Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-25
TARIFF AND INTERNAL
REVENUE.

vlOuS TO 1SOl was to derive Federal
revenue from foreign imports and leave
all internal taxation, for the most part,
to the States and subordinate local
| governments But the Republicans
brought war and the internal revenue
upon us with their advent into our
| politics. and q tariff for Protection, In
| stead of tariff for Revenue. A tariff
| for revenue Is SO calulated that, it
places a reasonable impost upon for
| eign goods that will allow their compe-
tition with ours, and at the same time
yield the greatest amount of revenue,
while the incidental protection given
by the impost encourages the develop
| ment of home industries In the most
healthy way, and does not tend to Gre
ate domestic monopolies and shield ex-
tortion. A perfect tariff on such lines
would unite the ideal and the practi-
cal in Federal taxation, and need no
| internal taxes.
A tariff for Protection. on the contra
ry, subordnates revenue to high rates
| that will discourage or exclude foreign
imports and competition, and breed ex-
tortion and monopoly in our home
markets. while so diminishing the re-
ceipts from the tariff in proportion as
the rates are raised as to make the In
ternal taxes absolutely necessary. Thus
English Free Trade and Republican
| Protection, in their extreme develop
ment, meet on the mutual ground Of a
revenue derived almost exclusively
from internal taxation. The income of
the English imperial government, be-
cause of the extension of free trade.
comes almost wholly from the domestic
taxation of everything; and IL Republi-
can Protection continue and extend, the
same result Will be reached in the
United States either by the entire ex-
foreign products which we cannot pro-
duce, or their free admission, for the
1 benefit -of-tifc stockholders of protected
industries who want cheap materials.
Thus. the Republican system of Pro-
lection, while bringing extortion and
monopoly upon us. also necessitates
Federal Internal Revenue, with it's ty-
rannical inquisitions, exactions, re-
strictions and burdens. Thomas JEFF
ferson first called these Federal do
nestle impositions 1.-The Internal reve-
nue." when they really amounted to
nothing compared with what they now
are. In 1898 Virginia paid s3.50o000 on
account of Federal Internal Revenue:
/ in tad 70 To-
the revenue from tariff customs in 1899
was S206 .12S. 4S1.75. and from internal
revenue. $273, A37, 1851. or So, 3OS, 619. 76
morei Think OF that! Over $751;
100000 more Federal revenue de-
rived last year from internal
taxation than from customs on
foreign imposts! Federal expenditure
last year amounted to $500. O93, 5s4O2, or
$50. III ,559.67 more than receipts from
all sources-a deficit that requires more
| Federal taxation. When we reach an
exclusively internal revenue basis for
Federal expenses, as we surely shall
under the Republican misrhle. Virgin
las share will be sl4,5Oo,OOO, IL levied
according to population. and provided
Federal expenditures do not increase!
But they will increase. Tariff Gus
toms will as surely decrease; and the
| internal revenue burdens will grow In
proportion to the increase of expendl-
lures and the decrease of customs.
What a glorious prospect that Is under
continued Republican and Mckinley
domination! Virginia, somehow, now
manages to pay s3,5OO,OOO year to Fed
| eral expenses; but how will she, OF can
she, pay Federal tax of $4,000, 900 or
more year? The other States, Repub-
lican or Democrat, will fare as badly
as Virginia. or worse.
Some of these Federal imposts are
called "war-taXes"; but it was said
when the internal revenue system be-
gan during the war between the States
that it was a war measure. and would
cease with the return of peace. Some
| of the stamp-taNes were abolished for
awhile; but these were revived on the
| declaration of war against Spain. and
are still retained to support McKinley's
war upon the Philippine Republic, we
suppose. What is to become of n pco-
pie so beset by their own government,
which also fosters and encourages spe-
cial private interests with privileges
and opportunities, to prey on every
popular and general industry? Good
Lord. deliver us!
Fellow-citizens. Republican and
Democratic, or nondescript, we have