The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-11

an utter perversion of its powers. ex-
torts from their labor and capital a
tribute largely in excess of public neces-
sites. the creature has rebslled against
the creator and masters are robbed by
their servants. The cost Of the govern
ment must continue to be
MET BY TARIFF DUTIES
Collected at our custom houses upon
imported goods and by an internal rev.
enue tax assessed upon spurious and
alt liquors, tobacco and oleomargarine.
l suppose it is needless to explain that
all these duties and assessments are
added to the price of articles upon which
they re levied and thus b. coma a tax
upon all those who buy these articles
for use and consumption. | suppose it
Is we'll understood that the effect of
this tariff taxation is not limited to con-
sumers OF imported articles, but that
the duties imposed on such articles per-
nit Of a corresponding increase in
price to be made upon domestic
productions of the same kind.
which increase is paid by all
our people as consumers of
such productions and entering every
American home, constitutes a form of
taxation as certain and inevitable as
though the amount was finally paid
into the hands of the tax gatherer.
These results are inseperable from the
plan we have adopted for the collection
of revenue by tariff duties. They are
not mentioned to discredit the system,
but as a preface to the statement that
every million dollars collected at our
custom houses for duties on imported
articles and paid into the7public Treas
ury, represent many millions more.
which, though never reaching the Ma
tiOnal Treasury, are paid by our citi-
Zens as the increased cost of domestic
productions, resulting from our tariff
laws.
In these circumstances. and in view
OF this necessary effect of the operation
of our plan for raising revenue, the alb
solute duty of limiting the rate of tariff
charges to the necessities of frugal
and an economical administration of
the government, seems to be perfectly
plain. The continuance upon the pre-
text of meeting public expenditures of
such scale of tariff taxation as draws
from the substance of the people sum
largely in excess of our public needs, is
surely something which, under gov
eminent based upon justice and which
finds it's strength and usefulness in the
faith and trust of the people, ought not
to be tolerated, while the heaviest bur
den incident TO the necessities of
the government are uncomplainingly
borne, light burdens become grIevous
and intOlerable when not justified by
such necessities.
UNNECESSARY TAXATION Is UNJUsT TAXA
TIoN,
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 consequence, there now remains
in the National Treasury a surplus of
more than $4,000 600. No better evil
dence could be furnished than
that that the people are exorbitautly
taxed. The extent of the super
hous burden indicated by this
surplus will be better appreciated
when it is suggested that such surplus
alone represents a taxation aggregating
more than $3.50 0G0 in county, con-
tanning so 900 inhabitants. Taxation
has always been feature of organized
government hardest to reconcile with
the peoT les ideas of freedom and
happiness. When presented directly,
nothing will arouse popular discomfort
more quickly and profoundly than I'M
just and unnecessary taxation. Our
farmers, mechanics and laborers and
all cur citizens closely scan the slightest
Increase in taxes assessed upon their
lands and other property and demand
good reasons for such increase and yet
there seems to be expected, in some
quarters, disregard of the unnecessary
volume Of insidious and indirect taxa
ton visited upon them by our present
rate of tariff duties, with Indifference, if
not with favor.
The plus revenue now remaining
in the Treasury not only furnishes con :
elusive evidence of unjust taxation, but
its existence constitutes separate and
independent menace to the prosperity
OF the people. This vast accumulation
of idle funds represents that much
DRAWN FROM THE CIRCULATING MEDIUM
of the country which is needed in the
channels of trade and business. 1t is
a great mistake to suppose that the con-
sequences which follow the continual
withdrawal and boarding by the Gov
eminent of the currency of the people
are not of immediate importance to the
mass of our citizens and only concern
those engaged in large financial tran :
sactions.
In the restless enterprises and &C
tiYity which free and ready money
among the people produce,is found that
opportunity, that Lao and employ.
ment and that impetus to business and
production which bring in their train
prosperity 10 our citizens in every
station and vocation. New ventures,
new investments in business and man
ufacture, the construction of new and
important works and the enlargement
of enterprises already established, de-
pend largely upon obtaining money on
easy terms with fair security. All these
things are slim ulated by an abundant
voluae of circulating medium. Even
the grain of the farmer remains with
out q market unless money is forth
coming for its movement and trans
portation to the seaboard. The first
result of scarcity amoSg the people i
t le eXa0tiou or severe terms for
ito use Tnpreasino niStrust ann