Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-29
Tax and Tariff Reduction.

Tax and Tariff Reduction.
During the war, tariff and internal
taxation reached the highest pitch
through the operations of the revenue
acts of June 30, 1854. One of these
provided for an internal revenue tax
on nearly everything, and another
made provision for the taxation of
imports of almost every character.
1t was distinctly stated then that the
passage Of the tariff act was necessa-
ry to counterbalance the high inter-
nal taxation--to put domestic produc-
ers in the same situation as regards
foreign competition, as if the internal
taxes had not been raised. 1t was a
compensating measure and was both
excused and urged as such.
AS result of the operations of
these laws there was raised during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1865,
5000, 100000 of internal and S5,000,-
900 of customs revenue. The sue
ceeding year the internal revenue was
S309,000,000; the customs revenue
$179,000,000. Since that time the
internal war taxation has been to
large extent wiped out, and when not
obliterated has been reduced, until
now spirits, beer and tobacco consti-
tute almost the only source of intern
al revenue. But there has been no
corresponding reduction in the rate of
duties on imports. There was re-.
duction in internal taxes at every
term of Congress from 1865 to 1873
inclusive, but the war tariff, in its es-
sential features, was maintained.
1t is unnecessary to give in detail
the reductions made in internal reye-
nue. taxes during the eight years.
The mere statement that during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1878, only
S1l3, 100000 was raised by internal
revenue, nearly $2OO,OOO,OOO less
than during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1865, sufficiently shows how
sweeping the reductions we're. One
of the grievances which the people
have against the Republican party is
that the repeal and reduction Of the
internal war taxes we're not accom-
panied by the promised reduction of
war tariff taxation.
The war tariff act of 1864 remain
ed untouched until 1867, when there
was an increase in the duty on wool
and woolens. In 1870 an act to re-
duce tariff taxation was passed. The
reductions were made on almost pure
ly revenue articles. The duty on pig
iron was reduced from SO to 81 per
ton, but the internal tax of SO per ton
had been taken off four years before.
A considerable increase of duties were
made on number of protected ar
ticles.
In 1872, besides repeating the du-
ties on tea and coffee, Republican
Congress passed bill making hori-
zontal reduction of ten per cent. in
duties but Congress restored the old
rate of duties in 1875. While the
revenue, for a variety of causes, fell
off from 1873 to 1876, there was no
reduction in taxation by Congress,
,ut, on the contrary, there was an in
crease.
The Democrats gained control of ,
House of Representatives at the cleo ,
ion in 1874. The House of Repre- ,
then chosen did not assem-
,le until December, 1875. Since then Q
With the exception Of two years from
1878, the Democrats have contin-
lously had control of the House. $
hough for most of the time the Re-
'ublicans had majority in the Sen
tie, as they have to-day. AT nearly
very term the Democrats in the
louise have made persistent efforts to E
ecure reduction Of the war tariff Q
axation. These have been thwarted L
y the almost solid vote of Republi- Z
an Representatives, regardless of the o
fishes of their constituents, aided by o
few protection Democrats. Meth q
DIS of reduction which the Republi-
ans accepted without a murmur
hen proposed under Republican au- a
pices, we're denounced as vicious n
hen urged by Democrats. The Re-