The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-14 00:00:00

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)1 thenlead
h d to
oa a
such
t areductionnm ofre
in the t h
eamountadvertisement duty
of
stamps
and
paper consumed, as would compensate the revenue for
that
Mr.r eduetion ?
SMrrn—l have made a calculation; Sir, by which
I find that the proprietors of the Daily News would pay
at least between 7001. or 8001. per annum more than they
do now ; and the increase in the payments of the coun-
try papers would be greatly increz...sed.
Mr. MURDO YOTJNG—If the duty were reduced, the
Times would not make any reduction in their pnce, and the
other papers would not, for one shilling less price, get
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—It would make
the competition of the other papers press more strongly
on the Times.
taisn
eympeenrets,epti so perceptible
the increase
revenue in
wouldte.
numberose of their adver-
Mr. SMlTH—Certainly so.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—What course
then does the Times take upon the subject ?
Mr. SMITH—I believe, sir, it would be very glad to
let well alone.
Mr. YOUNG—From their great circulation, the Times
would always deservedly be secure of getting as many
advertisements as it has now, and from its hunted space
it never could insert more than it does now ; there-
fore it would neither gain ncr lose by any alteration.
consequently, though it once opposed the alteration, it
now expresses itself quite willing to let the duty go by
the board. I remember in the year 18P5, vAeri the
question of the alteration of the duties was being agit-
tated, at a meeting of the proprietors of the daily news-
papers, eleven in number, tht:t a modified sliding-scale was
proposed, and nine of us were in fa% our of it, but the
I'int,c3 decided against it, and the Government of the day
took the advice of the Tinzas.
Mr. DEsLEY then said, as conneeted to some extent
with the provincial newspapers, I wish to direct your
attention, sir, to the gradual process of injury which is
being inflicted with regard to those papers, in con-
sequence of the extraordinary facilities which are now
offered of carrying down the London newspapers to
within 100 miles of the metropolis. The provin
cial editor has little to interest his readers
beyond ' some few articles of local news, and
from the immense burden which the advertisement
duty imposes upon him he is not in a position to
employ the literary talent which he would other-
wise be enabled to do. The generality of the
tax, and its equality of amount, whether charged
on papers which circulate 5,000 or 500 is another
point which weighed with unusual severity upon the
provincial press. If I were the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer to-morrow, I should venture to repeal the whole
of the tax to-morrow, because I am satisfied that the in-
crease of the amount paid on the penny stamp, and the
paper duties, would more than replace to the revenue
that lost by this reduction.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER--More than re-
place it.
. Mr. BEsurv—Certainly so, Sir.
Mr. COOKE said, from his experience as an advertising
agent, he could assure the Chancellor of the Exchequer
that the pressure of the duty had great effect in deter-
ring advertisers fromadvertising to the extent which they
would otherwise have done had it not been so great. He
had recently known a case in which a tradesman intending
to spend 1501. in short advertisements, on hearing that
45/. would go to the Government in the share of duty,
had been frightened at the apparent useless expense, and
instantly reduced his advertisements to 501. These were
things which were constantly occurring and which made
it very apparent that the duty was a great burden and
hindrance to commercial enterprise.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER --What is your
opinion of the relative advantages of abolition and re-
duction ?
Mr. COOKS—Although we should prefer abolition, we
should be glad to take a reduction if we could get no
m ore

Mr. YOUNG—Not worth having.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (with a smile)—
Not worth having, Mr. Young.
After a few concluding remarks from Mr. Ewart,
M.P.,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that he
was very much pleased at having had an opportunity
of hearing the opinions which had been expressed to him,
and the deputation then withdrew.
The general impression was in favour of a total repeal.

REPEAL OF THE ADVERTISEMENT DUTY.