The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-02

| NO BURDEN TO THE TAXPAYER.
What nonsense to talk Of pensions being
burden to the taxpayer
There is not single item in the revenues
of the United States which was placed on
the tax-lst for the purpose of raising money
| to pay pensions, and not a single one which
would be removed simply because there
were no pensions to be paid.
We defy any soldier-hater to show where
a dollar of taxation has been imposed for
the purpose of paying pensions We defy
him to show where the reduction of the PEN
sion-roll would reduce the taxes or income
of the Government.
All talk to the contrary is simply delib-
crate lying
Almost every other reason in the world
but that of needing the money for pensions
has operated to influence the imposition Of
National taxes.
The United States Treasury received
1854 ,397,7S4 last year, not one dollar OF
which was collected for the purpose Of pay
ing pensions.
Take, for example, the internal revenue
receipts, which amounted to $133, 81 O72.
Will anyone have the hardihood to assert
that the imposition and maintenance Of
these have the slightest connection with
pensions9 There were $50, 100000 collected
on distilled spirits, and $29,000,000 on beer
and ale. These taxes are maintained solely
because the Government should exercise
that control over the manufacture and sale
of intoxicants which the Government Of
every civilized country in the world main
tains. Were the question of repeating these
taxes put to vote tomorrow, there would
be an overwhelming majority against it.
The people would vote to increase them
rather than diminish, and this without the
slightest reference to whether there were
pensioner on the rolls or not. The general
voice of the people is in favor of keeping
the taxes on. What is done with the money
collected is quite another matter.
We collected about $40 600 900 on tobacco.
As to the continuance of this there is
difference of opinion, but the payment of
pensions has no part in that difference.
Those who favor the retention of the tax
say that it is universal practice of civil
present tax-machiuery has cost an enormous
sum to put into operation, and we should
at any time when it may be necessary to
raise additional revenue. This is universal
practice among Governments. They have
found that the imposition OF new schemes Of
taxation are universally troublesome, costly,
and demoraliziug. 1t takes along time to geta
new system of taxation TO working smoothly.
In the meanwhile there ia great disturbance
of business. Inscriptions men take advant-
age Of the imperfection of the new machinery
to evade paying the taxes and swindle the
Government, to the great injury of honest
meH who are in the business and who pay
their taxes Officials are corrupted and in
finite trouble results. It is therefore better
when system Of taxation is gotten into
successful operation, 10 maintain it, reducing
its rates if necessary to nominal amount,
which will keep it in readiness for use
when an emergency shall arise calling for
additional revenue. This is the strongest
reason given for retaining the tobacco tax.
Its rates are almost nominal. No man has
to pay a cent more for his cigars, cigarets
OF tobacco than be would If the taxes were
OF. and any time that we should need more
money we could easily get it by increasing
slightly the rates of taxation. II is worthy
of note that the strongest advocates Of the
retention of the tobacco tax are the manu-
facturers and dealers in tobacco, out of
whose pockete it comea They do not want
their business demoralized by the taking off
of the tax now and its restoration at some
time in the near future. They have vivid
recollection of the years of trouble following
the first imposition of the tax, when the
honest men in the business were nearly
driven out of it by the sharpen who took
advantage of the crudities and uncertainties
of the law, and the inexperience Of the off,
Gals, to beat the Government out of vast
sums Of money and sell goods at much less
than honest men could afford to. Il is al
most inevitable that tobacco shall be taxed,
and they vastly prefer that the tax system,
shall remain az ii ID.
The next item IL oleomargarine This
WAS imposed, as everyone knows, upon the
strenuous demand of the farmers and dairy
men of the country, who wanted to stop,
OF at least hamper, the manufacture and sale
Of bogus butter, which was seriously hurting
the sale of pure dairy products We
4 aao mn a,