Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-31

A STAMP TAX ON NEwsPAPI

From the Boston Journal
A STAMP TAX ON NEWSPAPERS.
We are surprised at the primitive financial
ideas that seem to prevail in Congress Mr..
Colax, for instance, whom we had supposed
TO be promising young statesman, has been
lately devoting all his powers TO a mischiev-
Gus interference with great business inter-
est which has grown up out of the wants Of
the country and which is as much as any
other an agency and resul! Of our national
progress We refer to his scheme for com
pelling all newspapers and periodicals to go
in the mails, in order to swell the postal rev
enuos. But we are glad to learn that Con-
gress is probably wise enough to reject this
rcacuonary measure. Now, however, il is
reported that the House committee on ways
and means propose to levy stamp duty on
every copy OF a newspaper issued, and upon
all Geographic dispatches. The latter tea-
ture stands on a distinct ground, assmilat-
ing more 10 a case Of letters than to that Of
newspapers. and therefore we do not consid-
er it here 1t is matter between indiyidu-
ais, aud effects no business interests, or what
may be justly reckoued among the vital in
stitutions Of the country
As between the scheme Of Mr.. Colfax and
the proposed stamp tax, we are free to say
that we prefer the latter. 1t contemplates no
disturbance Of the settled methods Of busi-
ness, but undertakes to impose simple bur
den, which will fall with apparent equality up
on all sections of the press-the city and the
country papers, the strong and the weak.
We say apparent equality, because every one
knows that the tendency Of the day is to
strengthen the strong papers at the expense
of the weak, and 20 aid those of the large
citics at the expense of the country press
and this stamp tax will immensely accelerate
that tendency. Hence, we observe already
that one or two Of the leading New York pa
pers favor the tax project. suppose the tax
should be fraction of a cent on each copy
- the proprietors would RAISE their price one
cent, and realize a handsome sum to begin
with, while the demolition of country rivals
under the blow would add to their circula-
ton, and the publication of the exact num-
Der Of issues would swell their advertising.
Our own paper would share to the full IN
/ whatever advantages would accrue from such
a measure.
/ We oppose the measure, ther ersfore, on pub
lie grounds. The newspaper press OF this
country is not only business interest-it IL
an cdacatona' agency Of such vast import
auce that it cannot be dispensed with, an'
ought not to be impaired. In a previous ar
tiole we have shown that the scheme of Mr.
CuifaN r. virtually tax on Information
and this new stamp scheme is designed to
reach the same end through different pro-
/ cess 1t is at war with the whole tenor OF
public experience. In this State-and in
nearly all the other free States at least--al
educational and literary institutions and so
ceties are exempt from taxation. Wha
would be thought if Congress, in casting
about for new sources of revenue, should al
first fix upon this class OF property: Sup
pose it should begin by taxing school book
would not the proposition meet with the
instant rebuke Of the whole country Bu
a good newspaper in family has an educa
tiunal influence infinitely beyond all the
school books which may have been put into
the hands of its younger members. We need
not diate upon this topic, which has beer
handled with so much eloquence by some o
the best minds of the age. 1t is enough tC
say that all who have thought upon the sub
iect at all are convinced that free institutions
cannot be kept up in this country without an
untrammelCd press-that the ireest compeu
tion and the widest extension are essential tG
the best development of the press--and
therefore, that tax in any shape upon it i
an injury to the community in a vital respec
and ought to be the last tax resorted to il
a national emergency.
As to any advantages which we might per
sonally derive from the proposed tax, we pre-
fer altogether to act on the old motto of " liy
and let live" The process of a concentration
OF the newspaper business in comparativel.
few hands is going on fast enough withou
helping it by legislative means. The eftec
of stamp in this direction may be inferred
from the reverse effect Of its recent abolition
in England, as seen in the birth of new pa
pers and the immense extension of the cheap
or class. While England, therefore, is NOV
ing toward the popular welfare, shall we TAX
the opposite turn, by hampering intelligenc
aud checking the diffusion Of knowledge
No, let us let we'll enough alone. If we ar
to make good city papers, we must have goo
country papers, and the more the better 70
the interests of the communities in whic
they are located; and If we are to render tn
utmost benefit to the country at large, ou
readers [ior it is on them that the burde
falls must not be taxed for their access to ou
columns.