Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-10

HIS scat Wulic EthuluR us ItUlafkh on
account Of ms suffering from an attack
Of sciatica. He said The Constitution
of the United clothes Congress with full
power to collect the revenues of this
Government 10y duties on imports or
imposts on imports, by the excise laws
called internal-revonue laws and by
direct tax, and Congress has used all
three methods. There is no constitu-
tional question involved, but it is purely
matter of policy or interest with
regard to the local State interest and
welfare of the whole people. The
first internal-revenuc act was passed
in 1892, and subsequent revehIie
acts were passed in 1913 and 1861, all
during wax periods and intended to sup
plement ordinary revenues by tariff and
meet the demand for extraordinary re-
sources called for by war In both Of
the earlier cases Immediately upon the
cessation of the war these revenue laws
were repealed. President Jefferson, in
his first annual message, recommended
the abolition Of the internal revenue sys-
ten and discussed the principles
involved with masterful ability.
This father of Democracy urged
the repeal because there was no
emergency 10 justify a continuance
Of the internal taxes nor to warrant the
taxation of industries to accumulate
treasure. Congress promptly repealed
these laws and did away with an army of
unnecessary officers. Jefferson comment
ing upon the system said that there had
already begun that process OF domlcillary
vcXation which, once entered, Is
scarcely to be restrained from reach
ing successfully every article of produce
and profit. The internal war revenue
measure of 1913 during the presidency
of Madison WIS repealed three years
after peace and before the war debt was
paid or soldiers pensions were paid,
and until the civil war of 1S61-over
forty years--all parties united in resting
upon the tariff for raising revenue TO
support the Government The internal
revenue system Of 1861 was likewise
war measure and adopted to raise money
in a great strait; but, unlike the first
two examples, the system has been con
tinued beyond the emergency, and isnow
IN existence twenty-thrce years after the
war has closed We are still collecting IN
round numbers sir, 0G0,0 900 year I'M
dei the internal-reyenue system, and at
q time when there Is a heavy surplus OF
revenue in the Treasury. The effort OF
statesmen is to get rid OF the surplus
and not 10 decrease the revenue de-
claring the internal-revenue system to be
on outrageous system of espionage, IN
Justice, and wrong; that it ought to
have been abolished long ago and with
Il surplus in the Treasury almost the
equivalent of the amount collected I'M
der the revenue system, which is not
needed and which should not be con
tinued
Senator Brown thus concludes: Let
rs therefore return to the practice OF
the great men who formed this Govern
mcutaDd of the great men who admin
istered ii for many years, who as soon as
the emergency had passed which called
for the enactment of such laws swept
them from the statute-book. Let us
without delay get rid of internal taxa
ton bv the Federal Government, all its
espionage. its trivial prosecutions, It's
expressions, its outrages, and ITS wrongs
A return to the old familiar practice Of
the fathers of the better days OF the re-
public viii at once relieve us of the sur
Plus in the Treasury, and relieve Con-
eress aud the Administration of all fur
tner embarrassments on that question.
At the conclusion of MIR. Browns re-
marks, at 2:lj. he moved that the reso-
luton be referred to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr.. Beck objected to that reference
ON tine ground that that committee had
no jurisdiction over the subject, as the
House Of Representatives alone could
initiate n bill for n reduction OF taxes.
He wished to have the resolution laid on
the table, SO some senators could be
lcard on the opposite side. The Senate
had lust listened to a defence of the
Georgia moonshiners and to an attack on
the Government and its officers. He
wished a chance to reply to 1t.
The resolution was laid on the table,
and the Blair education bill was then
taken up as unfinished business.
Mr. Vest opposed the bill upon consti-
tutional grounds Ifhe were called upon,
ne said. to frame a title for it, he would
call it ian act to erect a monument to
the memory Of Alexander Hamilton, and
TO encourage mcndicancy in the southern
States.
When Mr.. Vest concluded Mr.. Viii
son, Of Maryland, obtained the floor,
aud the Senate took up and passed the
bill Apr priating 2l,0OO,oOO for Go
vernment building at Milwaukee.
After an executive session OF half an
hour the Senate adjourned.
House Of Representatives.