The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-10
THE FIFTIETH CONGRESS-,
Senator Brown Advocates Repeal of the To.
bacco and Whisky Taxes.

bacco and Whisky Taxes.
WASHINGTON, Jan. ga large number of pc
titions and memorials were presented.
Bills were introduced and referred as follows:
By Mr.. Sherman: To establish bureau of
adulteration. and to regulate and prohibit the
importation, manufacture and sale of adulter-
ated articles OF food and drugs
By Mr.. Coke: For board of arbitration OF
the controversy between the United States and
Texas relating to strip of territory.
By Mr. Farweil: To create the lakes and
gulf waterway commission.
By Mr. Henderson: To prevent the summary
cancellation Of pension certificates. and provid-
ing for nearing in such cases.
By Mr.. Jones, of Nevada: A concurrent reso-
luton requesting the President to negotiate 8
treaty with China containing a provision that
no Chinese shall enter the United States. except
ambassadors and others engaged in the diplo-
matte service. and merchants engaged in trade
between the United States and foreign coun-
tries. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Mitchell offered resolution calling on
the Secretary of State for copies of correspond
ence with the American minister to Corea rela-
i've TO recent alleged attempts on the part OF
the Chinese government to dethrone the King,
and to absorb Corea. Referred to the commit
tee on foreign relations.
Mr. Teller. from committee on public lands.
reported bills granting to the city of Colorado
Springs, in the State of Colorado, certain lands
for water reservoirs, and granting rights of way
through public lands for irrigation purposes.
Placed on the calendar.
The Senate then took up the resolution offered
by Mr.. r. own, the 4th of January, for re-
peal of the internal revenue laws and Mr..
Brown addressed the Senate in favor of the
resolution. He gave history OF tie various
internal measures and said they were all passed
during war periods, but the system of 1861. I'M
like the Others. has been continued beyond the
emergency, and is now in existence twenty-three
years after the wer. The discrimination against
tobacco and whisky made by the internal-rev-
enue system, he said, constitutes strong OBJ
lection to 1t. If poor men make whisky without
license they have to 60 to Jail, and they cannot
get license make whisky in less amount
than twenty gallons every three days. Thus
protected against foreign whisky in the custom
house by So a gallon duty, and from the home
distiller by restricted license, the whisky mo-
nopolist has an easy time And against the lit
tie distier he has the whole power of the
courts, including SPIES collectors, marshals,
district attorneys and the Albany penitentary.
whisky and tobacco loose without taxation; that
neither is a necessity, but both luxuries,
and it is better to lower the tariff and give the
poor free trace-chains and free wool hats, which
are cheaper than they ever were before. than to
give them free tobacco and free whisky. Tobacco
has become a necessity, and, even If a luxury,
the will have lC-and the money IOr TOBACCO
is taken from the family support Every
dollar of tax, therefore, tobacco that IS taken
off, gives poor man so much more to support
his family, and will probably be greater relief
than any other act of legislation could furnish
which does not reduce tax to greater amount
The same rule applies substantially to whisky
It may be denied that it is necessary. and yet
few families dclt use 1t, and they will continue
to use it at any price. When put ninety
cents tax on what cost twenty cents gallon,
we put a tax of 300 per cent on what the labor
ing man will have. and q relief in this matter
win belp the poor The Senator declared the
internal revenue system to be an outrageous
system of espionage, injustice and wrong that
ought to have been abolished long ago. He
moved that the resolution be referred to the
committee on finance.
MIR. Beck objected to that reference, on the
ground that the committee had no jurisdiction
over the subject, the House OF Representa-
tives could alone initiate bill for reduction of
taxes He wished to have the resolution lie on
the table that some Senators could be heard
on the opposite side of the question. The SEN
ate had just listened to defense of the Georgia
moonshiners and to an attack on the govern
ment and it's officers. He wished a chance to
reply to it. . ,
Tine resolution was laid on the table, and thu
Blair educational bill was then taken up.
Mr.. Vest opposed the BILL If he was called
call it '.An act to erect a monument to the men,
ory of Alexander Hamilton and to encourage
mendicancy in the Southern States" lie
not surprised that the Republican Senators
warmly supported it, When suffrage
was given to the ignorant negroes of
the South it with the firm belief
on the part of the Republicans that it would
give them political supremacy in the Southern
States A great deal was heard now OF magnan-
unity and generosity on the part of Republicans
who supported the pending bill; but yet, when.
as the result of giving suffrage to the ignorant
negroes, a swarm of white carpet-baggers, like
vultures, swept down that unfortunate
region, and when sovereign States lay PROSTATE
and writhing at the feet of those adventurers.
there was sympathy with them on the part
of the Republican leaders In the presence of
that CHASTITY spectacle He expressed his sur
prise and regret that Democratic Senators who
had given their lives to eloquent defense OF
a strict construction of the Constitution and of
the Jeffersonian doctrine that al powers of ap-
preparation were given to Congress under the
express Tor necessarily impled) guarantee of
the Constitution, were now found to have sur
rendered all the landmarks of their party in
presence of the great temptation in the pro-
posed law. If the dead permitted to
take any interest in the affairs of the living,
what, he asked, must be the surprise of the ma
jestic spirit of John c. Calhoun, when be saw
his former followers the strict constructionist
and States rights Democrats of the South. yell
ing in both Houses of Congress for the old flag
and an appropriation In his judgment, the
enactrnen of the pending bill would be greater
calamity to the Southern people than war, pes
thence and famine. If it were not for the mon
ey temptation in the bill it would stand no moro
chance of the votes of Democrats Senators than
a donation for the devil would stand in Chris
tian congregation. The bill breathed the spirit
of Capitalization and paternal government in
every section and line; it should bring joy and
satisfaction to the bosom of every true
Federalist. He believed in universal education,
and would be glad if every child in the United
States were taught to read and write. But that
was not all of education. The highest
education was that which taught self q
respect and self-relisnce and individual
Without it, individuals and COM
munities must deteriorate. This measure was
intended to destroy the common-school system
of the States and put upon 1t the stamp of fed
eral authority. To accept money under the
terms of the bill would be 20 surrender all that
made State authority respectable. IL this bill
becomes law it will be by Southern votes IN
this Senate and in the other House of Congress.
But there is one place of refuge still left in the
brave and honest man who is
now President of this Republic Unless he is
false to the principles of his whole life and to
the party which elected him. he will interpose
MS executive veto in the path of this most abom-
nable and un-Democratic measure.
On motion OF Mr.. Spooner the Senate passed
bill sppropriating 81, 100 600 for a government