Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-10

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ment, seems to he perfectly plain. The
continuance, upon the pretext of meet
ing public expenditures, of such scale
of tariff taxation as draws from the sub
stance of the people a sum largely in ex
cess of public needs, is surely something
which government, based upon justice
and which founds its strength and use
fulness on the faith and trust Of the peo.
pie, ought not to be tolerated. While
heavy burdens incident to the necessities
of the government are complainingly
borne, light burdens are grievous and intol'
erable when not justified by such neces-
stiles. Unnecessary taxation is unjust
taxation, and yet this is our condition.
We are annually collecting at our custom
houses, and by means of our internal
revenue taxation, many millions in ex-
cess of all the legitimate public needs.
As a consequence, there now remains in
the National Treasury surplus of more
than $3.50, 100000. No better evidence
could be furnished than that the people
are exorbitantly taxed. The extent of
this superhuous burden, as indicated by
this surplus, will be better ap.
preciated when it is suggested that such
surplus alone represents a taxa
eioA nseiCsdGluS AuOiO SAnh FIoo,VVO
in a county containing fifty thou
ways been the feature of organized
Government and hardest to. reconcile
with the peoples ideas of freedom and
happiness. When presented indirectly,
nothing will arouse popular discomfort
more quickly and profoundly than unjust
and unnecessary taxation. Our farmers,
merchants, laborers and all our citizens
closely scan the slightest increase in
taxes upon their land and other property
and demand good reason for such in
crease, and yet they seem to be expected
in some quarters to regard the upneces-
sary volume of insiduous and indirect
taxation, visited upon them by our
present rate of tariff duties, with indiffer-
ence if not with favor.
THE EVILS OF THE SURPLUS.
The surplus revenue now remaining in
the Treasury, not only furnishes con-
elusive evidence of unjust taxation, but
its existence constitutes a separate and
independent menace to the prosperity of
the people. This vast accumulation of
idle finds represents so much money
drawn from the circulating medium of
the country, which is needed in the chan
nels of trade and business. 1t is great
mistake to suppose that the consequences
which follow the continual withdrawal
and boarding by the Government of the
currency of the people, are not of i'm
mediate importance to the mass of
our citizens, and only concern those
engaged in large financial transactions.
In the restless enterprises and activity
which free and ready money among the
people produce, is found that opportunity
for labor and employment, and that i'm
petus to business and production, which
bring in their train prosperity to our citi
zens in every station and vocation. New
ventures, new investments in business
and manufacture, the construction of new
and important works, and the enlarge
ment of enterprises already established,
depend largely upon obtaining money
upon easy terms with fair security. All
these things are stimulated by an abun.
dant volume of the circulating medium
even the grain of the farmer remains
without market unless money is forth
coming for its movement and transporta-
ton to the seaboard.
The first result of a scarcity of money
among the people is the exaction OF
severe terms for it's use, and this increas-
ing distrust and timidity is followed by
the refusal to loan or advance on any
terms. Investors refuse all risks and de-
cline all securities, and in the general
fright the money still in the hands of the
people is persistently boarded. 1t is
quite apparent that when this perfectly
natural, if not inevitable, stage is
reached, the depression in all business
and enterprise will, as a necessary con-
lessen the opportunity for
work and employment, and reduce the
salaries and wages of labor. Instead,
then, of being exempt from the infu.
ence and effect OF an immense surplus
lying idle in the National Treasury, our
wage earners and others, who rely upon
their labor for support, are mostly all
directly concerned in the situation.
Others seeing the approach of danger
may provide against it, but it will find
those depending upon their daily toll for
bread, unprepared, helpless and defend
less. Such a state of affairs does not
present case of idleness resulting from
disputes between the laboring man and
his employer, but it produces the abso-
lutte and enforced stoppage Of employ
ment and wages.
AN CONDITION OF EX IRENE DANGER.
In reviewing the bad effects of this
accumulated surplus and the scale of
tariff rates by which it is produced, we
must not overlook the tendency toward
gross and scandalous public extrava-
gances which a congested treasury in
duces; nor the fact that we are main
tanning without excuse, in a time of pro-
found peace, substantially the rate of
tariff duties imposed in the time of war,
when the necessities of the Government
justified the imposition of the weightiest
bui dens upon the people. Divers plans
have been suggested for the re-
turn of this accumulated surplus
to the people and the channels
of trade. Some of these devices
are at variance with all rules of good
finance, some are delusive, some absurd
and some betray by their reckless ex-
travagance the demoralizing influence of
the great surplus of public money upon
the Judgment of individuals. While
such efforts should be made as are con-
sistent with public duty and sanctioned
by sound judgment, to avoid danger, by
a useful disposition of the surplus now
remaining in the Treasury, it is evident
that if its distribution were accom-
plished, accumulation would soon
take it's place if the con-
slant flow of redundant in
come was not checked at it's source by
reform in our present tariff laws. We do
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