Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-08-17
THE GENERAL TAX ISSUE SIM
PLY STATED.

Inc ellect OF taxation upon indus
try is u subject worthy of the thought
full consideration of every American
citizen. II is commonly considered
dry topic, because people do not
usually stop to consider the effect of
general laws upon their individual
welfare But it is one OF the happy
features of the republican folm OF
government through impartial suf.
frase that there come periods when
the interests OF all citizens arc SO af
focted by tho course of the govern.
meat that the people arc eager to
study the laws and find out how
they can bc improved or the execu.
ton OF thcm made more perfect and
beneficial to the community.
we are now Mt such n time in the
history OF this country. Oar inter
csts and commerce arc largely con
trollcd by body of legislation
framed during tho exigoncics OF a
great war to meet unprecedented
emergencies. H. was necessary to
strain the resources of the whole
land in order to protect the country.
and every ono was willing to mako
the sacrifice OF yielding 10 tho Gov
ornmcnt n portion Of what was earn
ell III order to preserve the constitu
tional fabric under which the oppor
tunity for earning had been secured.
SO, money was yielded mp rs freely
MS were the much more precious at
tributes Of health and lie, and tho
patriotism of the taxpayers rivaled
tho patriotism Of the soldiers.
But just as the soldier enlisted
"for three yenrs for the war" with no
intention if spared through the con
Illicit, OF remaining II lifetime III mill.
tary service, SO did tho taxpayer con
sent That onerous burdens should BE-
imposed upon him just so long us The
necessity of conducting The great
struggle and paying the necessary
expenses OF it should endure and no
longer. The taxes then enacted were
emphatically "war taxes" They had
nc other reason or excuse than the
stress of war, and it did not enter
into tho mind of any man to claim
that they should be The rule aud
guide Of American life and American
business for long years after the war
has closed and it's burdens had ceas
ed to vcx our people.
Almost generation has passed
away since the war ended. The OBJ
legations the country assumed have
been faithfully met, the causes of the
STRIFE have been removed, its bitter
ness forgotten, aud with the cxcep.
ton OF the debt and its interest fall
ing due ut regular Intervals, and the
Obligations to the conntry's pension
ers, there is nothing left TO us of the
necessities or obligations or feelings
OF lie war times. But The war taxes
have gone on, and with the growth
CT the country receipts have increas-
ed. Those levied directly upon our
productions have, it is true, been re.
pealed, with the exception OF the
taxes on such luxuries as spirits and
tobacco, and to these there was. in
1886, wisely added the protective in
ternal tax upon imitation butter, de.
signed to guard against fraudulent
competition the rights and property
OF 100000 of American farmers
and their honest customers and the
whole body of food consumers
throughout the country.
With the exception, therefore, O.
these Injuries, which can best afford
to yield revenue to the county, thu
internal revenue war taxes have beer
repealed. But such is not the cas-,
with those customs duties whicl
we're made very heavy with the pur
pose: First, of yielding revenue sc
riously needed at the time of thei
enactment, and second, of counter
balancing internal taxation upo-
manufactures and business, SO tha
tho foreigner and the buyer of fo,
eign goods might have no advantag
over our own producers and thei
customers. When the internal take
uponmany manufactures. upon al
commercial transactions and upon al
net earnings of the people were re