, 1873-12-29

Tho panic commenced gu tho 18th OF Soptcm-
bor, md forthwith tho thrifty officers Of tho
Internal Hovonue sot their wits to work to study
up now plnns Of tnxation. Two methods wero
open to them. Ono WAS to recommend tue re-
enactment OF tnxca which layo bcou repealed.
This waa alow, Us It required tho nasont Of Con-
greaa. Another was to 20 ovor tho existing laws
with bnocu1ar microscope, and geo If there was
not room for now construction in ao,ne placo,
whereby moro tnxcR could bo gotten ont Of q
given source Of revenue than anybody ovor
tlroanlol OF. Tlua did not require tho ASCENT of
Congress-. It waB u moro matter OF dacrotiou
with tho Commissioner.
It was found, after much investigation, tlat
additional taxoa might bo impoHod upon inyalids,
without tho action Of Congress. Cripplos are
supposed to DO loss ablo to l,olp themselves thau
other people; consequently moro suitable Hub-
tocts Of taxation. Accordingly ruling was
1nado, Oct. !, TINT oil medical compounds pre-
pared according to any formula, private or pub
lie, and sold by druggists, should be liable to
stamp duty. Included in this ruling are solalitz
powders, Dovor's powders, EPSON salts, cod
liver OIL citrate OF magnesla. opololdoc,
spirits OF camphor Itch ointment, md the
whole fist Of preparations aud compounds
embraced in the United States Dispen-
satorv which overy druggist keeps On
land In convenient parcels, in order TO avoid de-
lay In serving his customers. The tax is cont
on each package valued at 25 cents or lesy, and
l cent for each additional 25 cents, or fraction
thereof. Common belly.acho, durable with 10
cents' worth Of cpper1nint-arops, is taxed
cont. Pulmonary complaints aro taxed cents
on each bottle Of cod-liver oil Coughs corns,
itch. chilbains, worme, cramps, rheumatism, and
tho wloio list Of petty disorders tor which The
patient treats hinself with woli-known remedles..
arc taxoa from ! cent upward, according to
tho obstinacy Of tho complaint, and tho amount
Of powders, pills, dropa, lotions, or ealvo, needed
to cure them. The tax docs not embrace
prescriptions Of physicians, nor medicines un-
compounded, or sold By weight or moaaure-
tho law could not DO enlarged Tor belittled) to
cover these. It applies, as already stated to
familiar proparations, not patented or secret.
ho!u W uFubHIHlb hQQ 6tOTC-AeepGTH IN DQ[tlce,
boxes, and packets. During tho moat trying
periods Of the war, when taxation was pushed to
ita uttermost limits, nobody thought t. a:ng
blue pilla, corate, solltz powders, or paragoric.
It has been reserved for the Jay Cooke panic to
call forth this wontrous financial oxpedicnt, to
reinforce aud roplonish tho forty.tour million
reserve.
We venture to aay tlat not ono member Of tho
United States Congress ever drcamol that 10
was voting for such contemplate tux oa this
The best reason for supposing TINT no such tax
WAS contemplated. is found in tho fact that tho
Commissioner himself did not discover it till tho
| 1at Of October, 1873. It ia Hafc to say further
that, If anybody had proposed such tax on the
floor OF Congress, it would havo beon overwhelm-
ingly voted down, aud that, II anybody should
| NOW propose it, 1t would 10 voted down. What
right has the Commissioner to construo into law
taxes which ho must know we're cc7er intended
to bo cnaoted2 Whit is the difference between
that and usurpation Of tho law-making power
| Was tax on sore thumbs tho measure Of his
ability as fiscal agent Of tie Government in a
! financial crisis