Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-12

II
De5ats n CoHgre's A6OHt ZaeM-LHterest
ias to oar SsOgy S"'OEtag PsPGIati0".
wAsHrSorOSi Dec eth, 1864.
MI. Stevens, from t Committee o
Ways and Means, repOrteI t-sk the join
resolution explanatory Of soft1uch of the
Internal Revenue act as relates to the dutJ
on cigars. 1t is as follows:
4 The tax shall be assessed on the real
value, and the price for which the same
shall have been sold, or alleged to have
| been sold or offered for sale, sh6ll only be
an item of evidence to enable the inspector
i and assessor TO ascertain the true value.
TIE assessed value shRh neVeF be less than
such alleged price or yslue WheneVer
Il the owner or Possessor or agsnt Of cigars
shall fix the value thereof, oFgallege Ger
tain price for which he pretends to have
purchased them or otfers them for sale,
If the inspector or assessor shall deem
such price below the real ytlUe, he shall
be at liberty TO take the sameat that price
for the use of the governmenk, giving the
over OF agent q certificate Qf the value,
who shalt be paid the same on presenting
1t to the Treasurer of the United States or
bis deputy. The returns reiltiVe to the
kinds of cigars required by tsnineteenth
section Of the act may. be sde monthly
or bi-monkhIyi inst8ad ~ - ae nay
DO drUideu Dy the assessors, AAnufactu
Pers of cigars Ghall be allowed 10 have
their cigars inspected end stsmped, and to
return aud pay the same at any time before
as we'll as at the time of sale. The stamp
shall always indicate the actual amount OF
the tax paid or payable.
Mr.. Brooks, (opp.,l Of n. Y, said that
the Secretary of the Treasury had recon
mended that the tax be laid on the leaf,
and he now wished to know whether the
Committee of Ways aud Meaus intended
to change the duty on tobacco.
Mr.. Stevens replied that he had given
the subject some consideration, but did
not know what the conclusion OF the com.
mittee would be.
Mr.. Brooks suggested that the bill be
postponed for q few days for further con-
sideratiou.
Mr.. Stevens. replied that in the opiuiOn
of those best instructed the Department
had lost millions ao OF dollars by the con-
structions of the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue.
Mr.. Brooks said that In the opinion of 9
large number Of manufacturers il was quite
Impossible, under the principle of the law,
ever to have honest manufacturing of ci
gars. The temptation was so great, the
duty so immense, and the punishment so
severe as to render it almost impossible to
prevent fraud by the measure now before
them. There was no doubt, from the best
information, that the best way was to at.
tach one cent stamp to each cigar sold,
and this would produce larger revenue
than tho principle in the bill.
Mr.. Stevens explained that all the com.
mitiee had done was to put q proper con-
sLruction on the law in contradiction to q
very erroneous decision of the COmmis-
sioner Of Internal Revenue.
Mr.. Dawes, (rep of Mass, said that
some of the manufacturers had stopped
nearly entirely in consequence of this very
singular construction Of the law The
self. He thought somat6Iog mere s0An n
simple jnint resolution WAS necessary to
remedy the defects. He hoped bis friend
from Pennsylvania (Ar. Stcveus) wopld be
patient in clearing up the ''smoke" which
surrounds the subject.
Mr.. Stephens then proceeded 20 show
that nine tenths OF the cigars manufactured
since Congress adjourned had paid but
three dollars instead of eight dollars q
thousand, owing to the construction Of the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The
measure pending WaAs ne repeated 70 give
the proper construction TO the law.
Mr.. Brooks expressed the hope that the
committee would take time to consult with
honest manufacturers In order to remove
the existing difficulties, but ss the Secre-
tary of the Treasury had recommended
duty on leaf tobacco, duty on tobacco
should be considered in the same oonnec.
tion. He repeated that experienced men
had advised stamp on cigars similar to
the postage stamp, say one per cent.
and as yielding the largest revenue. The
temptation to smuggle from Canada and
elsewhere was now Irresistible. Old stamp
ed cigar boxes were used in which to put
new cigars, and SO stamp alone would
stop this, besides realizing tho largest
revenue.
Mr.. Leonard Myres. (rep.) of Pa, trusted
that the subject would be acted upon at
once. as owing to the present construc
tion the income of the government was
much reduced from that source.
Mr.. KassOu, (rep,) Of Iowa. advocated
the passage of the pending proposition,
showing that every day the government
was loosIng revenue by cigars paying but
three instead of eight dollars thousand.
At the suggestion. OF Mr.. Stevens, further
consideration of the subject WAS postpon-
ed tit. Monday. AZ - 81.
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