Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-07-21

The Republican platform Of 1888 de-
clares for the complete abolition OF the
internal revenue system rather than "the
surrender of any part Of our protective
system" In other words, it would make
whisky and tobacco free rather than give
up taxes on the necessaries of life. We
have said that this was a backward step
Tor the Republicans and totally opposed
70 past traditions Of the party. How far
different the party stands now from Its
position in 1884 Is evidenced from the
following editorial in our contemporary,
the Neu Era, on November 81, 1854:
who Has Been Benefited.
While q good deal is b ard about the
heavy taxation upon certain articles under
our internal revenue laws, we must not
loee eight OF the fact that many OF these
taxss have been removed, that most Of
those remaining are upon articles OF pure
luxury, and, lastly, that the revenue from
the past fiscal year. Compared with 1888,
tne returns show decrease Of nearly
tWenty.three millions OF dollars for the
present year. OF this sum sixtssn mil .
licns come OIL tobacco in its various forms,
an article ss purely one OF luxury a. any
able reduction to he made on q single srti.
Gle. and one that should have benefited
the consumers not little. But such does
not scem to have been the case. Goods mad q
ont OF this material cost the consumers
about - much as they did before the lat
while the government lost sixteen millions
~ the operation. Reducing the internal
revenue did not aid the poor people, as we
Wero told 1t would, but toe reduction went
elnewhere--to the manufacturers
The same results will be seen whom the
duties on distilled spirits are lowered or
saken on altogether, which Will certainly
p ehe case II the Democrats obtain com.
pleto control OF the government For years
me whisky men have been trying 70 sccom.
pltsh this. They want the dear people 70
nase cheap whisky. 1t would be better II
Why should this supsrfiuous aud nuneces.
ofy luxury be chespened at all Is the
coneemplated removal OF the whifay tax
intended to give men larger drinks .or the
eeme money they now pay, or tho sans
sizeo drink for lees money? lower rate
o. outios on whisky would prove dotrinaen.
eel 70 the revenue, and PROVE OF advantage
ooiy 20 distiilerA The whisky and TO-
0occo taxes are the ones above all Others
that should be left II was wise TO re.
move the duty on stamps and matches,
Oecause the deduction at once went into
people got the benefit OF the reduction.
no third party stepped In to gobble up the
sum The government dropped, a. was the
ceee when the duty on tobacco was lopped
on TO the extent OF sixteen millions OF dol.
lara The Sil5. 0O0. 600 which 1t ia ex pected
VA! 20 collected curing the current year
VII, Tor the most part come from people
VINO drink whisky, beer and smoke to-
becco, articles they can all do without II
tnsy .wish to. Most OF ths internal rev
onus no~ raised is collected from these
tnree articles The question ia, shall the
government get H. or the whisky and to.
Dacco men, just like they got The sixteen
millions last Year,
The NsD Era four years ago believed
" was all wrong for the dear people to
nave cheap whisky and tobacco. Now
40 Republican platform proposes the
ultimate purpose of making both free,
Let the NeW Era come out frankly and
cay either that it was all wrong then or
y IN stupid error now. It cannot escape
one OF the horns of the dilemma.