The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-04-09

that this provision excluding the farmer
who produces tobacco to the value of F
$500 from exemption, ia an odious dis
tinctiou, and one which should not obtain
in this House. Why is it that the man I
that produces tobacco should be liable to |
tax OF three cents per pound, while the
small manufacturers of shoes and other |
articles are exempt from taxasion2 1 say.
Mr.. Chairman, that this law ought to op-
crate equally and justly upon all interests;
it should make no invidious distinctions
The man who is engaged in the cnltiva-
tion of tobacco is as much entitled to an
exemption as the man who is engaged in
manufacturing any other article which is
subject to taxation. T8
Here the hammer fell.
Mr.. HORTON. I beg that ny col
league will not suppose that the Commit
tee of Ways and Means have any special
eumity towards the farming interest. We
have stood mp here against oHr friends
who were anxious to tax l'qaor extrava
gantly, aud have defended the farmer.
We have not levied taxes upou the farm
er in any shape or FORM that am aware
of to any greater cxtent than we have up
ON other classes. aud. perhaps. not to SO
great an extent. think there is no pre-.
vision iu the bill that taxes anything that
the farmer raises untilsit goes into the
hanls Of the consImer, cxcepting, per-
hape, the item of tobacco; and suggest
to n ' colleague, who is SO zsalous in the
sob3ceo Interest," that if he chcosss to
str:ke q balance, he VIII find it in favor of
the farming interest. Perhaps, next to
my colleague. represent the largest to-
bacco interest in the State Of Ohio, and
take the responsibility of saying that
the farming interest canno. fairly 6nd any
fault with the Committee of Ways and
Means or with this bill If anv aiiega.
tion can be made against the Committee
OF Wars aud Means, it is that the manu-
factufiag interest has been taxed to the
utmost. and II any interest has been ex.
empted it is tho farming interest.
Mr.. MORRIS amendment was reject
ed.
Mr.. MORRIS. I move to insert af-
ter tho word "duty." in the eighth line,
the following:
Proridsd, That each and every pro-
ducer or grower shall have exempt from
duty an annual value of leaf tobacco
not exceeding the sum of $500.
In continuation of the remarks which
| have already made upon this subject.
I wish to say that my region Of country
is emphaticalIy tobacco growing coun-
try, and produces more tobacco than
any other district in the free States.
More than the whole six New England
States put togethef-nearly double as
much as the whole State of New York.
and more than three times as much as
the whole State Of Pennsylvania; and
representing that Interest, / cannot it
here and give my assent to proposition
that will exempt from taxation all man
ufacturers who manufacture l,ss than
six hundred dollars worth, and tax this
interest whether the producer produces
more or less. .,fr5 =
I would say further, that we have
scattered over the State of Ohio, as my
colleague well knows, large number #
farmers who produce, only for their own
manufacturing purposes, broom corn.
they raise it in summer and manufac.
ture it in winter. II one of these man
ufactarers propuces hundred brooms,
he is taxed ten cents dozen. If he sells
them At 81 so dozen, amounting to
$500, he pays no tax; bus if he sells
them al ST SIS per dozen, making $500,
he is taxed on the whole amount with
out any exemption whatever. Now. is
this fair? Is it just, that man who
manufactures 500 worth should be
taxe,:, and the man who manufactures
s;l0 worth should be exempt?
Mr. HORTON. I am very anxious
that no injustice, shall be done to my
colleague constituents; but I suggest
to him that every one of his constituents
in the farming interest--and he repre-
sents very rich, districts already
exempted $500 in the income tax L
would suggest to him further, that his
friends who raise broom corn are taxed
upon the manufacture and not unon the
growth. They are not taxed if they
make them on their own account, but
only as manufacturers, and as farmers
they are not taxed at all. Isuggest to-
my colleague further, that he is mista-
ken in his statistics. His district does
net raise moro tobacco than all the New
England States. Connecticut alone,
perhaps, produces more in value from
tobacco than my friends district. How
ever, that is neither here nor there.
Mr.. NORRIS. ] beg to correct my
colleague on that point.
Mr.. HORTON Then there Is aloth-
er thing. We. allow drawback on to-
oacco The tobacco grown 10 my col I
eague's district is all consumed in other
and his citizens get the draw
,ack when it ia exported.