The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-02-25
Hear Both Sides.
From the FREDERICKSBURG Herald
PROPOSED TAX ON LIoUoE-MERCHANTS.

4 FHOFUSED IAA ON
The revenues of the State must be aug.
mented from some quarter if the faith Of the
State is to be kept inyiolate. Every legiti'
| mate subject must bear its fair proportion OF
taxation, even though it be somewhat griev.
Gus and onerous; but in levyiDg the tariff
let it be as just and equitable as the circum-
stances of the case Wlladmit OF.
There are two propositions now pending
| before the Legislature, both of which bear
directly on the liquor interest OF the State.
That in the Senate proposes speclhc tax on
all that shall be consumed in the State, esti-
mated at 200, 900 gallons, which, at thirty
cents gallon (us is suggested, will yield
S750,00O Of revenue.
The other proposition is to raise S30O,0O
levied as special licenSe-tax-ViZ., $3.50 for
wholesale, 500 for retail dealers, &c.
The PRINCIPLE recognized in the Senate
bill is one that will prove far less burden
some and work far less injury to the Vir-
pinia dealer than the proposition Of the
Finance Committee of the House.
In the one case, all the liquor that is made
in the State, or brought into the State to lie
consumed in the State, will be equitably
taxed; whilst In the other case the whole
sale dealer who lives in the State is subjected
to an onerous tax, which the outside dealer
who completes with him for the trade does
not pay.
The trade area of Baltimore extends all
over Piedmont, the Valley, and Underwater
Virginia probably not over less than the
half and that the largest customer-half, of
Virginia. Now, how can the wholesale dealer
in any Virginia city or large town compete
successfully with the dealer in Baltimore,
who pays no tax in Virginia, whilst the Viz
ginia wholesale dealer pays most onerous
tax? Let it be borne in mind that avenues
of approach to Baltimore, and all other
northern markets from Northern Virginia
offer themselves to the Virginia consumer
for his FIVE and ten-gallon runlet and barrel.
Underwater Virginia has its navisable creek
or river for nearly every county in its do
main, and there are river craft plying with
great regularity between them and Balti-
more, whilst the other sections of the State
possess fine railway facilities.
likely drive three-fourths of the wholesale
dealers entirely out of the trade, and close
I'D from third to one-half of the retail
dealers who now take out and ply 4 license
tax to the State. We have said it will "close
I'D" much of the retail trade, but we do not
mean this literally. One-haIf Of those who
now pay will do as brisk trade afterwards
as now, but ,cithout taking out a license.
They will take the risk Of being presented
because of the cost Of doing legitimate
business and the saving, they will argue,
will justify such risk.
We have before us the cost at which a
dealer will do business who engages in 1t as
is now done by many of the large houses in
the State. Look at the taxes, and then
answer whether one of the first effects of the
law will not be fearful discrimination
against the dealers in Virginia who engage
in a legitimate trade. Wholesale dealers
who now pay in all Of the several depart.
ments alluded to will then have to pay Tax
Q,rrUnited States, 1925; to State (wholesale),
$3.50; 10 State (retaiD, 500; to sell by drink,
SIS; per cent. on drink" sales (estimated),
$50; Corporation OF Fredericksburg, I Of
State, S3OO-total, $500. Now, with the
exception of the tir5t-named tax. the dealer
outside Of Virginia goes scot free. [Other
corporations, like our own, charge certain
percentage on what the State Ieyies.]
But we have not the space to enlarge. The
Senate bill is Objectionable also. 1t over
leaps the bounds of propriety in liking thirty
cents per gallon as State stamp-tax. Lett
be reduced at least one-half-ten cents gal
lon would be better for start-and continue
the license-tax to sell, Wholesale and retail,
at about the same figures as now. More
revenue will be raised, and the dealer will
not feel that premium has been offered for
fraud. The law will not be far ahead Of
public sentiment, and can be enforced. But
charge thirty cents q gallon, and the same
feeling Of outraged justice will prevail that
existed all over the country when the United
States levied tax Of % per gallon, and
when plenty Of whiskey could be purchased
in every city, town, and village in the land
as low as ninety cents and 81 per gallon.