The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-08-31

derives its receipts from internal rev.
enue and foreign import duties. Ii
one were to reason metaphysically
every cent of tax placed on tobacco or
liquors could be eventually traced TO
the labor which produced the tobacco
plant or corn which constitute the
elements or enter into the manufac-
ture of the article. But this process
of reasoning is rather remote, and
somewhat similar to the scientific the
ory that because we live on vegetables,
and these are nourished in the soil,
which is composed of infnitessimal
PARTICLES of decayed minerals and ami
NAL organisms, therefore, when we
eat potatoes. beans, etc., we are feed
ing on the dead bodies of our ances-
tors. Every one acknowledges that
labor is the basis of all wealth,
whether it consists of accumulated
coin, manufactured articles, stacks of
hay or storehouses full of grain; but
the approximate relation of the farmer
who grows the barley, rye and corn to
the manufactured and, perpaps, adul-
terated bottle of whisky is not very
direct and hardly appreciable. Then,
neither liquor or tobacco are necessa-
ries or conveniences of life, and he
only who uses them pays the duty i'm
posed on them. They are termed lux
uries, if this term is applicable to such
deleterious beverages, and the price to
the consumer isregulated by the in
ternal revenue charged by the gov
ernment. When we consider foreign
imports as q source of revenue, the
| tariff is no way tax on the consumer
in this country. Instances have been
| named without limit where protection
built up home industries and cheap
| ened the price of the article to the
consumer: but this opens up the SUBJ
| ject of protection for discussion, which
can well be postponed until next year.
There could not be system of taxa
tion devised better than that followed
by the general government, and which
bears SO lightly, if at all, upon the
laboring classes. In speaking of pub
lie expenditures, the same paper says:
"Public expenditure, so far as real
benefit to all the people is the result.
is blessing: but public expenditure
for the purpose of keeping men at
work and giving contractors and the
pets of politicians soft snaps, ''provid-
ing employment for the unemployed, !"
is simply suicide to industry and enter
prise, as is only INDUCED in by govern
ments poisoned with the virus of pro-
tectionism and paternalism.
Our public works are under the con-
troll of the board of engineers of the
army who receive their salaries,
whether engaged in digging canals,
experimenting the construction of
breakwaters or remaining idle. The
money appropriated does not go to
them at all; but is spent among labor
ers. The engineers superintend the
construction, and draw their salaries
from the government. Then. aside
from opening up channels of trade or
improving harbors, public appropria-
tions send the money in circulation
in the avenues of business.
But we presume Bro. Jackson will
contend that this is paternalism and
fostering wealthy parasites upon the
government. Society must be recon-
strpcted from its very foundation to
suit him, and new order of things
established from that which has ever
existed in the history of the world.
But the human race must be regener-
Grated before Utopia is possible, and
that will not happen while men live
under the present conditions.