Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-06
TAX REDUCTION.
Why the mills Bill Stops where 1t Does.
New York .Star.

of the opinion that the reduction CT taxes, 1
Mr. Mills bill shall become tie Law, will be:
Toe freel 8: ....... ................S2 24tt29l o
Reduced rales on dutiab!e articles. 3 S2i.2si s,
s77.61.1 ISL g.
Blu. yen cav tho nccumu' ated surplus next
July will be slj5 900 o. snu you esl Innate that
the annual surplus thereafter On the basis OF
pr sent rate of taXes, present. expenditures
ann the natural tncssase production, inpor
tati n and consumpt on in the C unuy, will be
in the neghb IruvUd of sl5j, G, 5000
VIII you tell me why, then, thu Mills blu
'tops wi h Teduc ion Of only alb u, o. e-haif
the eurplns? DEMoCRAr.
Wer ply:
IL Wnen ;he annual message of the
PrtFident and report Of the Secretary
were sent to Congress in Deem Der last,
the accumulated surplus in JOY next wss
estimated at only $40. 600 000 and the
annual surplus st only sIlS 900 900 Sab.
stQaent Income and subst quent est mae
made by Mr.. Fsirchlld have enlarged the
sums as stated by our correspondent.
2 When Mr.. Mills committee began
Its work, 1t had to encounter the great
outcry and pressure made By the mo-
nopolies benefited by taxes against
removal OF any public burdens
The Democratic mai )rity In the House is
slender one, and in the Senate there IL
Republican majority. Both house,
must sgree In order to accomplish any
r ductiOn, and 1t seemed certain that the
Republican party would insist thst taxes
remain as they are. In face of these
facts Mr.. Mills committee felt DO nd to
present plsn which would not or should
not be thrown out by the Ssnste.
8. The relation of custom taxes to in
ternal taxes is as 2l7 to lis In inter
nal taxes the relation Of whisky to to-
oacco ls as IS to 80. while beer is repre-
sented By % There was in December
last strong prejudice in the
country against releasing 81 millions
OF taxss levied on whisky and
Deer. Toe President advised that no in
ternal toxes Oe changed, but all deduc-
lions be made from customs taxes. The
Democratic prepJssession in favor Of in
!erpsl tsxts came of several considera-
lions. Ole WAS G Democratic feeling
then that the protectionists preferred to
remove internal taxes In order to pre-
serve intact customs taxes. Another
came out Of Difference to the pr, judice
against removing tsxes from the drink
Traffic, and another came out Of the fierce
opposition Of the Whi-kY Trust and
" hisky Ring to any legislation which
would break down their monopoly ard
open whisky dlstillipg to tree competi- |
ion. 81 true Is IL that all taxes ard |
licenses terd to create a monopoly.
4 Another poWe riul reason controlling |
Mr. Mills commitiee, probably, was that, |
Whatever the majority might thilk Of pro-
lection in is economic Sspecv, as If il |
were Few proisct, it is fact rhat t e
country has lived uader prot ctiOn for g
quarter OF q century, and Industries have
CROWN up uuder it's II fiusnce. r publ
cans seem to believe that pr Jtection has
yielded direct economic gain to all in
ividuals in the country. At any rate,
or good or evil Che Star thinks for eviD,
ne channels Of to-eIgu trade hsve for us
'een extensively impeded sinc. 1861, and
! plan to suddenly snd fully open them
would create alarm and so work Injustice.
That fact had 10 be recognized.
8. The enemies CT sde q Iale surplus re-
iuctlon have persisteDuy denied the
existence in July next OF such
urplas as the President forsshalowed,
Id denied chiefly because they intend to
PREVENT It, il they can, by ,I'r6vsgsnt ex-
or by schemes OF bond buying
IT bond funding. Tnst, perhaps, made
dr. Mth2' committee too timid. Prob
oily, however, the committee has gone as
.r as the Senate will go in customs re-
luctioD, so tina. adequate reduction can
lot be accomplished unless sc 600 mo |
more be taken from, Tobacco aud $50 O00.-
no from whisky, In oder to reacn $685.
no 600.
rne fear OF dshcit alsrms m.ny. but
leedlesslV, for nothing is in this Country
asier to be dealt with. 1t would be
Sholesome condition Of tbipss If esc1
or committee proposing a
lew and large expenditure were com
'elled to also propose new tax to meet
t.
Therefore the Star says cut of now
;l55 600 600, II that can possibly be done,
I not, let the measure If the reduction
10 the utmost that can be Effected in the
PRESENT session of the F ieIh Congress.