The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-02-13
TAX ON NEWSPAPERS.

| TAX ON NEWSPAPERS.
We have received, by mail, from New
York the following circular It is numer-
ously signed by all the flash catch-peuny
newspapers Of that city, but not by such
papers as the Herald, Tribune, Ldepen
dent, Harper's Weekly, &C.:
| "NEw YORK, January %, 1862
"7o Editors and Pro;,1ictors Of Ne~spa-
1'ers throughout the Country:
"GENTLEMEN-We desire particularly
to call your attention, on behalf of the
newspaper publishers of this city and vi
cini.y, to the project now mootcd in Con-
gress, of imposing stamp duty on news
papers, and to urge you to spare not a
moment in securing the opposition of the
Representatives of your respective districts
to the outrageous, unjust, and iniquitous
measure. If adopted, it will prove a death
blow to newspaper enterprise in this coun-
try, and deprive the people of the advan-
tage Of cheap and free press. 1t will
fetter and crush out every newspaper not
owned by heavy capitalists, subject the
press to the dictation of power, and will
tend to the building up of monopoly in
the newspaper business, dangerous alike to
the liberties and interests of the people.
"The project is one which should secure
the united opposition of the press of this
country; and with timely and proper
efforts, on tic part Of all interested, the
evil may be avoided.
"Again, urging you to lose no time in
corresponding with your Representative in
Congress, we remain, yours, &c"
No, gentlemen VIC cannot lend our
influence to defeat any measure having in
view the protection of the Government in
the present crisis. We arc in favor Of
carrying on the war until this unholy re-
bellion is crushed out; aud We believe that
it is necessary to bring in to exercise all
the sovereign power of the Government to
preserve its nationality. Without money
the war must cease, and our Government
be forced to accept any terms of peace the
rebels may propose-for which reason We
are unwilling to give our influence to any
thing which may detract one farthing from
the revenue required for the accomplish
ment of so holy and desirable an object as
the maintenance of our liberties. No, gen.
tlemen. All the powers and energies of
the nation must be brought into rcquisition.
All the means of the people must be de-
voted to this one great object. Without
Government our property is worth nothing;
aud we arc willing to be taxed for its sup
porto give our last dollar-even the
coat off our back-rather than have it said
our system of Government is failure.
But is the proposition to tax newspapers
an " outrageous, unjust, and iniquitous
measure? Will it deal death blow to
newspaper enterprise in this country !?
We think not. We do not believe it will
kill single newspaper. As is proposed,
the tax will vary from $40 to $50 on
country establishments, according to their
amount of business This sum is so tri-
fling, and the revenue thereby raised, ex-
ceeding the handsome amount of ten mil
lions year, so much needed, that we are
loath to admit the existence in the Edito-
rial fraternity of those whose calibre, patri-
otically speaking, is so small as to complain.
All other employments might raise the
same objection, had they the facility our
business has of making themselves heard.
We therefore think 1t 'sunjust' to exempt
ourselves, by means Of that mighty lever
the Press, from the burdens of the war,
while other occupations, whose voice cannot
be heard, must submit in silence. There
should be no discrimination. Every pro-
duct of a neutrality-suspicious. it be
threshing machine, steam engine, plow,
paper Of pins, bale Of cloth, a case of
boots, package Of newspapers, or anything
else, should be made to pay an equal pro-
portion. We repeat, there is no justice in
exempting our branch of business more
than another. We are opposed to the press
begging its way or being dead-headed
through thi. war. The people instinctively1 !
regard the press as powerful auxiliary in
asserting tho power of tie Government and
pointing out the solution of our national
difficulties; and We hope it will not destroy
its influence by adopting policy SO selfish
and unreasonable.
We have the means, and thank God We
have the disposition, to pay our proportion,