The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-30
CITY INTELLIGENCE,

lAAES ON llTBRATURE.-lu6 DOOk publishers
of Philadelphia, New York, and Boston have
held meeting and appointed committee to pro-
cure from Congress either the repeal of the direct
tax on books, or such an equalization Of the
taxes, that printers, bookbinders, and all others
concerned in the production of a book, shall pay
their share of the tax on the complete volume.
As the law now stands books, bound and ready
for sale, are taxed five per cent. ad vaOrem.
Previous to that, there have been taxes on paper,
on pastebOard, on binders board, on gold leaf,
on glue, on leather, on engrayings, on
everything else that enters into the COM
position Of book, besides licenses for
various persons engaged in the manufacture
thereof. Atop Of this comes the general tax of
five per cent, which the publishers think is pilng
it on little too much. lt is a fact TO be proud
Of, that while the North is carrying on the great.
est war Of modern times its citizens still find
leisure, and have the inclination, 10 write pub
lish, and read books on every conceivable topic
that ever interested a highly civilized race. The
sale OF books, on the whole, has not been SO good
as it was before the war; while the scale of prices,
until quite recently has but little more than suf-
feed to Temunerate publishers,
1t is not on the ground Of an appreciation Of
their deserts that the repeal of the general tax on
books should be urged but simply because it
would 10 some extent increase the publication and
sale Of books. II is good policy, as a general
principle for liberal Governments to place no
more restrictions than are absolutely necessary
MYSTERIES OF THE Income TAx.-Few persons
appreciate the hol0wness Of the boasted wealth of
this great city nor can they fully believe it until
they peruse the returns to the Commissioners OF
Internal Revenue. The intelligent conductor OF
peanut stand and the heenterprising individual who
sells twelve sheets Of writing paper for four cents
will be surprised to find that in substantial pecu-
mary resources they stand on the same level with
many of our milIiOnures. We find opulent FAINT
lies living on an income which would not pay
their servants wages and individuals high in
commercial and financial circles conducting an
apparently prosperous business for net profit
which would not pay half their Office rent.
One man, who was supposed 10 have an income
Of over one hundred thousand dollars, from un-
incumbeIed real estate, lives like an English
nObeman, on about tWCnty-eigLt hundred dol
lars per year; and another supports a luxurious
toWn-house and county place, on the prOdigOu8
! income of ninety eight collars and two cents,
from which Is 20 be deducted the sum OF two
dollars and ninety four cents for his bleeding
| country. Such thriit and executive capacity are
unsurpassed in ancienJ or modern times, and
they place many OF our felOw-citzens high
above that celebrated individual Of antiquity,
who was detected haying a parasite for his
oCaginous deposit and Cutcle. These records OF
he Commissioners Of Internal Revenue are
like the grave they are great Jewellers:
"Tlere side by side,
Tho poor man and the son Of pride
Lie calm and stll.'
Occasionally one sees a conscientious monu.
mGnt or siliueuce, hut the great bulk are there
buried with a stake at their head unrecorded
and unknown, except with the brief inscription
Of ''not a cent"
SELLING LIQUOR ON SUNDAYS AND TO MINORS
Otto GUttken, the proprietor OF tavern Al
Bridcsburg, has been held to answer the charge
Of selling liquor 70 minors, and also with selling
nc same on sunday.
FoUNDLNG.-A male infant about two weekl
old was placed on the doorsteps of dwelling
at No. 1913 S. Third street, last night.
SKATNG,-The cold snap Of last night made
excellent skating this morning at the Philadelphia
Skating Park, Thirty-irst and Walnut streets,