The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-10-27
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
What President Arthur and His
Secretaries Recommended.

| : t
What President Arthur and His
Secretaries Recommended.
We favor the entire repeal of the internal
revenue laws rather than surrender any part
of our protective system. Republican plat
FORM 1883.
1t seems to me that the time has arrived
when the people may justly demand some re-
lief from their present onerous burden, and
that by due economy in the various branches
of the public service, this may readily be af
forded. l therefore concur with the Secre-
tary (of the Treasury in Recommending the
abolition of all internal revenue taxes, except
those upon tobacco in its Uario,ts forms, and
upon distilled spirits and termented liquors.
President 4rthnr's Ist Annual Message,
December 6, 1883.
| A revision of the tariff seems necessary to
meet the condition of many branches of trade.
That condition has materially changed since
the enactment of the tariff of 1864, which |
formed the basis of the present tariff as to most
of the articles imported. i II tits, then, for
Congress to determine whether there shall be
a reduction of the revenues derived from tax
alton. If it shall, it will be important to
know how it may be effected. A statement
of the receipts from internal revenue shows
them to be S135, 1854, 1851 for the year that
ended June so, 1881, and that was in excess
of the preceding year by ST., 255, 0l1.59;
Oj1.jfe
and ,teymented liquors The tax on those ar
tcles is tao on appetite or indulgences,
legitimate subjects of taxation, when taxation
is needful. A reduction Of that tar is not
recommended. Report Of Chas. J. Folger, |
Secretary Of the Treasury, December, 1881.
The present tariff is in many respects I'M
Just. 1t makes unequal distributions both of
its burdens and its benefits. x y Without |
entering into minute DETAIL which, under
present circumstances, is quite unnecessary, |
| recommend an enlargement of the free |
list so as to include within it the numerous
articles which yield inconsiderable revenue, |
smplifcation of the complex and inconsistent
schedule of duties upon certain manufactures,
particularly those of cotton, iron, and steel,
and substantial reduction Of the duties upon
those articles, and upon sugar, motdSses, silk,
tvool and acoolen goods. President ArthiT's
Second Aanual Message, December 4, 1882.
respectfully refer to my last report for my
views upon this subject PRODUCTION of taxa
tion.) They have not materially changed.
Now, as then, it is recommended to retain a
tar on spirits, tobacco and fermented liquors,
as legitimate subjects of needfnl taxation.
They are, in the main, the means of indm-
1ence, and should come before accessories as
subjects of taxation.-ChaS. J. Fotger, Sec.
of the Treasury December, 1882.
In communication to Congress at its last
session recommended that all excise taxes
be abolished except those relating to distilled |
spirits and that substantial reductions be also |
made in the revenues from customs.-Presi-
dent Arthm'S 3rd IHnuaL Message, Deem
Der 4, 1883. ION March 8, 1888, an act to
reduce the revenues was passed. Taxes were
taken off matches, bank deposits, patent med
icines and some other articles of internal tax
alton, but the average rate Of customs duties
was adranced from about IS per cent. to Al,
and the surplus continued to grow. When
this message was sent in the practical effects
of the law were not visible, and President
Arthur advised that no radical reductions be
made.
In regard to the tax law of March 8, 1888,
Secretary Folger, in his report to Congress,
December, 1888, says: SIN connection here
with, it should be said, that changes in the
modes of business have made undervaluations
more frequent and difficult of prevention"
In the same report he says my last report
said that taxes upon spirits and tobacco,
being upom things not needful, should be re-
tanned rather than those upon the common
accessories of life; which, as a proposition,
is not to be cOntroUeIted. But it was con-
ceeded by all that a substantial reduction
should be made apon nearly all imported ar
ticles subjected to duties
In my annual message of 1882 l recon-
mended the abolition of all excise taxes except
those relating to distilled spirits. This re-
commentator is now renewed. In case these
taxes shall be abolished, the revenues that
will still remain to the government will, in
nv opinion, not only suffice to meet its reas
enable expenditures, but will afford surplus
large enough to permit such tariff reduction
as may seem to be advisable.-PreSident
Arthu's annual Message, December 1, 1851
In 1884 Hon. Hugh McCulloch succeeded
Secretary Folger. Mr. McCulloch, in his
report to Congress, December, 1884, says
that he regrets that the shortness of the time
allowed him for consideration of the matter
of reduction of taxation, he is not prepared
to enumerate the articles upon which duties
should be removed or reduced. He deemed it
proper, however, to recommend as follows:
"That the existing duties upon rdtc mate
rials which are to be used in manufacture
should be remored. That the duties upon the
articles used or consumed by those who are
the least able to bear the burden of taxation
should be reduced This also can be effected
without prejudice to our export trade.
The tax upon whiskey could not be repealed
without disregard of public sentiment, nor
without creating necessity for higher duties
upon imported goods
The Republican tariff bill provides for free
spirits to be used in the arts, thus opening the
way to free tohiskey; higher taxation on ra'c
material; free opium, free joss sticks and free
rice; a heavy cut on raw sugar, but not
corresponding cut on refined sugar, which the
people use; higher taxes on clothing, carpets,
blankets and woolens, and under the pretence
of reducing the surplus the Republicans have
actually proposeda bill increasing taxation,
lust as they did in 1888, when they hurried
through revenue bill without discussion,
which they said would relieve the people, but
which in reality increased the rate of taxa