The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-08

Internal Revenue decided that in order to
have these stamps placed upon the packages.
they must be paid for at their face value
This amounted to second payment of tax
on certain kinds of goods. When the matter
was represented in its proper light a modia.
cation of the law was made, and in April Last
a new bill was passed, which provided for the
refunding of this second tax on all tobacco
and cigars that could be proved to have paid
the first tax.
The law as it now stands although it is still
onerous, is considered to be as lust and eoui-
table as any that can be obtained or desired in
face of the fact that it is absolutely necessary
to raise large revenue by direct taxation
There is no doubt that the association can
materially advance the interests of the tobacco
trade in Philadelphia if all who are engaged
in the manufacture and sale of the article will
heartily cooperate for the common good,
having in view the elevation of the Tobacco
Trade Association of Philadelphia" to the DO
sition among our commercial associations that
its wealth and Importance demand.
THE GRAND JURY PRESEN7,NENT
OK Saturday the Grand Jury for the Nav
term of the Court of Oyer and Terminer and
Quarter Sessions made their final present
ment in document of much interest. They
visited the Penitentiary, House of Refuge.
County Prison, Almshouse, Girard College.
and other public institutions, and in general
terms commend the manner in which they are
managed by the officers in charge. The evils
resulting from the crowded state of the
County Prison, which prevents the laws from
being rigidly complied with, and the outrageous
character Of our present aldermanic system,
which practically places the people of this
city under despotism at once irresponsible
and onerous, are commented upon in forcible
terms.
The citizens of Philadelphia are accustomed
to the discussion of these subjects; they have
had it dinned into their ears repeatedly
that the establishment of House of Correc-
tion is absolutely necessary for the relief of
the County Prison and for the check of crime
and pauperism; the outrageous practices of
the many of the aldermen, by which innocent
persons are imprisoned on insubstantial and
often no evidence at all, not unfrequently
too at the instigation of the real criminals,
have been commented upon again and again.
At every term of the court the Judges charge
the Grand Jury, and the Grand Jury go the
rounds and make their presentment setting
forth the matters that ought to be reformed
The newspapers discuss the Judges charge and
the Grand Jury's report, and sometim rs
Councils become sufficiently interested to get
up quite an animated debate, in which some
of the members display no little oratorical
ability; and matters continue to go on just as
they have done for years, without any real
effort being made to bring about an improve
ment. The Judges, the Grand Jury, and the
newspapers have all done their duty in discuss
ing these subjects and in forcing them upon
the attention of the public. 1t now remains
for the lawmakers to do something besides
talking, and Councils and the Legislature
ought to be forced by the voice of public
opinion to take up these matters and make a
decided effort to reform our whole alderman;o
system, and to give us House
of Correction, where the loafers
and vagabonds who infest the community will
be forced to work for their living. 1t is an
outrage that any citizen may be committed
to prison. and allowed to lie there often for
weeks at time, because an alderman wishes
to pocket commitment fee, and it is equally
an outrage that parcel of shiftless vagabonds
should be allowed to gravitate between Bed
ford street, the Almshouse and the County
Prison, supported at the public expense, with
out being forced to earn their living. There
is no necessity why these evils should be
allowed to exist and reform can be effected
if the effort is made