Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-18
The Proposed Book Tag.

II
Under the present tariff the revenue derived
from the duty on books is paid at the rate Of
eight per cent. ad UalOrem on all prints. There
have been no complaints of frauds under this
law. "But," says that staunch Republican jour
nal, the New York ESsning Post; '
"Mr. Morrill, steps in and proposes, and the
House of Representatives sustain bis sproposal by
its vote, that English books, bound or unbound,
except those printed thirty years before their i'm.
portation, shall pay duty Of fifteen cents on ev-
erypound weight Cheap or costly, books for the
rich or books for the million, all are to pay the
same rates by the pound. So far as regards
books of a poPular. character, of which large
editions are sold, the principal effect of this
increased duty will be to encourage our pub
fishers to give Us inferior editions. Under the
present tariff Of low duties they have been sub
jected to strong Inducements to excel, and these
have had their effect. Where there Is no riv-
valry there will be no endeavor to secure
market by out doing ones competitors. We
must not put an end to this wholesome rivalry
BY exorbitant duties.
But with regard to solid works, works of sci.
ence, works designed for the use Of professional
men, Of students, Of persons engaged in the arts
and mechanical occupations, or In other pursuits
In regard to which the community at large
are not concerned to inform themselves, the
duty of fifteen cents pound will prove q bur-
densome and most inconvenient tax. Those
works &c general rule are not reprinted in this
country, since they are certain to meet with but
q slow sale. Many Of them can only be obtain.
ed in binding, which adds greatly to their
weight, and In consequence will increase the
duty proportionately. They are works which
must be imported or wholly depensed with
Those on whom the burden of the tax will fall
are not the rich, but generally persons of small
means. Our readers will inquire what addition
the Morrill, scheme will make to the present
duty on this class of books. We have the au.
thority Of booksellers for saying that II will be
equivalent to an additional tax Of from fifty to q
hundred and fifty per cent on the present rate
that 10 to say, the duty will often be consid.
erably more than doubled. II Congress desire
to discourage the spread ofscience and learning,
the Morrill, bill furnishes an emphatic express
ion of that desire. Let Congress pass it.
The bill proceeds to impose duty Of ten per
cent. ad vaLOrem on magazines, printed pa m
phlets, periodicals and illustrated newspapers,
bound or unbound" Ifit be eimportant that the
duties should be specific, why are these publi-
cations subjected only TO an ad valoyem duty7
Why are they not made 10 pay 80 many cents on
the pound, as "books7" No good reason can
possibly be given. But when we come to ask
what are the "printed pamphlets" which are to
pay this duty Of ten per cent. ad palorem, and
how they are TO be distinguished from books,
We are involved In an embarrassment from
which Mr.. Morrill, and those who helped him
to patch up his foolish bill have given no clue
to extricate rs.
But the bill now before the Senate has vet
another provision; IL subjects all periodicals
and other works in the course of printing and
publication in this country to duty of twenty
per cent. computed on their value. Here is an.
other departure from Mr.. Morrill's rate of spe.
cifc duties, about which be and his associates
declaim % much. While the books imported
are notrepublished In this country, they pay
hfteen cents on the pound; the moment the
same books are put TO press here they are made
to pay twenty per cent ad oalorem.