Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-03
s77.sIl,lsl 81


S77.6fl, ISL 81
But you say the accumulated surplus next
July will be sl55 900 90 ana you estimate that
present rate Of taxes, present expenditures
and tho natural increase IT production, impor
tail and cnnsumpt on in the country, will be
in the neighb ,ruood of si55 o. 0,000.
VIII you tell me why, then, the Mills bill
stops will redua, ion Of only about one half
the surplus! DfnoCRAr.
Wer ply:
l. When the annual message OF the
President and report of the Secretary
were sent to Congress in December last,
the accumulated surplus In July next was
estimated at only $4,000 600. aud the
annual surplus st only 3ll3 0o0. 600 Sub
St quent ircome ard subsequent estimate
made by Mr.. Fairchild have enlarged the
sums as stated by our correspondent.
When Mr.. Mills committee began
| its work, 1t had to encounter the great
outcry and pressure made by the mo-
nopolies benefited by taxes against
q removal OF any public burdens
The Democratic majority In the House is
q slender one, and In the Senate there Is
Republican maj rity. Both houses
must agree in order to accomplish any
RI duction, and 1t seemed certain that the
R publican psrty would insist that taxes
| remain as they are. In face OF these
facts Mr.. Mills committee felt DO nd to
present q plan which would not or should
not be thrown out by the Senate.
8. The relation OF custom taxes to in
ternal taxes is IS 2l7 to 1lS Ia inter
Bal taxes the relation OF whisky to to-
| bscco Is as 65 to 80 while beer is repre-
scented by % There was In December
last strong prejudice in the
country against releasing 81 millions
OF tax=s levied on whisky and
beer. Tne President advised thst no in
ternsl taxes pc c1anged, but all deduc-
lions be made from customs taxes. The
Democratic prepossession in favor Of in.
terral taxes came Of several considera-
tions. Ooe was Democratic feeling
then that the protectionists preferred to
remove internal taxes in order to pre-
serve intact customs taxes. Another
came out of Difference to the prejudice
against removing tsxes from the drinb
traffic, and another came out OF the fierce
opposition of the Whisky Trust aud
Whisky Ring to any legislation which
would break down their monopoly apd
open whisky distilling to free competi
ton. So true Is 1t that all taxes and
licenses tepd to create monopoly.
4. Another powerful reason controlling
Mr.. Mills committee, probably, was that
whatever the majority might think OF pro
lection In lis economic aspect, as II 4
were a new project, 1t is fact that tnt
country has lived under prot ction fer {
quarter Of 8 century, and industries have
grown up under Its Influence. Republi
cans seem to believe that protection hal
yielded direct economic gain to al in
dividuals in the country. At any rate
for good T evil he Star thinks for eviD
the channels Of foreign trade have for Vi
been extensively impeded since 1861, ent
8 plan to suddenly and fully open then
would create alarm and SO work I'M ustice
That fact had 10 be recognized.
5. The enemies If adequate surplus re.
ductlon hsve persistently denied th'
probable ex eDce in July next OF such
surplus as the President foresha1owed
aid denied chiefly because they intend t
prevent Is, il they can, by exIavsgant e1
pspditures, Or by schemes of bond buyiD,
or bord fu7cing. That, perhaps, mad
Mr.. Mills CT mmittes too timid. Prob
ably, however, the mmittee has gone q
f.r as the Senate viii 60 in customs re
ductiop, so that adequate reduction can
net be accomplished unless sc 600 00
more be taken from tobacco and $50. coo,
900 from whisky, in order to reach SI55,
600 900.
The fear OF deficit alarms many. bu
needlessly, for nothing is in this ceuntr.
easier to be dealt with. 1t would be
wholesome condition of things II eacl
Congressman or committee proposing
new and large expenditure were com
PEELED to also propose me- tax to NEE
it.
Therefore the Star says cut. on nov
@tSlkS 600 900, IL that csn possibly be done
; Bnot, let the measure of the reduction
Ba the u.most that can be effected in tn
n present session OF the Ff.ieth Congress