The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-02-09
REPUBLICAN RASCALITY.
Mr.. KENNA'S EXPOSURE OF
SEERaIAN's DUPLfCITY.

Were In, Republican Leaders
Thought the Internal Revenue All
Right.
The honorable Senator assai1s the
President because, speaking of spirits,
tobacco, and beer, the President says
that 'there appears to be no just COM
plant of these taxes by the consum-
ers of these articles, and that there
saems to be nothing so we'll able to
bear the burden without hardships to
any portion of the people" The Sem
ator then proceeds to say that
''It may be that there is no COM
plant by the consumers. But can
he say that of the producers of these
articles? They are all either the pro-
duet of the farm or immediate fruits
of the product of the farm. Their
chief cost is in the leaf tobacco, or the
corn, rye, wheat, and barely of the
farm, Do not farmers complain of
this tax? If the President thinks
they do not he is greatly mistaken.
The traditions and policy
Of our people are against internal rev.
enue taxes During and since the
war they were a necessity. Now, if
continued, they should be reduced /;
especially the tax on tobacco, no
longer necessary, should be remitted." )"
When, may l be permitted to ask,
did the honorable Senator undergo a
change of heart on this important sub
ject? In 1867 he declared
1.-The luxuries are mostly contained
in the items spirits, wines and tobac-
co. These are undoubtedly the first
objects that should be taxed"
In 1870 he declared:
"And these two taxes on spirits and
tobacco, together with the tax on fer
mented liquors, over $6,000,000, are
paid without complaint in every part
of the United States
Mr.. Sherman | think so now. 1t
IS not the consumers that complain,
but the manufacturers, the farmers
complain.
Mr.. Kenna: l beg pardon, but l
prefer not to be interrupted:
Mr.. Sherman: l beg pardon. 1
will not interrupt the Senator, if he
does not wish to yield; but he seemed
to appeal to me personally, and I felt
bound to say what [ have said.
Mr.. Kenna: [ am frank to say
that my whole appeal is to the Sena-
tor personally, every word of it, as he
will see as | proceed.
In 1882 til e honorable Senator said:
"These taxes ought to be left as a
part of our permanent system of tax
alton as long as any other taxes, in
ternal or external, more Oppressive, re-
main on the statute books.
And | ask the honorable Senator,
when he comes to answer that ques
ton, whether he says that nowf
Mr. Sherman. Do you want my an
swer ?
Mr. Kenna. I will yield to the Sen
ator to answer the question, but not to
make a speech.
Mr.. Sherman [ do say that as
long as any system of internal taxa
tion about which | was speaking-
Mr.. Kenna. All! All!
Mr.. Sherman. say that as long
as that remains, 1 believe this tax
ought to remain; but the tax on the
internal-revenue list that [ propose to
repeal, and the only one | propose to
repeal, is the tax on tobacco, which is
an article produced by the farmer, raj
sed on the farm, four-fifths the cost OF
which is in the raw material. That is
the only internal revenue tax [ pro-
pose to repeal. | do not propose to
repeal the others.
Mr.. Kenna. Now, [ think we all
und 9rstand the Senator from Ohio. !
shall answer him by reading what
have just read from him, and then in
order that the Senate and the country
may precisely understand what the
Senator's views really are on this
question, shall proceed to read fur
ther from what he has said at various
| times:
''These taxes ought to be left as 8
| part of our permanent system of tax
| alton as long as any other taxes, inter
nal or EXTERNAL more Oppressive re-
main on the statute-books."
And again, in 1882, the honorable
Senator, growing eloquent on this sub
ject, declared in the Senate and [ di
rect attention especially to it:
Il do not hesitate to say that there
is general desire among all classes
of our people, without regard to party
that the remnants of the internal sys
tenn shall be swept away, except on to
bacco, whiskey and beer. = Thi
tobacco tax of all others"
/ Now, in connection with the Sena
| tors remarks, made only three min
utes ago, I want his attention to thil
declaration of his:
"This tobacco tax of all Others is th'
easiest collected, the most certain, In
creasing constantly from year to yeal
dependent upon an appetite that viii
be indufged 40 matter what may b,
the tax a tax that has been NOR,
stable than any other. No amour
-of tax likely to be put on tobacco viii
prevent its being chewed and snutfet
aud smoked. In all other countrie
where taxation prevails this is favor
ite subject OF taxation. | sa,
the tax on tobacco does not diminisl
the price to the farmer who raises it
And / say that we are throw
ing off tax, which, by the judgemen
of all nations, is the best source 0
taxation. :
What, ! may again ask. la
brought about this change of hear
s.nd Of conviction on the part of tn