Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-16

the payment OF any internal TAX. III IL WerS
possible to ascertain with any precision the tax
paid on other materials when manufactured
tor expectation, cotton, for
ample, upon leather or iron we should consider
it unquestionably wise to refund the full amount
paid
Exports Of the Manufactures of Cotton
1858 $S,0lS 652
1886 65S3 l09
1860 5,14l ,044
1868 95i $50
lS65 7o4 ,76l
The largest export trade We have ever known
of the man fractures of cotton in 1858,
when it a trihe over eight million dollars
but in Consequence of the low-priced Surat
cotton and the lower-priced labor OF Europe, it
has steadily declined since hat time, anC during
the late nearly ceased not reaching ) 600,
900 in 1865. Pass The present law, however,
and we shall speedily have restored TO Ameri-
can manufacturers and Amer merchants the
full amount OF the foreign trade We ever
joyed, and in due time country will assume
that supremacy in the cotton trade OF the world
to which it is legitimately entitled.
The system of irvyIng a upon home
manufactures would never have been dreamed
of but tor the grave necessities of the hour.
Our Treasury exhausted people
unused to paying taxes; large party among our
people not IN harmony with ne idea OF
maintaining the Union al all hazards and at any
cost loans ST hDme could only be obtained at
first in little drbets among foreign nations,
| with aristocraciss every where dominant, 1t was
an mex prsssIoie Joy tor the organs OF public
opinions to speak OF our country the late
/ United States :" among them ali there no
/ Lous XVI 10 send or - lend
dollar, or 10 bid US God speed in the task
! Of pu ting down rebellion the most wicked IN
( Of ind. nd a linz Ia,
war, bat great war-such as our country must
and will always wage, ii II wages a2y, OF linn
/ liable proportions mad already begu7.
Under these circumstances We glrded up our
loins and became seIf-reliant-4lone but indie
pendent-snd built up The credit Of the great
American Republic IN the hearts of our
people made them and fell that it would
be safe TO trust IT by seeking otjects of taxation
which would yield promptly and yield aound-
antly.
Inc experiment proved success. During the
whole term of the il borne by man
facturers and by our whole people, not only
without complaint, but absolutely without inJu-
~, for it is even doubtful whether they en-
! joyed a season of greater prosperity. The law
was new, and therefore NOS polished and per-
fected by experience or revision, but first put
into operation by tue distinguished gentleman
| from Massachusetts, (Mr. BoutwelD L at once
vindicated the propriety Of its principles and
| policy.
Often amended subsequently in Consequence
of the ncreaslng wants OF the rreasury-bear-
ing the misfortune of frequent changes, too, in
its chief administrative oftcers-it soon brought
forth most bountIful supplies aud disclosed
source of uneqused magnitude that can be used
in any sufficiently urgent crisis, and which Is an
ample requta, rendered at the hour OF our
greatest need, for all the protection, direct or
indirect, ever bestowed upon the produces of
domestic industry. Withou. these products of
free people We should have been weak as
toes, and, If not vanquished. We should have
retired after single indetermnate campaign.
To illustrate the wonderful tecundity OF a
tax ON manufactures take but single instance:
the little stamp tax OF cent upon each
box of matches produced last year about iii
teen hundred thousand dollars, or enough TO
arm, transport, and keep IN the field, fifteen
hundred men. And this tax had not only to
contend with the stocks on hand but for some
time with extensive fraudulent importations.
Tee tax may be expected to produce much
more hereafter.
But now tine duties of peace return, and
we must simplify our laws, reduce the bur
, dens OF tax payers 30 far AS possible, and
cheaper the cost OF living. All cannot be
done at once We shall, do the best we can 2,
leave something to be done by the next Con-
gress and by future Commissioners OF Reeve
| hoO' Ae jill S"A y NY SPiAA'o, AAo1' i'4oNASJ
, tobacco, cigars, cotton, stamp taxes, AMI per-
haIs 8 small number of other objects it is to
be hoped, with custom duties, Will afford rev
enue commensurate with all the wants OF The
Government The fixed economy of ali civil
} hzad nations requiring large revenues appears
} TO be II squeeze cut o. those articles consld-
} ered IuxurIes by IN ,nkind-or which sus-
D tain and soothe but never slake habits de-
} plored by good everywhere-the largest
sums which the most stringent laws will secure
D and our practice In this respect from this time
forward should doubtless conform to that OF
} the world. Some changes are now proposed
relative to tobacco and cigars, concerning the
utility OF which L have serious doubts. L feaI
D the door which for the past year seemed effec-
: tualy clohed will be again opened 20 iraudu-
lent practices, and that the revenue as we'll al
= the honest dealer will suffer. Still we mus,
, not be deaf to any we'll founded complaints OF
the people. l know that gentlemen, fol
, whose opinions and wishes l have great re-
spect, FRI u districts where low priced tobacco
. is produced, find their people clamorous fol
> grading the tax according to values. On the
face of it the claim would seem to be just
, But l am told by officers connected with the
!, administration of the internal revenue laws
, that the law as it row stands ID working well
and that the tax on smoking tobacco should
not be reduced. Experts believe that any
fair discrimination cannot be honestly en-.
forced, and the loss to the Treasury may pt
large. The tobacco growing and manufactur.
ing interest, it is true, has been and Is now
, greatly depressed, but not SO much on account
OF the form or amount OF the tax as on account
{ = of the influx of untaxed tobacco which flowed
into our markets upon the cessation OF thu
! rebellion and 1t may be added, too, that Oul
n tariff upon foreign cigars is much zoo low.
The bill propose 10 wholly exempt from
taxation many articles, and to largely reduct
| it upon others, and among these will b foUnG