The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-05-05
REDUCE The TAXES
Take or the Burdens Of Taxa
ton and Increase Exports.
SPEECH OF HON. R. Q. MILLS,
Delivered in the House Of Representa-
tiyes, April IL.

War Tax Continued in Time of Peace
Result ola Trick Played by Monopoli"'s'
r,.ir Promises Nioiatcd-itbor Cost of
Production Lower In America IMAM III
En.,opd- Complete and Convincing
Facts and Figures
Mr. Chairman: Our late civil war made 1t
necessary that the burdens Of taxation should
he laid heavily in all directions authorized
Inv fine constitution The duties ON imports
were raised from an average on dullanio
rood. of +. ~ per cent IN 1851 10 an average
of .p - ucr cent. duriugdhc five years IRON
apt, lyui inclusive. This was recognized
Mt the time rs an exceptionally heavy bur.
dem II was stated by the distinguished
gentleman who then presented 10 the h'"''
fine bill So largely increasing the duties ti"I
If was demanded 10y the eXlgcncie' Of war
md must ceusc on the return OF peace Ho
said. "Ths is intended rs n war measure a
temporary measure, and we must rs Sucn
give it our support -.
After congress had 50 largely increased tho
duties on imports, and thus bestowed i'o'o
liberal and generous bountieS on our manu-
facturcrs. Il light internal revenue taN WIZ
imposcd on the products of domestic hi"iiu
facture 20 help the government meet inc
bea,-y demands Of war. The interiaI u'N
WINS but n 1.-THE of the heavy burden lii'Po''d
ON the people by the increased duties Oh i"'-
oion Goods II brought 10 the treasury III
1894 soy 600 OOO-a sum which was less IMAM
Ln.r cent. upon the value Of the manuiac-
tured uroduct of that year IL was thouSht
not TO be unreasonable to require TINS small
contribution from those whose bounty con
ores, had increased from Is TO 10 per cent IN
the price of their products.
THE WEALTH. EXEMPTED.
Rut. Mr.. Chairman, that TAX Is gone IL
could not be retained. 1t was TAX on
,y.pIth As soon aS the war WAS ended the
cnnplaint WAS made that thI- tax was a war
tax. and il was repealed. Congress, imposed
Il tax on incomes, too, to help the government
to meet the expenditures Of war IL hrouShJ
Ia the treasury in 1866 St2,OnOOO Inc
official reports showed that i6J,lO persons
out Of the whole population had incomes
above the exemption, and they had So, Vo"'
900 of net annual income, while the balance
of the people had nothing beyond what was
required for annual support \ at scarcely
had the war ended until this tax was declared
10 be- exceedingly Odl"uS, ln4niNitorhl ana
oppressive. and cOngrcs, was asked To repeal
IT, and II is gone.
beside, these there were faYn1 on tho ra-
crbt, Of railroad companies, taxes on insur-
unre companies, taxes on express companies,
taxes on bank capital, bank deposits and
bank checks, but they are gone. Congress
q, tbn demands of wealthy
CORPORATIONS aud individuals, and took all
the burden from them, hut the war taxes on
clothing. like the poor, we have always with
US Other taxes were given NJ whoa our M
tercst debt of more than 81. OOO, 900, 900 was
staring Us in the face and demanding from
the government more than $40, 100000 an
nualy to meet IFS interest.
with these facts before their eyes they
made haste to roll all the burdens of taxation
oil the shoulders of the wealthy and lay them
upon the shoulders of those who could only
pay as they procured the means by their
daily toll Could not that Sl2IOooWO con
tributcd by the manufacturers from the rich
bounties which the government had given
hive been retained until the war debt was
paIdl Could not the $i2 ,OOO,OO from in
comes have been held for few years longer
Could not the tax on the receipts of the
wealthy corporations have been continued
for one dCcadc'
Was the tax of > per cent. on "A wool hat
pad by the manufacturer more oppressive
than the tax of u per cant. on both paid 10y
the consumer Was the tax of per cent on
womcn'S and childrcns clothing paid by the
manufacturer more oppressive than the tax
of S3 per cent. on both foreign and domestic
goods of the snmc kind paid by the consumer
Was "A tax Of ; per cent. ON railroad compa
MES, banking companies, insurance colnpa
MES. express and telegraph companies, more
oppressive than an ~ per cent. tax on
wooden shawls. Was II per cent tax on
incomes more oppressive than an so per cent
tax on wooden shirtt
The party then in power certainly thought
SO, for the taxes ON wealth are gone hut tn,
war TAX on clothing, on food, on the nipple
mcnts of labor still remain with us, and Tho
war against our prosperity, our labor IN,
our commerce is still being vigorously prose
cuted-a war that is cxhauSting in its de
structive invasionS on labor, whether it i
emploved in agriculture, manufactures, com
merce or mining
The gentlemen who represent the minorit,
OF the tblllillllce Oh ways uilb llll'illH lhHA
that they have reduced taxation $3.50, 0OO
They point with pride to the splendid column
which they have erected, but that column
has no stone in it TO tell of their devotion &
the masses who live 10y daily toll. In lSS
they finished this magnificent shaft, whic
they have been for years erecting, am
crowned il with the last stone by rcpcaln
the internal tax on playing cards and put
ting 20 per cent. tax on the Bible,
HOW THE TAX FALLS on THE POOR.
This is one of tho vicious results of the wa
tariff. The taxes, both for public and pr
waite purposes, are paid by labor. They M
assessed on labor. Now, let us see how
benefits labor, as it is claimed to do. SUI
pose IA laborer who is earning 81 day h
his work finds suit of wooden clothes thu
he can buy for $40 without the tariff Ia,
then the suit of clothes can be procured f.
ten days work; but the manufacturer com,
TO congress and says: 81 must be protecte
against the man buying this cheap suit
clothes, and congress protects him by pu
ting a duty Of 100 per cent, or $40 NOR
Now it will require tho laborer to woI
twenty days 10 get his suit of clothes No
tell me if ten days Of his labor have not be,
annihilatedi Has he not been required
work twice as long under the tariff as
IA Iaua without Ia al tat Liu gI