The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-20

[ Importation OF any OF the articles when
we manufacture at home, but II will lower
the price Of these articles to the consumer.
IL Will increase the importation OF certain
Kinds OF raw materials or partially manu-.
iactured articles as cannot be produced
here.
The committee saws: 1--WE therefore can
not consent 10 the barriers which have
been so unhesitatingly erected by the sub
stitute OF the Senate. The policy defined
and declared by the Finance Committee is
destructive of all. merican industries, ex-
cept that OF btiding privileged classes,
who are TO be efrithed and kept so by u
prostitution III AIDE taxing power OF the
Government I 1t prohibits importation,
prohibits expectation, prohibits employ
ment, locks out and dstresses labor, and
promotes destitutlon and suffering through
out the land.
"The Senate bill has changed the ad
valorem rates wherever 1t could be done,
andsubstituted specific ratesln their stead.
This change will not reduce and simplify
the laws, but increase aud iHystiiy them.
II is for that purpose that the specific tax
is used and II is because the ad valorem
tax will not answer that purpose that 1t is
condemned by those who favor high taxa
changes from ad vaorcm 10 specific rate
| by the Finance Committee, it il charged
that enormous frauds have been perpe-
trated under the ad valOrcm system.
| Frauds are not the product OF any particu-
lar system and no system is exempt from
them Fraud is the product Of taxation,
and its evidences are to he seen in all
systems and ut all rates, high and low, and
the number aud magnitude Of the frauds
are measured by the amount OF the bur
den imposed upon the taxpayer and the
facility of its evasion"
The remainder Of the report is devoted to
an ANALYSIS OF the Senate bill, and an indi-
cation OF the points OF difference between
II and the House bill, made up apparently
from the figures supplied by the treasury
experts. OF the sugar bounty provision,
the report, after arguing that there is no
good reason why, II IT should be adopted,
the same assistance should not be extended
10 the producers OF corn, wheat and other
farm products, says
1.-THE bounty system Is wrong in any as
poet IN which II may be- considered, but
there is not even plausible pretext for il
when applied TO sugar. Any bounty on
any article is simply u disguised raid on
the public treasury, and in this case il was
granted to preserve intact the different
elements Of powerful comhNation that
could not exist without this donccur The
manufacturers Oi iron, steel, cotton and
wool could not keep their enormous rates
for their private benefit without .he cordial
support OF the manufacturers OF sugar.
The high duties on sugar could not be ~.
tanned without lowering the duties ON
other articles that contributed more money
10 private purses than the tax on sugar
did
with excessive revenues something
had 10 be reduced, and sugar being the
least productive OF private revenue. the
reduction was decreased on that article,
and the bounty was arranged To reimburse
the sugar manufacturer for his loss in the
fall Of the pricroi his commodity in order
TO keep him lovnl TO the combination"
In conclusion, the report SAYS "The
treasury experts show that the reduction
IN the revenue from customs 10y the sen.
no bill will be- about Sli,ODO.OlO, includ-
ing the reduction ia the free list OF -. s2S,-
u14bi. When We take into account the
value oi all sacks, boxes, crates aud cover
ing, tia, are also made dutiablc, with tho
articles bearing al yalorcm duty, there
will be no reduction IN customs revenue.
NV I'Nltn N'Nlllik Nv NhlRlflll INNNH mrs
about 10000, 900. OF this amount more
than s2UOuuD,0O have covering whose
value Is to be- secluded in the appsuise-
ment OF value OF the things they contain.
The tariff commission IN their report
state that Ia taking oil the duty from those
coverings they were taking oil revenue
amounting "a 10 Or II per cent II that is
true, putting them on again will add from
10 To II per cent TO tlfc revenues. An
addition Of ~ per cent on covering would,
on thai estimate, amount 10 an increase OF
s3O,OOD,OlO. which would leave a net in
crease OF $50 0,OlO on tLe tariff schedules.
The iohacro tax !, repealed. and the inter
MAJ revenue rates on cigars reduced, which,
according Ia tho estimate OF the Finance
Committee, will reduce tho revenues s3l,-
81 ,IbJ.pS.
The tax on alcohol to be- used in the
industrial arts is repealed 10y the bin, and
u h estimated that the reduction will
amount to S1,OOl,OJO. No intelligent csti-
maic can ho made ~ TO the amount o! the
reduction. As u has been July demon
slmicd that mcthyaicd spirits can Ice
easily dcmrthylatcd aud the spirits used
q, q beverage, Il can readily br seen that
wide door h open lo fraud. aud IL will be
very difficult to defect aud prevent It,"