The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-10-26

the last cent added to all the duties.
Thus, while the consumption of tea and coffee has in
creased beyond the ratio of the population the
sumption Of tobacco has decreased.
This table also exemplies the greater
of low duty compared with high one; for instance
coffee in 1901 at Is I'd per h. yielded f77654; 1921 at
Is per d. ; aSasS'o; and 90, In isti at Sd per h.
e. l64673 and in ls4l, at IS per II, f33i4 9i5.
But the difference in duty in the latter was not su
cen curai the profits Of the smugger any material
extent.
Cigars afford a remarkable example of the amount Of
duty being increased by diminishing the rate In 1928
when the duty per ID, duty paid on 600 lbs
only yielding f7,740 In $780, when the duty was re-
decd 9s per 10 duty was paid on c6 900 lbs yielding
that, in isi, duty was paid on 2is6ls lbs yielding
flOO 800.
We would further illustrate the position by the follow
In I79s, Ireland with population Of 1000, 900, con-
sumed 900 lbs Of tobacco and now with than
double the population she about 5000 900 bs
of tobacco less than at the former period The reaso
obvious: Ia 1898 the duty was Sd per ID, IS;
I79s England and Scotland with population 10
consumed lbs OF tobacco being only one half of
the relative consumption of Ireland the same period
the duty Esgiand and Scotland being then Is I'd per ID
and in ireland only Sd.
But the quantity of tobacco which duty is paid does
not even approximately show the quantity consumed. If
the duty now paid tobacco in the United Kingdom re-
tain the same relative proportion TO the population tina
held in Ireland in 79s the duty in the FIRST year would
have been actually levied upon So iii $50 lbs instead of
% 0 2 lbs and such believe to be about the actual
amount of consumption the great bulk Of the supply
being furnished by the illicit trader. -
In Prusss appears that the consumption of tobacco is
at the rate of lbs per head while in England we were
to Judge from the amount which duty is paid il is con-
sideraby less than ID per head
Assuming the actual consumption only 900 900 lbs
or lbs per head believe that reduction Of duty to Is
per lb would so eectuay destroy the Illicit trader that
the revenue would gain by the change only by bring
ing UPWARDS of 900 900 lbs under duty which al pre
sent but by the great increase the CONSUMPTION
consequent upon the encouragement given to the ia
trader.
We would not, however treat the question merely as
matter Of revenue; would strongly represent the in
pursue a legitimate trade, by enabling the smugger to
lessen the extent of their transactions by than half
what they would otherwise be, and would further
earnestly urge upon your consideration the demorazng
tendency of such systematic and extended violation OF
the law My upon those engaged in the illicit trade
practice from ofthe gross injustice and i'm olcy
of duty dsproporoned to tho value Of article of
such extensive consumption.
We would refer to the opinion OF a Committee Of the
House Commons the growth of tobacco in ireland in
1910, follows
"Tha it further appears the evidence that snug
Cling ooregn tot at present carried on TO great
extent and that all the measures now adopted at great
expense the country and will be inef ctual TO
press il so long the temptation OF evadng duty equal
to twelve times the alue Of the article which 10
POSED, remains"
that the duty tobacco were refused TO is per To- IL
would be alike beneficial to the inter- SITS oil legitimate
commerce. to the consumers who consist almost entirely
Oh the classes the eby increasing he pro-
ductiveness of the duty and by greatly diminishing the
expenditure Intellectually incurred to suppress the IL
c trade and to the general morals OF society by remov
ing powerful inducement to infringe the laws.
have the honor to be- Sir,
Your most obcdient servant
signed, THOMAS TODD Chairman.