The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15
INDEPENDENT COMMENT.
ttsorge william Curtis on Republicanisn
and whisky.


just rule of taxation, and expressed
the feeling Of conscientious and INTEL
ligcnt Americans, in saying:
First we tax the vices OF the people, II that
term may be properly applied to some OF their
social habits. The smokes. and drinks, and
chews OF the Amer can people pay almost one.
half OF the taxes now collected under our in-
ternal revenue laws"
The wisdom OF the tax, he said,
would not be disputed by any one.
Hamilton, advocating an excise tax
upon wines, spirits distilled within the
United States, teas and coffee, said
that they could better than most 9TH
ers bear high duties because they
we're luxuries, nnd some of them In ex-
cessive use pernicious luxuries. This,
he said, was especially true Of ardent
spirits, and added:
"Should the increase of du ties tend TO o de.
crease OF the consumption OF these articles,
the effect would be in every respeoe desirable"
Mr.. Jefferson writes to General Sam
uel Smith in 1925
TT shall be glad, too, II an additional tax OF
one-fourth OF q dollar gallon on whisky shall
enable us to meet all our engagements with
system OF excise, was once glad to see II fall,
with the rest OF the system, which ] considered
as premature and unnecessarily introduced.
But the prostration of body and mind which
the cheapness OF this liquor is spreading
through the mass OF our citizens now calls the
attention OF the legislatorion very different
principle. One of his important duties Is as
guardian Of those who, from causes susceptible
OF precise definition. can not take care OF them.
selves. Such are infants, manacs, gamblers,
drunkards. The last as much as the maniac re-
Qures restrictive measures to save him from
the fatal infatuation under which he is destroy.
ing his health, his morals, his family and his
usefulness to society. One powerful obstacle
to his ruin by selfindulgence would be q prico
beyond his competence. AS q sanitary meas.
ure, therefore, 1t becomes one OF duty In the
public guardians"
This is Jeffersonian doctrine
worthy of the most respectful consid-
GRAFTON at the cross roads of both par
ties.
General Grant, in his second annual
message, said:
with the revenue stamps dispensed by the
postmasters in every community, tax upon
liquors of all Sorts and tobacco in oil its forms.
and by wise adjustment of the tariff which
will put tax only on those articles which we
could dispense WITH known as luxuries, and
those which we use more OF than we produce,
revenue enough may be raised" etc.
Senator Edmunds, when it was pro-
posed to modify the whisky tax, said
that u question OF morals was involved
in the retention of the tax, and added:
1.-THE true principle upon which taxation
ought to be imposed is to put the highest pos
sible rate on articles of luxury; and what can
be more so than this, an article the pro-
duction OF which itwould be great advantage
to this country II it could be discouraged in
stead of encouraged, and leave the corn and
the wheat and the rye that go into you poison
to be fed to the children OF the drunkard, in
stead of turned into liquid and given to him as
q drink"
Senator Hawley said in Congress:
twill not vote for the entire abolition of d.
rect taxation, nor can the gentleman find q
wise government or q wise head OF finance in
any foreign country that is in favor Of taking
oil duties from whisky and tobacco. They are
the legitimate plunder OF the tax collector, the
legitimate plumber Of the exchequer, in every
government of the world. They all get a large
part OF their revenues from them We should
be immeasurably and insufferably foolish II we
abolished those taxes. am against it."
In the same year the Republican
convention in Maine resolved that:
1--WE are unalterably opposed to the abolition
or reduction OF the internal revenue tax on
liquors, and demand that all possible reduction
OF taxation should be made on necessaries, and
not upon luXuries."
Mr. Emerson, in his essay on civili-
zation, says that a wise government
puts fines and penalties on pleasant
vices, and added:
"What o benefit would the American Gov.
ernment, not yet relieved OF its extreme need,
render to itself and to every city, village and
hamlet in the States II 1t would tax whisky and
rum almost to the point OF prohibtionr
Mr.. Blaine, the chief authority of the
Republican party of to-day, agrees with
Senator Edmunds. He said last Decem-
ber:
"other considerations than those of financial
administration are to be taken into account
with regard to whisky. There is q rloral side
to it, To cheaper the price of whisky is to in.
crease Its consumption enormously. There
| would be no sense in urging the reform wrough,
by high license in many States II the National
Government neutralizes the good effects by
making whisky within the reach OF every one
| at twenty cents gallon. Whisky would be
everywhere distilled If the surveillance OF the
Government were withdrawn by the remission
of the tax, and illicit sales could not then be
prevented even by policy as rigorous ant
searching as that with which Russia pursues
Lue NluIlStS. IL WOulu ucStTOy HIBh uCeusc u
| once in all the States. So long as
| there is whisky to tux would tax II.
| The tax on whisky by the Federal Govern
ment, with its suppression OF Illicit distilla
| tion and consequent enhancement OF price
| has been q powerful agent in the temperanUs
! reform by putting it beyond the reach of sc
| many"
These views, so far as they are
modern, were, until recently, Repub
lican views. They were the views o1
a party OF moral ideas; of a party
which, perceiving the terrible conse
quences to the individual and tt
| society of the unrestricted use O.
ardent spirits, would limit the use by
high taxation. This has been the
policy of the Republican party. 1t ha.
asked the support of the friends o.
temperance on the ground that it was
essentially temperance party, because
it favored high tax, in the form OF q
license upon the sale of spirtuou
liquors. But its latest and stronges
declaration reverses its precedents, ant
demands as u remedy for the surplus
the repeal of the taxes upon tobacco
and upon spirits used in the arts ant
for mechanical purposes, and If despite
this, and while checking by highe
| duties the Importation of articles pro
duced in this country.
This is the way that the Overpro
tected manufacturers are expected t.
L