Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-18
House

The resolution requesting the Postmaster
General to inform the House what instruct
ions have been given with regard to rates of
postage on seeds plants, bulbs, and printed
circulars and VIII ther existing laws or
treaties give any advantage to Canadian cltl-
zens over citizens of the United States en-
gagged in similar business was adopted. At
| 10 Z. NJ. the House went into committee
of the whole for the consideration of the
tariff bill No opposition was made to MIR.
Mlls motion to this effect. Mr.. Mills began
his speech by saying that the great increase
of duties made during the war had been az
the time they were made stated to be only
temporary. Yet quarter of a century later
these duties were higher than they were
during the war, and they now averaged 47.l0
per cent. on imports. The income tax was
gone, but the war tax on clothing, on food,
on implements of labor remained, and the
war was still being prosecuted against the
people, a fiscal war exhaustlng III It's de-
mands. and every effort to remove, or lower
that taxation had been resisted and defeated.
Mr. Mills made long speech and closed
amid loud applause at 81 o'clock. Kelley
of Pennsylvania, took the floor to reply
The following is the Associated Press alb
stract of Mr.. Mill's speech There were
three kinds of taxes levied during the war,
to meet the enormous expense entalled, the
custom tax the internal revenue tax and the
direct taxes From 1862 to 1866 the duties
on imports were raised from Is. .S4 per cent.
to 10 % per cent. The gentleman who ill.,
troduced that measure said 1t was to he a
temporary war measure. Twenty years and
more have elapsed A generation has passed
but this tax still remains, beaver than ever.
The average rate, last year was 4HlO per
cent. OF the direct taxes which Congress
imposed, there was slight tax on domestic
manufactures. This in 1866 brought twenty
seven millions into the treasury. 1t amount
ed to atout three per cent of the manufact-
ured product of the country. Offsettng this,
the tariff had increased manufactures by a
bounty of twenty-five per cent. This direct
tax was tax on wealth. and it was gone
In 1866 there were 460, 10 people in the
United States who had an income aggrega;-
ing S7O7 900 900. Congress imposed an in
come tax on this, which, in 1866, yielded
twenty two millions. This was also tax on
wealth and it was gone. 1t was thought just
bv those in charge of the government to take
OF the taxes on the rich and place them on
the poor. The war tax on the clothing, food
and employment of labor still remains.
Every effort to bring this war tax down to a
peace footing has been resisted and defeated.
t There was a tax on railroads This was also
tax on wealth. There were also taxes on
express companies, insurance companies,
bank capital. bank deposits. all taxes on
wealth and all are gone. The entire burden
has been loaded upon those who had To sup
/ mort both themselves and the Government.
! Three hundred millions which we're paid by
the wealth of the country were swept away.
! This was the splendid column the minority
! had erected TO commemorate its legislative
wisdom and capped it in 1888, by aboiishlng
the tax on PLAYING cards. and by putting a
tax of 20 per cent. on Bibles. The demo-
Gratis have been trying to reduce the taxes ON
! the necessaries of life. The republicans In
every case have prevented it,and then charged
the democrats with failure. Twice
they mustered their whole strength
to strike out the enacting clauses of the tar
iff reduction bills and twice they refused
to consider such bills at all Mr.. Mills then
showed by illustrations how the tariff taxes
had increased the price of goods, taxed and
reduced the purchasing power of the laborer's
earnings and thereby transferring portion
of his earnings to the pockets of the manu-.
facturers Also how the tariff had destroy d
the value of exports, carrying surplus OF
nroluction to be thrownOn the home market
and producing an over production. fall II
prices, stagnation and distress. Continuing
he said. the charge that tariff
reduction would cause a reduction OF
wages is false. We would import things
which we could not produce and which coulc
be produced cheaper in other countries thar
at home. The manufacturers would go or
with increased rapidity and the people woult
receive higher wages. We could produce 81
ner cent of all the manufactures consumed