Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-24
The Agricultural Tax.

The period for funding Treasury notes at par in per
cent bonds Is drawing to . close Eight days only re-
main for fuadipg After that time tar of thrty-three
and ons-thrd per cent will be imposed upon all Con
ssdsrato notes in circulation. This tax attaches to
them vh,ther offered for Investment In per cent,
or other honda for payment Of taIs or exchange for
new ssusS From these privileges, except investment
IN psr cent bonds, the one hundred dollar notes are
excluded after the hrst day Of April, and are iuFtner
taxed ten per cent. their face for each ensuing
month 1t is clearly, therefore, to the advantage Of
every taxpayer 10 secure an ample amount Of per
cent bonds to pay his taxes, which will be received At
mar in such payments beforS the LIST April and especial
" 40 that holders of one hundred dollar notes shall in
Yea. them IN these bonds Yet large class Of our tax
pavers are left in conPlSts uncertainty as to estimating
THAR ta1ss BY the nde6niteness Of the tax sc We al
Jude 10 agriculturists.
In the instructions to the Collectors and Asscssors
Of Confederate Taxes" recently published BY Mr.
Thompson Allen Commissioner of Taxes, We discover
that the same uncertainty e1iss among the authorities
=, among this class Of tai payers Thu subject and an
ordination Of the act by Congress Is to be waited for.
Section 81 Of these instructions IL as follows
tTne Question as 70 whether the value Of the tth6s
Of isss or tbose Of 1854 is to be deducted from
he tax on the value of property for 1884 has 90 many
attendant difficulties that il Is deemed best not to settle
il At present by the department but to refer N to Con-
gress at its meeting in Nay. The tax not being pay
able until June, injury will snsue from the delay
As this uncertainty in construing the act obtains IN
such high quarter, We will not venture a more de-
cded opinion upon il than to caution Hgreu!ursts that
It will be the part of prudence with them to secure at
once an amount Of per cent bonds sufficient to meet
their taxa. Il isnot unlikely that Congress will de-
eide that the tithes Of 1858 shall be regarded the
ayr cultural tar for that year. other Confederate tax
having been imposed and that the value Of the thes
os64 win be credited upon the lax Of per cent laid
BY the late act on all such property for this year.
There Is close connection between the tax a.d cur
rency scs The primary object In each is the reduc-
ton of the present volume Of the currency Secondary
10 this are the supply of fuads for government use and
of articles Of subsistence to considerable extent To
accomplish all these purposes 1t is not improbable that
Congress will decide that the tax upon Agriculturiss
shah be paid at the time named for the payment OF all
the taxes this year. TIE tax Get provides that these
taxes with some exceptions required earlier shall be
paid Ton the frs day of June next or as soon there
after as practicable" That is that none of these taxes
shall be called for before the fist day of June; but
Al. of them throughout the country cannot possibly be
paid on that day, each payer must be in readi-
ness to do so alter that date the collectors in their
circuits reach them. Il Is clear that of the tithes
Of the crop of 1854 can be delivered within the period
named nor all Of them, as for instance tobacco for
many months after. It can scarcely be the In
tenon Of the 10 allow class of payers that ex-
tension Of time in paying their taxes, especially so IN
certain tax as the 1.-THE tax both in lis amount and
i.s schedule value. Il may reach in value lrCm the
smallest fractional part up to the entire amount Of the
per cent tax Il is, therefore, very likely that Con
gress intended and win affirm in Nay that the agri
cultural tax shall be paid in notes or bonds at the same
time Is the other taxes. Congress may further allow
is payment in provisions at that time in anticipation Of
hss and to be credited upon them according TO sche
duls rates to Eueh extent the payer may be dis
posed to tender them AID when the thes are subSe-
auenty delivered the payer viii be refunded 50 much
Of his tax a. Is equal to the tohsdue value Of these
tshes or be credited at bis election, with the value Of
his tit es against future taxes.
The amount Of the agricultural tax is variOusY es-