New-York tribune., 1875-01-23
THE PROPOSED DUTY on TEA.

THE OPINIONS OF JoBBERs AND IMPORTERS DIFFER
CONCERNING TT-sPECTLATORS TO REAP THE
IMMEDIATE BENEFIT OF RESTORING THE TAX
The impression appears 20 prevail among
merchants generally and among OF the oDbers and
dealers that the proposed tax OF - cent? pound
upon that article for the purpose OF increasing the rev
enue Will fail Of It's object for some time The
importers OF generally favor the imposition OF the
duty, and claim tAatit will De successful in accomplish
ing the desired and bear lightly upon the con
sumer, and be equally distributed among the
masses than upon other article OF common
consumption The greater number OF dealers however
that the imposition OF the duty is mistake favored
by the Secretary the Treasury account Of mis!n
nation 10 the facts Of the case. aud that 1t WI!
we n great burden upon the consumer while II Will
eturn only small revenue to the Government.
There Is now in New York Boston. Philadelphia. San
Francisco other large cities In the stores OF Job
bers dealers, importers an immense stock OF teas
some OF which three four. and even five years old
This large accumulation unprecedented and is vari-
ousy estimated In quantity from 6OOO0OOO TO sOOOooo
pounds There are addition. in transit to American
ports about O0OOOOo pounds more Whcn VIII arrive III
a few weeks II the law imposing the duty passes Con
ress with the prOvisO that II shall become operative
after March l. there will be stock IN hand OF nearly
aoOOOcOO pounds which will free from duty, and II
the exemptions Of the aw shall extend to vessels winch
left China or Japan previous 20 March l..
the number OF pounds exempt from duty VIII be sun
further Increased The crops Of teas usually reach
this port about July and will have left Asatc ports
long before proposed change goes into operation u
is conceded by ell dealers that cargOes IN transit
on March shall exempted from the operation OF he
law whole years consumption for the entire country
will be free from levy large portion OF tne tea
ON hand has 5alable and II has been win e1
treme difficulty that large amounts could DO dsposeu o.
except at a great loss. 4,
The public nave had the benefit OF this overstocked
market according TO dealers who assert that the prices
OF tea have ranged from 10 10 IS cents pound less tah
before the duty was 1874 II Ia charged by
some that this state OF affairs has been mrepresene ed
10 the secretary OF the Treasury, who states IN MS
report that the consumers have not been benented oy
the removal OF the duty, and recommends, on thaI
account and purpose OF increasing the revenue
persOns principally spectators. who recommended the
abolition OF the duty 1874 favor its restoration
They had large stocks hand and, DeeVng tnat
the removal OF the would increase the price TO the
extent at least OF half the dutg favored lts repea
The advance, however, was only temporary anu
they failed 10 realize the sums they expected
and 10 work of their large STOCK Ine
glut Of the market dates from the time tBe
Pacific Railroad finished The annual STOCK OF toas
arrived from three four months sooner than u nad
come previously, and account Of quick transit the
new crop Overiapped the old This process has repeater
itself since that time and the regular times or receVng
teas are Interrupted. As consequence the market IS
oyerstocked The fear Is expressed that uuty OH yea
will not bring an immediate revenue to the GOYeruen
and before its operations begin 10 De felt tue duy may
| be repealed by the next Congress