The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-04
Redu Taxation Possible.


Reduced Taxation Possible.
1t has become apparent that the pres
ent revenue laws are producing moro
than sufficient TO meet the expenses of
government, even with the war still GO
ing on in the Philippines. AS a result.
the first steps are being taken for a
reduction in the burden of federal taxa
ton. The accumulated surplus of the
past few months will probably be large
for refunding the present outstanding
bonds into the per cents. issued under
the currency law, but the result of this
refundng will be to reduce largely the
annual interest payments, and thus per-
NIT of further reduction in taxation.
1t is worth while to note that all Re-
publican legislation on the subject of
taxation has had the nnifoym result OF
producing the full revenue required for
the expenses of government and little
more. A surplus often, deficit never.
is the record OF Republican revenue
measures. This, more than anything
else, points out the Republican genius
for practical legislation, the more so
that 1t affords such a complete contrast
with the Democratic method of dealing
with the same subject.
Under the operation of the Mckinley
tariff law, for example, there was sur
plus of revenue. and this fact was made
the principal point of attack by the
Democratic opposition in the campaign
Cleveland for the second term. That
election gave the Democrats complete
control of all the machinery of govern
ment. They had free hand in legis-
lative matters, and were permitted to
frame revenue law precisely in ac-
cordance with their own ideas on the
subject When that legislation went into
effect It certainly had the effect Of pre-
venting any accumulation OF surplus
wiped out all the existing surplus, and
created a deficit which required the is-
suance of hundreds OF millions of bonds
a legacy Of Indebtedness TO be provided
for by the Republican administrations
which followed and viii follow. The
bonded Indebtedness which was created
under Democratic administration, TO
provide for the deficiencies in the rev.
enue caused by the operation Of Demo-
than the like Indebtedness incurred by
the present administration In carrying
on foreign wars at the two ends OF the
world
More than this, It can hardly be pre-
tended by any one that the burden Of
taxation rested any more lightly on the
people under Democratic revenue laws,
which resulted in a deficit. than they
did under the Mckinley law which pre-
ceded IT, or do under the present rev
enue laws. which followed 1T. on the
contrary. the operations OF the Demo-
cratic tariff law resulted in the greatest
distress which the country has under
gone ia the present generation. and tax
alton never rested more heavily upon
the people than It DID then. The de-
hcit In private revenue was even greater
than In the public revenue. and for the
FIRST time In their lives hundreds Of
thousands q American citizens felt the
pressure 4 absolute and soTdid poverty
a poverty almost unheard q before For
the FIRST time in the recollection q Nv
Ing men. American skilled mechanics BY
hundreds ~ thousands saw their FAINT
lies suffering for the necessarles Of
life. with actual starvation be
fore them. Few now like 20 think how
close this spectsr was 10 them during
those long and dreary days. The whit
eHea locks and stopped shoulders q
many a comparatively young man show
hoe heavy was the burden he bore dur
lng ghat period,
The Chicago platform and the Wild
rush TO lis support by many Heretofore
conservative citizens vas one form in
which burning resentment at existing
conditions. dread for the future. and
the bitter feeling at defects in the law
which invited ana provoked the Indus