The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-19
THE TOBACCO TAX AGAIN.

TIE TOBACCO TAX AGAIN.
"Then II 'twere done, twere well 'twere done
quickly"
Ever on the alert to employ our pen and |
tongue in the advancement of the material |
interests and industries of our State, and |
kindly approaching the encouragement
which fair and benefcient legislation-local
and national-exerts in promoting the well
fare and developing the resources of this
great old Commonwealth, we have already
devoted considerable time and space to the
consideration and discussion of this subject,
and have expressed as briefly and pointed
ly as we could, our views and conclusions.
But of such paramount Importance is this
great branch Of our industry, and so vital
are the consequences resulting from pro-
| posed legislation, that we are induced to re-
sumo its consideration; and if we can as
sist, even to limited extent, in correcting
or modifying the present odious-
because unjust and discriminating laws
and regulations, which promise golden har-
vests and returns to the slime cut' branch
of the trade, at the expense of humiliation
to the "plug" interest, it will have been
labor of love, and our reward ample.
And here we take occasion to remark,
that our surprise has been very great at the
course pursued heretofore by the plug
manufacturers. Notwithstanding the fact,
that they represented the largest, wealthiest
and most important branch of the trade,
both in numbers and in capital, they have
been reduced into an alliance under an as
ISOLATION denominated, captiyatingly, as a
National one, whose every action and re-
commentator has been adverse to them in
effect and result. Possessing as they UNI
questionably do, community of interest,
they have utterly failed in exhibiting that
directness of purpose, and unity of action,
SO indispensably necessary to their success
and existence; and the result is that they
have permitted themselves to be out
voted and oyerruled in their DELHI
erations by their active, united and COM
pact associates, who selfishly demand a
discriminating rate Of tax upon the same
Identical article, prepared in reality for the
same identical purpose. Whilst the men
who represent the plug interest have been
quarreling and wrangling among them
selves, as to what course should be pur-
sued, their sharp-witted, active and con-
centrated rivals, by ingenious sophistry in
some cases and palpable Misrepresentation
in others, have shaped and moulded the
entire legislation upon the subject. 1t is
only recently that they Cthe plug mem
agreed upon anything sensible and judicious
among themselves, and this is discernable
| in their just and reasonable demand of
Congress for uniformity. Heretofore, they
not only clamored for this, but insisted
upon fixing the rate too-a proposition to
which the ''fine cut" representatives
seemed willing to assent; but whether this
assent was hearty and sincere, may be con-
sdered as very questionable, as the exist
ing discrimination was fast enrichng them,
but leaving the others ''poor indeed"
So manifestly unjust and prejudicial is
this great discrimination of sixteen cents
per pound, that it seems to us to need only a
: statement of it to make the dullest Democrat
even, upon the floors of Congress, compre-
bend it, and labor to rectify it, though it
involved for once departure from this alb
surd free trade theory. We gladly well
coined the agitation of this subject when it
commenced, because it presented the fullest
opportunity of demonstrating the equity,
justice, and necessity of uniformity in the
rate of tax I; and we are glad to know that
some of our effective and vigilant represent
tatives in Congress are actively and inces-
sanity exerting themselves in furtherance
of so fair and square a settlement of
; the controversy. Believing that he is
"thrice armed who hath his quarrel just"
we trust they will prove successful in their
efforts to secure satisfactory modification
of this (at present. class and discriminating
legislation. The danger which we foresee,
and against which we desire to warn them,
is that in attempting to follow the ignis
. tdtarus of sixteen cents per pound tax,
: thrown out by the fine-cut interest, they
: may Re misunderstanding out after too
! much, they may lose all--grasping after
the shadow, the substance may vanish.
What the rate shall be is subordinate
gst Of the entire question in all its relations
and bearings is to secure uniformity. Far
better, and more just, to have the rate
1 In h.t.. -, all