New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-04
grossly ignorant as to assert that Republicans
IL

GROSSLY ignorant as to assert that Republicans
have never reduced taxes
But these are not by any means all the taxes
which the Republicans have removed, and In
addition they made important reductions IN the
taxes on whiskcy, from So per gallon 10 oo
cents by act of July 20, 1868, and on tobacco
from % cents average per pound to ~ cents
IN 1853. and again in 1872 from ~ cents 10
90 cents. and again in 1888 from Is cents 10
cents per pound. All these reductions were
made when tho Republican party had coh'roi
in both houses Of Congress.
OF the changes of tariff effected since inc
war IL would be impossible to cnumefate eHact
amounts. or the nature Of changes by cach ac''
yy;,h;n the limits of a single article. however
extended. BY one brief act in 1871 dutics On
coffee which had yielded in 1870 Sl2'o'o'-
5S327. and on tea which had yielded In lS'o
$40 .Ol719, were entirely repealed. But
i, NAV be said generally that the twelve acts
nasscd after 1867 tended to reduce the revenue
from customs duties, adding in all about 2'ooo
articles to the free list. so that the imports
free Of duty were St5,147,G1S in 1868, and
s233.O93,650 in 1887. But, moreover 'hesc
changes materially reduced the rate OF duty on
many articles. 1t is often urged that the OIL
cial statement of average rates of duty PAID
on all dutiable articles imported, shows but
little decrease. 1t is good place here to po'h'
ont that every reduction OF duty when WIS
protective in character and so prevented I'M
pcrtations, invites larger imports than wcrc
before recorded. Thus, if two articles be con-
sidcrcd. of which one bore duty OF 30 per
cent and the other higher duty which pre-
vented imports, the average rate on imports
Of those two articles would be 30 per cent.
Tho next year both duties might be reduced
The lower to 20 per cent and the higher to 30
pcr cent. and the average rate, imports being
thus invited of the article bearing the higher
,oto which was before excluded would be 30
per cent In brief, the Republican party has
proved that it is in favor of reducing taxes
Just as far and as fast as is possible without
iniuring home industry
But we arc ncglecting the Democrats. ~ IS
time to consider the magnificent work which
they have done in the way Of reducing taxes.
They were in control Of the House from 1919
to 1881, and again from 1888 to 1883 ana
have enacted Just one bill reducing internal
taxes, namely, The tax on tobacco, and just one
bill reducing in any particular the duties on
imports, namely, the repeal of the duty on
auininc, by an act passed without debate and
under suspension of the rules in 1879. The
duty paid on quininc, the year before the ac1
passed, was Sl25,653 Is, and this vast reduc-
ton is absolutely the only change in the duties
on imports ever effected by the Democratic
party, during all the years they have been IN
control of tho House of Representatives. 1t
il pertinent just here to add that the reduction
in the qunino duty has had nothing to DO
with the price in this country, for the cost OF
ouinine in London in 1877 was 80 Is for Eng
fish and 80 so for German, and in 1887 1t was
in London only so cents for English and 80
| cents for German The cultivation Of trees
and the great increase in production OF bark
have done the work One other reduction
from "a to IS cents per pound in the tax on
tobacco was effected by tho Democrats when
Mr.. Randall was Speaker. In just three years
The revenue from tobacco at the lower rate was
larger than it had been before. 60 that this was
not in fact, reduction in the revenue but
| only in the rate.