Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-17

hll VI uohfly All ulu ehfntuHH On living
than on him who only expends one-hAlf,
one-third, or smaller proportion Of them
for like purposes, and lays up the sur
plus for increasing his income. Neither
should it be overlooked that, under the
existing system of deriving revenue from
taxes ol commodities, the poor are not
unfrequently required to perform pro-
portionally more work TO earn them than
the rich, because the taxes levied on the
articles of given class of commodities
consumed by the poor-as is notably
the case with wooden goods--are much
heavier than on those consumed by the
rich.
But assuming that four hundred mil
lions of dollars ($400, ,000, ,000) must now
be annually collected OF the people of
the United States to meet the expendi-
lures of the Federal government, there
will probably be q unanimity of public
opinion that this amount should he OBJ
tanned in the most economical and eifec-
tive manner, and with the least burden
and annoyance to those who are to be
called upon to contribute work in the
form of taxes. But to what extent can
suoh result be compassed by sure and
simple methodist Let us see.
The revenue derived during the fiscal
year 1889 from the existing taxes on dis
titled spirits aud wines was $74 ,3l2, 200
internal, $7.l23, ,O62 customs, total, $751;
435 1858.
From malt or fermented liquors, $685.
723, 1886 internal, 1868, ,3S7 cusIomgi total,
S24, ,3S7 ,172,
From tobacco S3l 1856, $3.50 inteSnal,
$l1, 1874, 486 customs; total, Sl3, ,061 ,34G.
From sugar and molasses, S55, sos, 1877.
Here, then, from the above-enumerated
four articles or classes of articles, $204,-
S75, 1923, or fraction over one-half of
the S400, 600, coo required to defrRy the
annual expenses Of the Federal govern
ment, can be certainly and easily COL
lected. In respect to three of these arti-
cles or classes of articles-liquors aud
tobacco-from which Sl4S, ,683, 1856, or 81
per cent of the required revenue of four
hundred millions, IL now raised, it is en-
tirely optional with the citizen whether
he will assess himself md act as tax
collector for the government or not. And
in respect to the fourth article or class,
namely, sugar, although the rate Of taxa-
tion is high--70 per cent in 1889 lit
would be diffoult to nams any COM
modify In general use which could be
taxed with view to revenue with so
little of burden TO consumers and 60
little of detriwnnt to industry. 1t is so
largely produced, dealt in and consumed
and enters to so small an extent ag n
crude material into other indus
tries, that it comes to the
consumer less burdened, with other
than government taxes, merohaats'
profits, and expenses of distribution than
almost any commodity that can be men
toned, or oil articles retailsd, sugar is
the one whose coat IN least nu usmanted by
retailing, and, in fact, is said TO be often
sold by grocers without aoy profit as O
means of attracting other trade. And y0t,
by not inconsideEsble portion OF the
American people, ii is believed to be
! good public policy to throw away all, or
nearly all, the advantages accrulng from
retaining the above enumerated sources
Of revenue, by totally abolishing the in
ternHl revenue system, and not only re-
| pealing the present customs revenue OF
$55, 900, 600 on sugar, but making the
occasion CT such repeal reason for aug
mentiug the existing taxes to the exteut
OF at least So, ,000, 900 in the way of boun-
ties on its domestic production. Has
there ever been in the whole history of
taxation anything more palpably absurd,
or such demonstration, on the part of
all responsible persons, Of inability to ex-
ercise common sense?
10 1t not self-eVident also, it $400, ,000,-
600 must every year be collected from
the people to meet the expenditures OF
| the Federal government and il the CON-
sumption Of liquors, tobacco and sugar
| Is to be no longer regarded and utilized
as proper source for supplying some
5000, 900, 900 OF this requirement.. that the
immense sum thus diverted aud abaD-
doned will have 10 be collected Just the
same; and that, too by spreading an
equal aggregate of taxes over a multitude
of other commodities, involving increased
expense and annoyance in collecting, in
creased burdens upon domeBtic indus
tries mud Increased opportunities for
using taxation for the promotion of pri-
vate rather than public interests ?
The increase in recent years in Federal
expenditures, and consequently in taxa
tion, is also worthy the attention of tie
American people. Between 1870 and
| 1880 the increase in the net ordinary ex-
penditures of the Federal government
! exclusive of interest and payments on
the national debt (which payments rep
resent the legitimate continuing burden
of the wary, was less than per cent, or
from $164 421, 600 to S169 900, while the
increase during the same period in pop
uIation was 30.08 per cent. But between
1850 and 1889, inclusive, the increase in
the same class OF national expenditures,
notwithstanding reduction in the an
nual burden of interest of S57, 900, 600,
was over AZ per cent, while the increRse
in population during these gRm9 years
could not have been in excess OF 30 por
| cent.
A burden of annual taxation Of
$4O0, 1000 600 on population Of sixty-six
millions il a little over @6 per capita, or
4 $50 on every family of five persona; but
the ultimate burden of system OF indl-
/ rect taxation on imported oommoditios
on tho final consumer of such oommodi-
tics is certainly considerably creator.
Recent investigations in this matter iu7ti-
tutcd in the English colony of New Zsa-
land, whese tho revenue of the state, de-
rived mainly from customs taxes on i'm
ports collected from sparse population,
rdsunusual facilities for investigation,
indicate that tue burden of such taxation 10
increased to tine faal consumers of the
taxed articles to the extent of at least SO
per cent. In the United States tho in
crement ia probably much greater. The
average burden OF Federal taxation for
the next fiscal year will therefore GER
tainly be at least $40 on every family,
md promises in the immediate future TO
be greater rather than less. To the man
with an income of 500 per day, or some
$4,000 per annum, this is mot much, but
to the farmer who is raising and selling
corn for l5 cents bashel, and to the
operatives in the great leading mechanical
| i,,duRtpies of TIM country, Whose annual