The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-01
MARATHON and Ne,v.pape.r.

Taxatfon and New,paPess.
The Tax H. which has just been passou or
Congress, and which will be put into opera
ton on the LIST of August next weighs more
heavily upon the leading newspapers Of our
large cities than upon any other sort of bust.
ness. Country newspapers Of less than two
thousand circulation are comparatively ex-
empt like most OF the other productions of tie
rural districts; for tie bill was apparently de-
signed to relieve the agricultural as well as
the manufacturing portions Of the country, by
throwing the whole burden of taxation upon
the commercial and financial centres.
The annual income of . newspaper propris-
tor 10 taxed from three to five per cent. The
receipts from advertisements are taxed three
per cent The telegraphic messages are taxed.
The paper upon which the newspaper is printed
is taxed. Those are the direct taxes upon news
papers, and besides these there are number
of indirect taxes-such as that upon checks
which aid to swell the expenses and diminish
the profits of the newspaper proprietors. The
amount Of all these taxes will be better apprs-
ciated from tho fact that tho revenue to the GO
alone will be from thirty to forty thousand
dollars ysar-more than the annual receipts
Of many Of our contemporaries.
The effect of these heavy taxes will be 10 o.
fcctually kill off two thirds of the newspapers In
our large cities, from New York to st. Louis,
and from Baltimore to Chicago. The country
papers, which are almost exempt. and ray only
the tax upon paper, will get along admirably
SO long Is they keep their circulation under
two thousand copies. They will, therefore,
take pains to be as dull as usual, so as not to
issue more than that number. Oft city papers
one third will be killed outright, and another.
third will become public paupers, to be kept
upon the penitentiary list of Corporation
organs. Here in this city there are thirteen
daily papers, morning and afternoon Journals
included. The weekly papers are scum and
trash, and will be extinguished utterly by the
dailies. The Tribune and Post will die first.
They have no advertising patronage and but
very little circulation; and so, by just retri-
button Of Providence, they will be the first
victims Of the taxation which they have brought
upon us by causing our civil war.
The Times and World will probably combine
and 60 upon tho penltentary list, as the or.
gans of Boole and Genet, in order to pick up
little Corporation printing to keep the life In
them. The Journal Of Commerce and the Conn
mercial Advertiser will probably survive the
taxes. One or TIVE Of the German and French
organs will also be spared, as they depend for
their existence more upon the language
than the matter Of their contents, aud can
therefore substitute literary feuilaons for thsif
telegraphio dispatches. For the other jour.
nails, with the exception Of tho HERALD, nothing
but humiliation remains. The sooner they
decease the better for their proprietors and
the public. The HERALD, which has alone con-
stantly urged the necessity and the importance
of stringent tax bill, will retain its position
a. the leader Of tho American press. Its nm
rivalled circulation and immense business
patronage will enable it to ray its tax Of forty
thousand dollars per annum without the
slightest trouble, and will attract to It . still
larger share Of the public favor. Economy
! being the order Of the day, our merchant:
mechanics and business men, with other i'd
vertisers Of every kind and degree, will insert
only one advertisement, and will naturally
choose the newspaper having the largest cir.
culation. Beyond oil doubt or question that
newspaper Is the HERALD.
Thus it will be seen that tho reforms We have
long sndeavorsd to produce in the press will
be assisted BY the crushing out Of oil the use
less, old fogy and trashy journals, while the
HERALD will remain stronger than ever. The
war will kill those newspapers which have 70.
mented II, while the HERALD, which has always
been conducted upon national, Union policy,
will be benefited by the very war its rivals
have caused. The Tax bill, therefore, will
almost complete that work Of the regeneration
of the press Of this country for which we have
long laborsd, and will satisfy the world thas
the HERALD il what We promised years ago 10
should be-the chief Of the American press and
the organ Of tho American people.
The Trsachereus Tribuns-Its Base Re.
ports OF tho Battle IT Richmond.
The Tribune published an extra yesterday
which caused great depression Of the public
mind, by it, gloomy misrepresentation Of the
battle near Richmond, headingit "A retreat Of
tho right wing" whereas it was no retreat,
but q swinging round Of the whole line on Ito
centre, a. . pivot and changing front from
west to north. The effect Of this movement
was, in the first place, to change the base Of
operations from an insecure point 1t whits
House to perfectly secure one on the James
river. A second effect Of that movement II 70
push forward the left wing towards Richmond;
She left wing being strong, while the right wing
of the rebels is comparatively weak. The gun
boats on the James river, too, can cooperate
in the attack, and, having reduced Fort Darling
with the aid Of land force, can ascend to