The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-30 00:00:00

ftilE PAP.ER DUTY.

With regard to the measure itself, although we
fully admit the objectionable character of the tax,
we do not think that the time was well chosen for
its remission. The financial state of the country
did not warrant the abandonment of such an
amou'it of revenue. To be obliged to augment the
income-tax to almost a war rate, and to suspend
the promised reductions on tea and sugar, in order
to allow of its remission, were sufficient proofs of
its inopportuneness. And not only so, but in order
to make up the required amount for the year,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer was reduced to
the necessity of deferring payments and shorten-
ing credits, which could only be regarded as
drawing from the resources of future years
for the wants of the present. But there was a yet
stronger objection to the removal of the duty. It
is the worst part of the scheme by which France
is to receive all possible benefit from this country,
and to concede nothing. At present the Excise
duty on home-made paper is 11d. per pound; the
Customs' duty on foreign paper is 2;d. The re-
moval of the former is intended to be eecompanied
by the entire removal of the latter, leaving the im-
portation of foreign paper entirely free of duty.
Now, we are free-traders in the largest sense of the
term ; we hold that no duty should be imposed
for the purpose of preserving to our own manufac-
turers a monopoly of an article which may be pur-
chased more cheaply elsewhere. But it does not,
therefore, follow that we should legislate iu such a
manner as to create a monopoly in our market
for a foreign country. Yet this is precisely
what is contemplated with regard to the paper
duties. France and the other Continental States
impose a prohibition or a tax upon rags, in
order to keep down the price of the raw mate-
rial, while England is drained of her stock for the
American market. The effect is that the dif-
ference between the value of rags in England and
in France is considerably more than the difference
of a penny on the pound of paper between the
home and foreign duties. Yet that difference, the
effect Lot of any natural advantages, but of direct
legislation by a foreign Government, it is proposed
to sanction and to render effectual for the unfair
advantage of the foreign paper maker, by admit-
ting his manufactured article to unrestrained com-
petition with our home manufacture, while the re-
straint on the raw material is continued. We say
that this is not free trade, but the reverse of it, or
it is free trade run mad. It has no analogy to the
tepee' of the corn laws, which has been quoted in
its justification. To make the cases parallel it would
he necessary to suppose a duty laid by the Powers
of Europe on their corn, and England legislating
to admit their biscuit free of duty. Or, to
bring the case closer to the Manchester
gentlemen, by whom the repeal of this tax
is so strongly insisted upon, it is as if the
Aihericans were to lay a tax on raw cotton, in
order to secure to themselves its manufacture, and
the British Parliament were to acquiesce in that
tax by allowing a free import of American calico.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer intimates that, if
the Excise duty on paper is continued, Parliament
will be bound to reduce the import duty on the
foreign mqnufacture to the precise level of the
Excise duty, in compliance with the terms of -the -
French Treaty and the Address of the two Houses
of Parliament. We cannot admit such an obliga-
tion. In the treaty, it is true, her Majesty " pro-
mises to recommend to Parliament to admit. mer-
chandise from France at a rate of duty equal to the
Excise duty imposed on articles of the same de- •
scription in the United Kingdom ;" but it cannot'
be maintained that these general terms; and the still•
more general terms of a Parliamentary Address, arts
have created an obligation to admit every artielenf
merchandise at the precise level of our Excise duties,
whatever legislation France may adopt to- fen-
der such admission injurious. The• dut.y on the
export of rags by that country is to all intents
and purposes a bounty on their manufacture;
and a burthen upon ours, and it would be mon.
strous to say that we are bound by Mr. Cobden's
clumsy negotiation to sanction and give success to
that policy against our own people. The duty on
• paper was not one of the articles included in the
changes of the tariff with the wine and silk duties,
but was expressly reserved for separate legislation,
and until the French Government has conceded a
free access to her rag market, we trust that our
Parliament will retain an equivalent tax upon• her
paper. By the terms of the treaty any effect of our
Excise duties in augmenting the cost of the article
beyond the bare amount of the duty was to be taken.
- into account, and the spirit of that clause demands

that any enhancement of the cost of our paper by
the effect of the French tax should be considered in

fixing the duties on imports. The plain meaning
of the clause is to place the manufacturers of each
country on an equal footing • let France do her lath
in thi-3, and we are contented. But until she con-
cedes this, and until we.can get a free supply of
rags to our own mills, neither France nor the Bri-
anti UUll3Ullll'i eau expect the full beuefit of the
re-
mission of duty ; and to insist upon it at present
would in our opinion be both impolitic and unjust.
—Bury and IVortoich Post.

E_E TVS VENDERS' BE.YET' °LENT TROVIDE4 T
I.2VSTITUTION.

Last night the anniversary festival of this excel-
lent institution was celebrated by a supper, at the
Freemasons"ravern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's -
inn-fields. The chair was taken by W. H. Russell,
Esq., L.L.D.
On the removal of the cloth, _ _

The CHAIRMAN, in giving the toast of the Army
and Navy, referred with pride to the deeds of the
united services in the Russian war, and coupled the
toast with the name of Col. Addison.
Drunk with all the honours.

Col. ADDISON returned thanks in a very humorous
and effective speech, which was loudly cheered.
The CHAIRMAN, in giving the toast of the evening,
" Prosperity to the Newsvenders' Benevolent and
Provident Institution," referred especially to the
• advantages which such a society was capable of con-
fering upon its members, and to the claims which
the newsvenders had upon the general support of
the public. After referring to several instances to
show the usefulness of the society, he concluded
by giving the toast, which was drunk with all the
honours. _ _ _

The CIIAIRMAN said the next toast he had to
propose was " The President, Charles Dickens,
Esq. ; the Vice-Presidents, and the Trustees," and
in doing so he remarked that the society had been
21 years established, and with reference to that
fact he felt great pleasure in coupling with the toast
the 'tame of Mr. Wood, of the Weekly Dispatch, as
one who was greatly instrumental in the establish-
men t of the society.
The toast was drunk with all the honours and
loud cheering.
Mr. Woon, in very feeling terms, returned
thanks, and bore testimony to the strong claims
which the newsvenders had upon public support.
Mr. SHIRLEY BROOKES, in very complimentary
terms, proposed the health of the chairman, which
was very cordially responded to, and drunk with all
the honours.
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, anstl expi6ssed
the great gratification he felt in presiding oyek the
meeting of that evening.
Subscriptions were announced to a liberal exkent.
The company separated at a late hour' after
.
spending a very agreeable evening.
The supper was exceedingly well served.
The musical arrangements were under the direc-
tion of Mr. Burgess.