Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-02-28
Ibe government have GOT s2S 900 600

the whisky prices have got $4,000, 900,
The struggle now Is to ptotect honest
men, II any can be found, who may en-
gage In the business, aud TO punish
witha pitiless impartiality all OF any
other sort.
Among other measures it is proposed
10 raise the special tax from 800 to
$500. While 1t Is known that many
small sized distllerles are at work, con-
cealed 10 garrets, cellars, and remote
places, II is also known that distilleries
which are duly authorized practice lit
tie integrity beyond paying the special
license, but flnd an outlet for the largest
quantities of the contraband article. II
the number OF distilleries can be d.
minished we shall undoubtedly diminish
the sources of fraud, and an Increase OF
the special tax is step in the right d.
recti0n.
We raised last year from distilled
spirits, $40 18857S Is. If we had col
lected on the full amount consumed 1t
would have been perhaps S9O,OOOlOOO or
over.
The tax on sugar made from the
sugar-Cane 1t is proposed to reduce TO
one uniform rate OF one cent per pound.
All other sugars being exempt it may,
without examination, seem that this is
sectional and unfair, but when we ex-
anime into the facts and find that we
import of competing sugars about nine
huudrtd million pounds, from which we
derive more than twentyti five million
dollars Of revenue, and thus protect
Louisiana sugars by duty of three and
four times the amount of tax, the charge
of secLonaism and injustice at once
vauishes. True, we might de more but
it would be unjust that Louisiana and
Texas should do less. by the untaith-
fulness of Louisiana and other States we
were involved in an expensive war to
put down the rebellion, and now our
own loyal people submit to an unusual
tax of never less than three cents per
pound on all the sugar they consume,
while the people Of Louisiana and
Texas, though subjected to a tax OF one
cent per pound on the sugar they pro-
duCe receive as compensation an addl-
ton of not less than three cents to the
price of all they sell by virtue OF the
facts already rtcited. The sugar bust
siness of the South is surprisingly
profitable, and immensely more profit
able than 1t would have been had
we not been compelled to adopt the
high tariff on sugars. The prices which
must prevail will stimulate production
largely. Southern sugar planters have
no cause of complaint, and could much
better afford to pay the isternaI tax OF
one cent than to see the tariff reduced to
one cent per pound.
Nor have we proposed to change the
tax on cotton. This is about the only
considerable tax we collect in the South,
and l fear not one half of this is &C
tually collected. We collected last year
from all sources in the ten States which
rebelled $20599,749 05 bat from New
England, New York, Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, nine States only, We collect
ed $170876 26, and from nine Western
States-Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mich
igan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Min
nesota, and Kansas-we collected s54,-
256,662, 80.
But for the great crime of the South
no tax on cotton whOuld have been re-
quired, and now it is very certain that
upon what goes abroad foreigners are
paying the lions share OF the tax,
and as much the largest amount of the
remainder is consumed in the loyal States,
ultimately Southern planters are very
lightly charged. What is sold to 90
abroad is undoubtedly enhanced in price
by reason of the tax, but exactly %
what extent must at present remain uu-
determined. Should the tax ever be
found oppressive to loyal men 1t will
be repealed. The cotton mills OF the
South were seldom buster or more
probably employed, and new mills are
constantly springing up. Only last
week ] saw notice of twelve mills in
operation in South Carolina. The time
when the South, with the provision in
relation to the drawbacks on manu-
featured goods In force, will be likely to
insist upon the perpetuatiOn of all our
laws intact on this subject may be as
sumed to be not more distant than the
time of repeal. Other countries have
been stimulated by eXtraOr iinary prices
To increase their production, and with
some success, but not much more than
equal to the increase Of the worlds con-
sumption, which appears to be growing
with marvellous rapidity. The price
also remains dear,
"His residence in Louisiana mas had
the same effect upon him which he tells
US, it has has upon all Northern Dem
oerats who have gone down there and
tried it. He assures US that bad as are
the reports that reach US from that re.
gionr nothing but personal experience
and observation can convey any adj
equate conception Of the yirulcnt hos
tiIity Of the rebels to the government
and to Union men, or OF the daily cruel.
ties and expressions which are every.
where visited upon white Unionists and
colored men. He says that the life of
no Northern man who preserves the
slightest sem DlanCe of Union sentiment.
is safe for single day in any part of
Louisiana, unless he goes armed for self
protection, and associates with others
for self defence.
He is convinced, as the result Of his
observations, that the lives and property
Of loyal men, white or black, can be
made secure In no other way than bv