The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-02-13
NEWSPAPER TAX.

Tho Committee Of Ways and Means
will shortly. if they have not alreat done
30. report revenue bill in Congress, one
feature Of which is tax on newsl ,pers,
of probably one-half cent on each copy
printed. the immediate and designed effect
of which will be to suppress at least one
third of the country press. The injustice
and oppressiyeness OF such measure is
90 transparent. that its warmest advocates
cannot defend it from the charge Of op
preston. The scheme is seconded by the
metropolitan dailies and weeklies. whose
peeuniary circumstances are such that
they can stand the loss of patronage fo-
time which an increase of their subscrip.
ton price would entail. Ii Congress
passes the proposed bill. the Publishers
will increase the price of their papers one
cent on each copy. thus making halfcent
greater profit than they now do. They
would NO. lose half as great proportion
of their subscribers as country publishers.
from the fact that theirs are men Of bust
ness and of means, who would not feel a
email advance in price enough to cause
them to withdraw their patronage, while
subscription lists Of country newspapers
Arc composed Of persons who can lily
afford TO pay an increase OF price, even
were they inclined to. Which is not a, all
probable.
Nine-tenths of the country press barely
earn livelihood. and not unfrequently a
very poor enc; and any increase of expens
es. or loss of patronage, could not but
cause certain failure.
Another objection to the proposed tax,
SO its injustice and unfa;rness. in compell
ing one portion of citizens to pay an uu
due proportion of tax. There is as much
justice. and right. in compelling black.
smiths TO pay tax or every horse they
shoe. or pillow they mend; in compelling
carpenters 20 paw tax on every board
they dress or Single they nail down; in
compelling shosmakers. wagonm akers, or
.ny other tradesmen to pay a tax on their
work. and compelling merchants and deal.
srs 70 pay a tax on their sales-as there is
in compelling publishers to pay tax on
every paper they print. Printers are
sradssmen. They produce articles neces-
cary for the comfort md convenience OF
the people; and any a,;emp. TO tax them.
while other tradcsmen 60 free. exhibits a
spirit of tyranny and oppression which the
eKigencies Of the times, though great, do
not demand
The arorsd obJoct to be attained in the
proposed Legislation against newspapers. is
an increase of revenue. Blu, the real object
10 to suppress IS many newspapers as
possible: for they have been the means of
exposing the frauds perpetrated by the
thieves and cormorants who have been
robbing the people and running the gov
eminent We do not know the precise
amour. Of revenue which our patriotic
Congressman propose TO raise in this way
bat think j, is two million dollars. about
enough to run the government. from ff-
teen to eighteen hours. at the presen, rate
of expenses! Suppose their estimate to
be correct, which is highly improbable
how much will the post office department
gain. If. as many publishers believe. half
the newspapers suspend. thus losing the
postage on their entire circulation, (which
is at least half as much rs the proposed
tax. and the postage on the thousands Of
letters which pass to and from nearly every
paper Of general circulation ? We think
the gain. if any at all, would be but poor
apology for doing that which the mon-
arehiaI governments of Europe would be
ashamed to do.
But as We have already said. the real
object is newspaper suppression. The
Press has been the most potent means by
which frauds and impositions on the peo-
pie have been exposed, aud the Perpetra-
tors held up to public exec ratioo. The
kuaves, land it is lament,bIe fact that
great many of them get into Congress-
know that in proportion as newspapers are
read bv the people, will their meanness
become known; hence their desire to tax
them.
The press is the fsiead OF the people
Of the masses. and the enemy Of tyran's
and peculstors. Those who attempt lis
destruction by Legislation. arc those who
-. .,s.,, IN fear ito nowar