The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-12-10

The protest Of the Tobacco Manufacturer Con-
vention which has Just concluded q two days
sion in this city, against the ycIatons and e1cos.
sivc duties 10 which their interests subjected,
illustrate the bluhders q the present nosy stem Of
taxation and finance which have dnod up the
sources Of our national revenue. Our Legislators
having observed that tobacco in it's various forms
OF manufacture was an article Of universal con-
sumption, iul 70 .Icd that they had found placer
Of taxation, and sirsightway proceeded to
taI all the interests connected with the business 10
. manner tb., defosted tie very object In view.
The capital fault committed OF taxing the arti-
Gle in every branch and stage Of production, and
the producers or laborers were assessed and
hsupercd 30 intoersbly that the trade was pa IL
csly paralyzed. In tic first plsee the act OF June
90, LJi, levied duty of thirty fave cents pound
upon tobsoco from which the stem Ii taken out In
whole or in part. On smoking tobao, o, with tho
stems, and Gne cut shorts the ratio twenty Ave
cents . pound and upon tobacco made up
wholly Of stems iteen cents . pound.
On hne chewing tobacco thirty five cents pound
was levied. On cigars and cigarettes heavy rates
wore imposed. Cigarettes were charged accoid-
ing to value, from dollar per hundred packages
were charged eight, 6f;een, twenty-five and forty
dollars thousand, according 10 value. To prevent
fraud, for which extra rd.nary temptations were
held out by these txtrAvsgant rates, . set Of the
most veIatious restrictions wsro imposed upon
the workmcn. They were requred-msle aud
hemAle-to take out licenses and renew
them periodically, and always upon changing
their places Of employment. ANY person making
cigars without . permit was Liable to imprisou-
mcnt Every cigar maker was required 10 keep
correct account Of the number and quality OF tho
cigars Manufactured, and other rules were insu-
tutod with the etfoct Of practically strungng tho
goose that laid tho golden egg. The scgar Makers
were thrown out OF work driven to new occu-
pationS and the most profitable and prosI erous
trade in New York and In the Uniiei States WAS
brought 10 . stand still. This result forctold
81 the time by the SuS, which opposed the measure
upon principle until Il bacamo apparent that rea-
son snd Argument woud be thrown AWAY upon
our legislators. We pointed out In the first place
that production should be left wholly untouched.
and that in any case AVIATION beyond certain limits
Of say thirty Per cent. OF the value OF the articles
taxed ceased 10 be productive.
The result nbundanuy JUS, Ges the correctness
~ ""' l'"s''H' 'eNe Nofe ufNuklk out ~ tlc
iuhacconists' Convention winch have an important
tearing upon tie whole theory and practice 4
taxation. Il was proved that while homes, manu-.
facturors were Compelled 70 close their business
the moal extraordinary inducements were held out
10 fraud and Imposition. 1t WAS stated thA,
wo mon working In a room and making
Jnly two thousand SCARS ' oek, c uld,
by svading tho duties, obtain a. -. AN.
tage of eighty dollars week over the resu.
lar manufacturer, fact Of thls kind is worth a
whole volume OF Arguments IN esta .shins tho in.
utility Of excessive !mposis upon any article Of
commerce. More than this, Il exposes the absurd
ity Of tho whole syrtcm Of taxing produc rs IN the
first place, instead d consumers.
The relief asked tor . the Tobacconrs'C nven
Gon Ia reasonable enough; hut the Attemp. 4
throw the burden Of taxation, Of which they com
plain, farther back upon the producers by q TAX o
twenty Ave cents pound upon tobacco In the loa
will only intensity the evil in another shape. Th
producing classes are not so well able TO bea
tar upon the leaf as the tobacconists are able /,
hear the taxes upon cigars in the various PRO
cesses Of manufacture. The transfer adopted will
simply dry up tho supply little nearer IL
sources. Last year total Of 4Ss, 800 TIL pounds
tobacco raised In this country, but 20 one cal
maine thst this amount would be Fus,aine,