Year: 1868

obtain gOOu IarfnS at Ialr prices.


MIR. Schenck's Tax BiiI.


There does not appear to be much of pros
pect that the Internal Tax bill reported by Mr..
Schenck in the House Of Representatives will
get through very soon, If at all this session Of
Congress. 1t seems to answer the purpose,
however, Of giving the members an oppor-
tunity for ventilating their ideas on general
politics and all sorts of subjects when the,
House is in Committee of the Whole. Nor
ought the bill to pass. II is the crudest attempt,
at legislation for raising revenue that ever was
seen, and shows how incapable the present
Congress is of treating financial and revenue
questions. alEh a


The first object is to make the Internal
Revenue Bureau an independent department. Of
the government, responsible neither to the
Secretary of the Treasury nor to the President
to make it, in fact, government within gov
ernment, with absolute power over the whole
internal revenue system and two or three
hundred millions of taxes. 1t is most
astounding proposition, and could emanate
from none but those of the most radical and
revolutionary tendencies. The idea of making
the Commissioner Of Internal Revenue, mere
head of bureau, on a comparatively small
salary, Independent of the President of the
United States, is preposterous. The enormous
patronage, and the management of internal tax
alton amounting to hundreds Of millions, to be
placed beyond the control or supervision of the
constitutional Executive, would be an alarming
stride in revolutionizing the government. 1t is
in direct conflict with the constitutional preroga
tives of the President, for he is sworn to see
the laws executed it would disorganize the
government and open the door to far greater
frauds and corruption than already exist The
astounding revenue frauds that have come to
light may be traced in great measure to the
interference of Congress for partisan purposes
with the legitimate powers of the President,
and now it is proposed to take away his power
altogether over the revenue system. 1t is
monstrous proposition, and amounts to the
sbrogation of the constitutional executive
department of the government. The way to
prevent frauds is not to interfere with the
appointments and power of the President, and
then to hold him responsible for the execution
of the laws.


As to the cumbrous system Of taxation to be
extended and perpetuated by this interminable
and incomprehensible bill, we can hardly find
language strong enough to condemn it. Instead
of raising revenue chiefly from few articles
of luxury in common use, as Great Britain
does, taxes are imposed upon everything.
There is hardly an article of necessity or In
use that is not taxed. The consequence ID
that the cost of collection eats up q largo
amount of the income, while fraud becomes
universal and the whole community corrupted.
Whiskey and other spirits, with tobacco and
all other such luxuries that are more injurious
than beneficial, should pay the highest taxes
that can be got from them. These would sup
ply.a sufficient revenue, If collected, without
extending taxation to necessaries or to the
hundreds of articles included in this monstrous
bill. As to saying the whiskey tax of two dol
lars gallon, or other taxes on luxuries, can
not be collected, is absurd-is to say, In fact,
that we have no government. They can bs
collected and would be collected, If Congress





President and were to make and hold him re-
sponsible. An internal tax bill of few pages,
including only limited number Of articles, ID
all that is necessary to raise an ample reve-
nue.. Congress is wasting its time over the
monstrous bill introduced by Mr.. Schenck. II
who can grasp this subject Of revenue and
fnance-they have the finest opportunity to i'm
mortalize themselves and to benefit the cOun-
try by introducing comprehensive and simple
measure of internal taxation in place of tho
one now before the House.


HURRY UP THAT ALASKA PAYMENT. If Con-
gress should not soon pay Russia the paltV
sum of seven millions for Alaska the Russiaa
some enterprising foreign land company, teas.
graph company or gold and copper mining
company will bid higher for it. There ere a.
ready indications Of vast mineral wealth in
that Territory, and individuals may soon take
advantage Of the stupidity and procrastinstioa
of Congress to make better bargain for Rus
sia. We are utterly sstonished at the delsyiu
paying for this country. In the course Of
few years it will be worth much more than tho
sum to be paid for telegraphic purposes to
Asia, to say nothing Of the mineral wealth, tho
fisheries, the vast timber lands and other re-
sources. The conduct Of Congress in not ap-
propriating the money promptly 70 pay for
what the government engaged to pay is mean,
stupid and short-sighted.