Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-03-23
[coRRssrosD,rstcsE OF rus y1spIcAron. /


RICHMOND, Mar. 10, 1860.
Messrs- Editorss-Th special license
bill spoken Of my last, has been quietly
laid upon the table Yhe consideration Of
the general tax bill occupied considers
bic portion oflest week. That provisiono Of
this bill which regulates the tax upon mer-
chants licenses has been entirely changed.
The scale method has been abolished, and
the ndeotorens system adopted
The number of merchants in the Com
monwealth, according to the Auditors re-
port. is 1894, and the total amount of their
sales for the past year is over forty -one mil
lions dollars. As tie amount of tax de-
rived from this source approaches near to a
half million doHars, any change in the
system of taxation will be looked TO with
great interest The tax fixed, under the
new arrangement, is one per cent. upon all
sales In this way the tax upon small deal
'ers will be reduced, as many Of them pay
from two to four per cent. The tax upon
the large dealers viii be greatly increased,
as many OF them now pay less than one
fourth Of one per cent. There is a large
class, however, whose tax under the new
system will not be materially changed. 81
The new law does net 60 into effect until
the year 1861. As under the present law,
so under the new all goods imported direct
from foreign countries are exempt--and,
in addition, all goods mangJfactured in Vir,
gina, or bought from any merchant in the
Commonwealth who has license to sell.
IS The object Of the last mentioned proviso
is to encourage direct trade and home man
ufactures. Whether these objects shall be
accomplished, and this source of revenue
not be thereby affected, must. IN the nature
of the case, be an experiment the result Of
which it is difficult to determine. The pass
age of this bill into law has produced con-
siderable excitement among the wholesale
dealers in this city. They cenounce it as
q measure rather calculated to break down
than to build up home trade. When Doc
tors disagree, who is to decideS
In legislating for State like Virginia,
whose people are spread over such vast
area of territory, with interests much diver
sifed, it is impossible alike to accommodate
every interest. The landed and agricnltu-
raj being the great and permanent interest
producing as they do the only sure and con-
slant source Of revenue, and bearing, as
they are obliged to do. the weightier part
of the burthens imposed for the support of
government the first and highest duty Of
the law making COVER is to enquire wleth-
er any other branch Of Industry is to be
maintained at the Expense of this, and if so,
to grant no such protection. .
The. session Of the General Assembly has
been extended to the furthest Constitutional
limit And as one branch Of the body, at
least, is now labcring from ten O'clock in
the morning until ten o'clock at night, it is
hoped that all business hatoaght to be done
aclN be done, within the limits 81 the pres
ent session.
= Political affairs seem 10 be looming up,
and are producing good degree of interest
throughout the country. The Democracy
is wide awake That portion Of it, in Vir-
ginia, which, short time age, manifested
such horror at the idea Of any expression
OF preference for any one mtn as candi-
date, are now moving heaven and earth to
manufacture an expression of preference for
their particular favorite. Notwithstanding
all the inahipulations of two Or three distric.
Conventions which have been held the truth
still shines forth, clear as the noon day sun,
showing that Henry A. Wise, late Cover.
nor of Virginia, is the undoubted choice of
large majority of the people Of this State.
But the proof thickens, and the truth has
to be told Stephen A. Douglas, in the Ma
tional Convention which assemblies next
month at Charleston, will distance all COM
petitors. At least such is the impression Of
one who claims to be neither politician nor
prophet, but only a 1888.
MOUNTAINEER.