.t!ge 10 nave the tax abolished. Whisky
oStillers get an enormous profit out of Il
dar1 nIn they do not wish to bt
uuepn,yed Of, and they enjoy a mo
opoly' as great association of protected
,n rnPi'aISts, a1 that they do not wish to give
Ecane p mere Is no monopoly on the American
4 [nybsiLent brslient comparable to that Of the great
S5pSAy ring. 1t IS protected by tariff OF
&cfb"E non on all imported whisky from
N bo b.. Countries so that at tho custom house
r"uiShy men are the best protected oi
iop 1'' T' ICah citizens from for ign competi
(noas. Ca, ne laws carefully protect the whisky
nr d PoLst against loss by leakage, casualty
Instruction 10y fire. Ho has a goo thing
" with whisky cared fol
,ssr, the government for three
,var v0, at no cost to himself, with
EeaL.Udn one-Sixth Of his whisky allowed as
*svitho7,t NH Ine privilege OF eXpor atlOl
ibGuV bjl paying any tax, and if he fails tC
be 9' p9 whisky abroad and brings it back il
Az vsH V,isihal package, he simply pays SOC
"nlle "an foreign whisky by its side pays
ant 6uion import duty. This is an ad
"'"Se Oh 81 10 over &gn imports.
T. UNDOUBTEDLY A MONOPOLY.
a. may be thought that the whisky ring
s. ill., no monopoly because every American
8biS can engage in the same business
n bjs la,. % a mistake. Before the passage OF
.tiiis iaw there was large number of small
AZ vorl' e's over the country who did not