Wichita eagle., 1888-01-15
THE INTERNAL TAX MUST GO.

The more one thinks of the internal
revenue laws, the more is one convinced
that they should be repealed. They
We're enacted for a special purpose. that
of raising revenue for the prosecution
of the war for the preservation of the
union. The war has been over nearly a
quarter of century. and the govern
ment no longer requires this revenue.
These laws are oppressive in their ma
ture. and for that reason should be re-
pealed. Oppressive not only in that they
extort from the people the large and un-
necessary sum of money as revenue to
the government, but cruelty SO in the
methods of enforcement of penalties i'm
posed for violations of their provisions
Hon. David NJ. Key, ex-postmaster gem
eral. whose residence in East Tennessee
has given him better opportunities for
witnessing the operations and effects
of the revenue laws than almost anyone
in the country, and whose clear percep-
ton and sound Judgment give his views
on any subject great weight, makes
public his observations of the workings
of the laws. Among other things, he
says: 4........---..
The law has begotten a board of pro-
fessional witnesses. who invent cases or
plan devices to make them They go to
some weak, miserable creature. black or
white. and induce him to make sales
that they may inform on him and OBJ
tain the mileage and fees of witnesses.
Commissioners and deputy marshals lie
in wait for cases. for their compensa-
ton depends upon the number of cases.
1t is charged sometimes that sharp and
INSCRIPTIONS officers furnish liquor
which is used by their minions in manu-
featuring cases. l have known OF many
cases in which federal officers have gone
together in the wilder. ruder and re-
moter sections TO work up cases. A rule
of the department of justice required
that collector OF deputy collector
of internal revenue should make the
affidavits upon which warrants We're to
issue. A commissioner must issue the
warrants, and a deputy marshal make
arrests. a deputy collector. a deputy
marshal and Il commissioner. armed
cap-a-pie, go ont together and hunt a
favorable location and settle down for
work. Professional witnesses appear.
the collector swearS out affidavits. upon
which the commissioner swears out war
rants. and the commissioner tries until
that locality is worked up and then they
move to other fields OF operation. The
fees of one commissioner during one
year amounts to a greater SUM than my
salary As Judge. and vet his cases We're
trivial. almost without exception. These
laws are furnishing a living to a large
number of persons who are too lazy to
work. As the tax arising from the sale
of liquor and tobacco is no longer neces-
sary, there exists no good reason why
it should not be abolished.
There is no sort of doubt that like
conditions prevail in many other sec
tons of the country. and the effect upon
the people is to create feeling OF dis
trust, not to say contempt for the fed
eral authority. and many are led to look
upon an officer of the government in
any capacity as an enemy rather than a
friend to the people. The abolition of
the tax on liquors may put new phase
on the prohibition question, in some
respects. but we have confidence enough
in the people TO believe they will prop
eriv take care Of that Down with the
internal reAenue