The Colfax chronicle., 1888-11-10
AN INDEPENDENT VIEW.
George william Curtis ON Repubiicanism
and whisky.

General Garfield stated a sound and
Just rule of taxation, and expressed
the feeling of conscientious and intel
ligent 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 American 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
were Injuries, and some of them in ex-
cessive use pernicious luxuries- This,
he said, was especially true of ardent
spirits, and added:
Should the increase OF duties tend to q de-
crease OF the consumption of these articles,
the effect would be in every respect desirable"
Mr.. Jefferson writes to General Sam
uel Smith in 1928:
II shall be glad, too, II an additional tax OF
cne-fourth of dollar gallon on whisky shall
enable us to meet all our engagements with
punctuality. Viewing that tax as an article In
system OF excise, l was once glad TO see it fall
with the rest Of the system. which / considered
rs premature and unnecessarily introduced.
But the prostratiou OF body and mind which
the cheapness OF this liquor is spreading
Through the mass Of our citizens now calls the
attention OF the legislator on o very different
principle One OF his important duties Is as
guardian OF those who. from causes susceptible
~ r~{-- A-A 49,
selves. Such are infants, maniacs, gamblers,
drunkards- The last as much as the maniac re-
quires restrict We measures TO save him from
the fatal infatuation under which he is destroy
ing his hoalth. his morals his family and his
usefulness 10 society. One powerful obstacle
10 his ruin by self-iadulgence would be price
beyond his com cetence. As sanitary meas
public guardians"
This is a 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
rostmasters in every community, tax upon
liquors OF al sorts. and tobacco in all its FORMS
ind 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 question of morals was involved
in the retention of the tax. and added:
The true principle upon which taxation
10, 1< tn ha
sible rate on articles OF luxury; and what can
be more so than this, an article the pro-
duction Of which it would be great advantage
70 this country IL it could be discouraged in
stead of encouraged, and leave the corn and
the wheat and the rye that go INTO you poison
stead Of turned into liqu and given 10 him as
q drink"
Senator Hawley said in Congress:
sIwill not vote for the entire abolition OF di-
rect taxation, nor can the gentleman find
wiss government or wise head OF finance in
any foreign country that is in favor of taking
all duties from whisky and tobacco. They are
the legitimate pIunder OF the tax collector. the
legitimate plum Ter OF the exchequer, in every
government OF the world. They all get large
part o! taeir revenues from them We should
be immeasurably and insufferably foolish II we
abolished those taxes. am aga nst 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 neccssaries, and
not upon luxuries.'
Mr.. Emerson. in his essay on civili-
xation, says that wise government
puts fines and penalties on pleasant
vices, and added:
What 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 IL it would tax whisky and
sum almost to the point Of prohibition,'
Mr.. Blaine, the chief authority OF the
Republican party of to-day, agrees with
Senator Edmunds. He said last Decem-
Der:
Other considerations than those Of financial
administration are TO be taken into account
with regard to whisky. There is q raoral side
70 II To cheaper the price OF whisky is TO in
crease Its consumption enormously. There
would be nc sense In urging the reform wrought
BY high license in many States IL the Nationa
Government neusralxes the good effects b.
making whisky within the reach OF every one
at twenty cents q gallon Whisky would 6t
ovorywbere distilled II the surveillance OF thu
: .Oovernmcnt were withdrawn BY the remission
Of the tax. and Illicit saleS could not then b
prevented even by policy as rigorous ant
searching a. that with which Russia pursuei
the NlhfIists. II would destroy high license a
onoo in all the States. So long a
there 10 whisky 70 tax would tax it.
The tax on whisky by the Federal Govern
meut. with its suppression Of Illicit distiIIa
ton and consequent enhancement of price
has been powerful agent in the temperance
reform BY putting It beyond the reach of 81
many"
These views. so far as they are
modern, were, until recently, Repub
lican views. They were the views o.
party of moral ideas; OF a party
which, perceiving the terrible conse