Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-21

having different aud indeed opposite views and aims
One Of these is the internal Improvement party who
advocate the bin means Of raising revenue AIDE
qaa:e thes demands upon the treasury Of the State
On, other is the Soutbernrigl,s party-so caled-who
disregard the question Of revenue and whose object
20 prevent an commercial intercourse with the North
We propose to-day, to consider this bl as a measure
for raising revenue; and It greatly mistaken,
Dc s dsmoasua5e chat the bill win fail utterly in this
spect 20 NEE. the expectations Of its advocates.
I viii be seen by reference TO the report of the Auditor
Of tle State that be estimates the amount Of goods sold in
the State in the last year. at Stll54 COOS which, under
che Of 1856 the law then In force produced revenue
ofssI5s1Js4 The estimate Of the advocates ofthis bill
as revenue measure that at one per cent on the sales
10 win produce az least that amount To ascertain the
correctness OF this estimate we refer 20 the prOv
sious OF the two bs First The act of 1896 taxed the
sales Of every merchant no. the State and therefore every
SINE tle same goods were sold in che State TAX was
paid upon the SALE If a wholesale merchant Ia Rich
m01j or Petersburg, or Norfolk or Alexandria, sold
them 90 another merchant la the interior of the country
the wholesale merchant paid the tax If the merchau,
who bought ,ta goOjs-ly merchant in Lyuchburg %,
Cl-Ssy.ie, o, DalyIe, o- S,ll,on, or Abngiou-so.j
them 20 another merchant then heelsr paid another
TAX on the amount OF the sale and if the last buyer
riej on bis business in Virginia wLen,be sold these same
goods 90 the consumer, then this last merchant paid
smother tax on bis sales There doubt that very
considerable amount of goods has been three times sold
in Virginia aud thus BIAS paid the tax three times
Second Under the ac. OF 1856 au articles manu.ac-
tg-yd in this STATE and al mineral productions after they
bad been disposed of by tae manufacturer producer
miner were s15jectto che merchants license tax on sales
T1e exemption Of foreign goods imported directly Is
common 90 both Statutes.
We have taken considerable pains TO form a correct
es,mve-wc admit tba, i is only an estima.e-oi The
amour, Of merchandise sold during the las, year, by
Wholesale dealers doing business in the State, TO mer
chants 30 the State We believe that the whole amount
sold by merchants in Virginia, TO other merchants,
whether IN or ont of Virginia. would considerably exceed
slt0o2u0a. The Data and calculations from and by
which vc have arrived 40 tbs conclusion would require
100 much space for statement of them DO this article
bu. we are prepared 90 es taem st. the correctness o,
our estimate De- questioned We put toe question 90 one
o. the irges. Wholesale merchants l Virginia without
Informing him what v.. ,.e OBJ sct O, the enquiry, what
proportion Of bis sales made TO merchants 10 Viz
gaia and his answer was fully seve1-e-a,ls. If ia large
houses doing au extensive business this is the proper
to1 IS f.r.ar true ta, iu tde houses doing less
extended business the proportion must De az great. I-
may be ss,.m1,ei, therefore with confidence that at
Teas, Sl2011001. Of the amount ot.'es ast year a.
e,l,eiuy the Auditor was produced by Ls sale twice oil
the same merchandise i1 Virginia.
By the bill row before the s,,.ts. ALI good. usuuac-
ta-eI in Virginia and aH goods purchased ola ae7gala.
who has license TO sell i Virgins. .r, exempted from
rhe --z Thus goods manufactured .a Virginia viii pay
no FAX az a and "A. other goods win pay ,a, let once
however often so.i Do OBJ. State. From che amour; o.
taxable sales estimated hy he Ar',or vl mus. 81. once
deduct the amount of the second sales or Si2oo1o.o
tae FAX on which at one per cent s,-01oo thg- Pc,
G.cre the amount Of tax 90 be- produced by this DILL.
s2s50uU But for the reasons stated IN the petition Of
che merchants of Richmond which vas pabGsd,l IN the
W- of the i,l we think it certain ttat large por-
don of the sales mad. bv our Wholesale merchants to
merchants ou: of che State viii De cut on by .he effect
a. ths -a. and a. corsel .eu..y aeir sales will be d
raet to the extent thl. ts effect saa, De produced
ar f r. uo. a1 c.-avasaa apprehension To- Gear tbst
ofta, s.. -.tU1l. tes SOLD oat Of ,ae State dssag the
Ias. year. 100000 sill be- .7., to our trade: which
will Dee deduction of another sum of 100000
from che proceeds Of this trE.
Ws have no means Of ascerta.urg the amount Or
GOOD. manufactured ia Virginia ehch were sold 1y our
merchants during che hs, year, and mus. leave u TO the
better information OF our readers. Whatever was the
amount &c IS TO deducted from tae ay-payng sales under
-r prszert b There are also other causes whch must
rIr-s che amour. of taxable sales made Virginia, the
sa0rrt of which reductions cannot De estimated with
.-.t-tcy but which every intelligent man. who a' give
Dis attention 20 Che subject. will De satisfied mus, be
v--r .-.e This b does require any corporation. con-
rl-v or person 90 pay tax upon goods which they may
purchase Tor his own use. Aud if che merchant shall
rr this ,a7 OF one pee cent, upon she price of Dr.,
goods or if - shall De believed dat DE WiI DO it-snd
tas last s certain 90 De toe ca-etbc effect viii De TO
induce corporations. couptnies manufacturers, and an
persons wanting large quantity Of Northern goods or
goods which eau only De obtained from che Northern
.s.,. 90 buy or order them thence instead OF buy
-,- ttsa ia tie State. Manufacturers Of tobacco want
rro-ice aud other ingredients used To- their mauuactu
res. aud i'm Virgin. tlsy Use them TO nearly OF quite the
amour, OF Sl"Od0V'. eWol- Oh Che sale o- A9ao-
rice here is only about two ana a-H1h per cent, ana an
advance OF oae.per cent? would induce all Oh them to Or
Debt from New lo,S. And we nav say, il passing
shat tins Is $40 article which can only be got from 'ne
North, as the parties 10 Europe VINO nave 'ne eo"o, OF
80 have refused 90 allow 20 20 De shipped directly TO '-
gui These manufacturers as we" as others VINO EN-
p.oy or own many slaves want large amounts OF negro
clothing hats shoes and blankets, one per cent on the
mrs. Of which will determine ,hc place of purchase
0-irla manufacturers wan. irl7 our manufacturers OF
,,--.r,r, AID OF vehicles o v5-3as kinds timber;
or builders want lumber. our la-.rs want whitehead