New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-10
removed Mr. Lebarnes and appointed IN his place
John " Wright, OF Tennessee, who has been here:
tofore chief OF the Mineral Division Of the Land
FOR FREE WHISKEY AND TOBACCO.
SENATOR BROWN APPEALS FOR THE ABOLITION OF
INTERNAL TAXES

WASHINGTON, Jan (SpecidD. The unusual
spectace-not seen since the days OF o. p. Morton,
Of Indana-of q Senator seated In his chair adj
dressing the Senate was presented to-day, when
Senator Brown Of Georgia, spoke to his resolution
introduced the other day declaring that the
practice of the Government for the first three
quarters of n century OF its existence was eorrect
in collecting the necessary revenues at the ports
or Othr boundaries Of the territory by tarin, ex-
cept in cases of war or other great emergency,
when internal revenue laws or laws imposing
direct taxes were passed, which were repealed as
soon the emergency ceased to exist, ana re-
solving that the present Internal Revenue laws,
which were enacted rs war measures in time OF a
great emergency which are onerous, oppressive
and undemocratic. have existed for almost quar-
ter Of a century after the emergency has passed,
and that there being very large surplus in the
Treasury. which it is the duty of the Government
to provide against by reduction OF the revenues,
il Is the imperative duty of Congress to enact
appropriate LEGISLATION for the repeal Of such In
Senator's eloquence The galleries were deserted,
and he was surrounded by empty chairs. =, For
over an hour he read his speech from pile OF
him. The presiding officer with difficulty pre-
vented his doing of. The pages amused them
selves by stalking some drOwsy winter HES and
old Doorkeeper Bassctt had moro frequently than
ever recourse to his snuff-b to keep awake. The
only polite people in the chamber apparently were
two Chinese Secretaries in gorgeous old gold bro
they had left their umbrellas at home, and out Of
doors q terrible snowstorm prevailed which made
them appreciate the shelter the Senate affords,
even when /" the Senator from Alaska holds the
floor Mr. Brown asked for the privilege of de-
liyering his speech seated because OF sciatlc
pain" in his limbs" rs he modestly expressed it.
The Senator gave illustrations of the hardsbips
worked by the revenue laHs III Georgia and sta
tistics of seizures and arrests and argued that the
facts given demonstrate an outrageously Ornres-
sivc and iniauitous system that should never be
followed by republican government except when
necessary, under war or other great caamlties
and never to raise surplus money in the Treasury
The whiskey Taxpayer does not desire TO have the
tax abolished. The whskey dstillcrs get an
enormous profit out of it which they do not wish
to be deprived Of. and they enjoy monopoly. as
they do not wish TO give up. There is no monopoly
on the American continent comparable to that OF
the great whislley ring. II is said the Internal
Revenue repeal will turn whskey and tobacco
loose without taxation; that neither are necessi-
ties but both are luxuries, and it Is better 10
lower the tariff and give the poor free tracechains
and free wool hats. which are cheaper than they
ever Were before, than to give them free tobacco
sty. and even if luxury the poor will have it.
And the money for tobacco Is taken from the
family's support Every dollar of tax, there
fore ON tobacco that is taken of, gives poor man
so much more TO support his family, and Will
probably be greater relief than any other that
legislation could furnish which does not reduce
tax TO a greater amount. The same rule applies
substantially to whislIey. II may he denied that
il is necessary and yet few families do not use It,
and they will continue to use II at any price
When we put ninety cents tax on what costs
twenty cents gallon put q tax of 300 per cent
on what the laborng man will have. And n Re-
lief i'll this matter will help the poor IL Is as
serted that the repeal of the tax will turn every
body loose to make whislley, bring the prices
down and cause more drinking This the Senator
held to be mistake.