Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-05-05
y RUTLAND VT THURSDAY MORNING. MAY S. 1864


| frontier presents wide field for sucl
operations, and il will, even with wha-
: we propose to do, require a reinforce
ment Of the revenue officers all along the
line Tobacco is raised in every state
By our reciprocity treaty we are oblig-
ed 10 receive all the tobacco the growth
of the British American colonies, free of
duty. In the past that has not been
much, but the present high price may
bring it forth within the year. IL will
be seen, therefore, that our path in
this direction is hedged about with diff
culties. II the requirements of the Ca
madam treasury should induce their pre-
sent government, as 1t is not unlikely,
TO advance the duties on spirituous Ii
quors Hoe TO the same point or nearly
that, which we fix upon here, one article
as liable TO debauch the smuggler
as the man who uses it, would be of
equal value on both sides of the line
and present no temptations to Illicit
traffic. The Committee of Ways and
Means have, therefore, upon a view of
the subject in all its relations, proposed
a duty on the ordinary spirits of the
country, not of five per cent. ad valorem,
as upon other articles, but of five hun
| dred per cent upon its average value. or
one half the rates charged in England
That is to say, 81 from July to next
January, and after that 81 25 per gal
Ion. This is a heavy duty, but the
country win be hardly satisfied with
less. 0 .a.. aa N-Hl8
Upon tobacco, lafter being manufac-
tured, the rates proposed are thirty-tive
cents per pound for line cut, and thirty
cents per pound for plug, cavendish and
all other descriptions, save smoking to-
bacco made of stems, which is placed at
ten cents per pound. Cigars and snuff
are charged at much higher rates than
heretofore. 1t is believed that with the
new provisions i'm relation to these arti-
cles we may now enforce the collection
OF the duties, and thus protect the hon
est manufacturer by hunting down those
who would live by robbing the govern
ment IL Tobacco raising were confined
to narrow limits, or if it were raised so
extensively that the government could
afford to establish warehouse in every
district, county or town, then undoubt-
edly the duty could be more efectually
toliNtttu otl NopdCSo +" ttE NUT. 10 90
so now might cost the govern
ment either more than the tax, or
subject those who cultivate it to so
much Inconvenience in carrying their
tobacco to distant warehouses to
be inspected and assessed that they
would abandon its culture.
Petroleum and coal oil have had
long and patient examination. 1t is
deemed certain that the world affords
nothing so cheap for Illuminating pur-
poses. Whether it is inexhaustible or
not timelalone will reveal. In the oil
region the prospectors do not always
succeed, and when they do after boring
several hundred feet into the earth the |
petroleum bursts forth like the geysers
in Iceland and then often soon tires of |
its subterranean labors, when pump is |
applied to the well, and, although it
still yields something, the magic and |
profit diminish and sometimes subside |
altogether. When brought into use in |
1859 the product was about one million |
gallons. In 1868 it reached to almost |
sixty million gallons, one half of which |
was consumed IN this country and the |
remainder exported. There is some di-
versity of opinion whether the duty
should be levied on the crude and no |
drawback be allowed, or on the refined, !
or on both with drawback. As there |
is some doubt about it the committee
of ways and means have determined to
propose tax only upon the refined as
heretofore. This will be most accepta-
BILE to a majority of all parties, will be
most easily collected of the refiners and |
will not disturb our export trade, mat
ter of some importance while so large |
importations of foreign goods are so
eagerly received and for which payment
must be made.
Having doubled the duty on refined |
coal oil, an increase upon gas compan- |
les and upon lard oil has been made |
nearly in the same ratio.
Upon telegraphic dispatches it is pro-
posed to abolish stamps and to tax the
gross receipts of the business for the
reason that stamp duties upon dispatch
es cannot well be equitably rated, nor is
there any simple mode of detection |
whether used or not. The war adds |
very greatly to the profits of telegraph |
companies, and there is no business
VhiNh Wouih dppOdI uCtlCl dUlc W COLI
tribute proper share of revenue.
While licenses have been further ex- |
tended, it has not been so much for rev.
enue as to fix and locate the trade, bust
ness, or profession of all parties, and to
protect them respectively therein but |
the present bill is so embracing
so nearly everybody and everybodys
wife-that it will yield large revenue
even from licenses. There has seemed
to be some injustice in requiring the
same amount for the licenses of banker
who employs capital of only $4,000
as of one who employs 81 ,0O0,0OO and we
have, therefore, proposed that they shall
pay progressively in proportion to the
capital used or employed, including
banks of all descriptions as well as
bankers. A similar principle has been
applied to wholesale merchants. Those
whose sales are large will be required to
pay more than those whose sales are
limited. 1t is true that the income tax
at last reaches the merchant as it does
all other classes, and if his sales and
profits have been large, his tax is in pro-
portion but less fortunate neighbor
is hardly content tn nav tho same for q