The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-31
Important to LiquOr.Dea.crs-Ohie c-
lions TO the Stamp-Tax Oh Liquors
Considered

S0HSfECEfNs
To the Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch:
AS objection chiefly has been made to
tie bill recently reported Oh flvorably by
T. e Finance Committee Of both House and
Senate in regard 10 il stamp-taX Of thirty
cents per gallon on the wholesale of ardent
spirits that it would drive the business to Bal
timore and other cities propose to review
briefly this objection. In section 4th, as re-
ported, it says: "Di>tilIerS, rcciiGcrs, and
IMPORTERS of spirits in this State are bercby
prohibited from selling any clsk or package
Of distilled spirits Of less quantity than five
gallons and upwards Of utStampcd spirits
except to wholesale dealers; and wholesale
dealers are herein prohibited from buying
and selling any package Of spirits OF less
than five gallons, and retail dealers are
hereby prohibited from selling rs such retail
dealers any distilled spirits except such Us
are stamped"
How eau this objection have any force
when here is an express prohibition on all
importers Of spirits, come from whatever
quarter outside the State they may, from
selling any quantity Of five gallons and up
wards Of spirits which has not Eirginia's
stamp except to wholesale dealers. Un-
stamped spirits, by the seventh section OF
the act, are required to 60 into a bond
ell warehouse Though that bonded ware
house is Il certain part Of every whole
sale dealers store Or place Of business
set apart for unstaInped spirits, and there
remain until the wholesale dealer sells it to
a customer in the State, when he has the
Stae stamp of soc. put on the cask and can
celled? Should lie sell to PARTY out of the
State he ships the same uuSiamped in bond;
III OF which is provided for in the 22d see
| ton of, the bill. And should the wholesale
dealer desire 10 snip out of the limits of the
state any liquor which has been stamped
with Firgina's stamp lie can do SO under
the provisions of this bill with 4 drawback
of the amount of the tax paid.
There can, therefore, hc no valid objection
on the part OF distilIcrS or rectiiiers OF
spirits made in this State. or importers OF
liquors from adjoining States, to the proyi-
Sions Of this bill, for it fixes no State tax on
then in either character of distilcr, rcctiticr,
or importer
Iu regard to wholesale dealers, in whose
bands the State proposes to levy thirty cehts
per gallon: while they are thus made the
subjects Of the tax they are authorized to
hold their stocks Of distilled spirits in bond
until they make sale OF same; aud while they
their bill for the cost OF stamp against the
purchaser with the other. They are not even
required to advance the tax to the state
They are, in other words, but the machinery
through which the State collects the fax into
her Treasury.
In regard to retail dealers: they are in no
sense the subjects Of this revenue law pro.
yidcd they buy stamped liquors; and what is
Of especial note to this very large class OF
our citizens, they get rid of the present law,
| which lcyies five per cent. on their retail
| sales, and that more odious feature requiring
them to disclose under oath their business t
others competing with them for success il
the same community. The retail dealer vii
be enabled to make one hundred per cent
on the amount of the wholesale tax Of thirt,
cents, inasmuch as he will add one cent Al
least to each drink in consequence of thi;
stamp.taX, which will amount to double the
| tax. 80. ,eu
The proposed law, instead of operating
| OH 4 1000 10 5000 men in the State, as thu
present law, will be brought To bear on les:
than 500 III the entire State.
1t is not ainenable to the objection that i
creates any new burden on the people of til,
State, but occupies portion only Of thu
field abandoned by the Federal Government
which is Sl.30 per gallon-thc Federal tas
being zoe. per gallon now, instead Of 81 a
formerly. g3..~.I -
1t will. moreover, bring large revenue
into tire Treasury OF the State without i'm
posing any further burdens on the landet
and visible property ofethe State-the con
sumption OF spirits in the State being 2, 400,
600 gallons, which at SOC. per gallon vii
bring $4,000.
| Afurther stamp-tax Is proposed On all forms
of written contracts except bank-checks
drafts md orders, and articles in schedule
| G, and on these excepted articles as soon as
the Federal Government shall abandon che
field to the State; which, it is hoped, VIII be
lat the next session of Congress.
- Respectfully, W.P b.