Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-09-07

most part; grudgingsy paid; bst q
the labosiag people 81 thin county
alixe the fnll smoant md extent Z
taxation now stealfhily fmpoeed
articles entering into the dailG -
consumption Of themselves dhd
families, solemn, earnest psolest vS
speedily Be heard from every secti6
the land that would not - sti0e1
relief was given.
The argument chiefly relied upc
the advocates Of the present sy4
and by them considered all-su
and unansuerahle, is that di61iIIe6 -
it,, fermented liquors, and l0baceo I
really Injuries, and Is such are lekiti-
mate objects for taxation. II . true,
sir, they are not essential to the sus-
tenance of life. The world would in
all probability be better off without
them. Millions Of dollars would an
nually be saved to our people, their
happiness promoted, life prolonged, and
crime diminished; but unfortunately
such is the invincible power of apps-
tite over the will that but few who ever
become addicted to their use abandon
them.
The habits acquired, for the most part
in early life, grow stronger and stronger
with advancing years until they become
a part Of our nature and .riH be salts
fed. Practically they have become
necessaries of life to all who are addic-
ted to their use, and in the question Of
taxation should be so considered. With
equal and even greater propriety might
tea and coffee be considered as luxu-
ries.
There is more nutriment in glass of
spirits than in cup Of coffee, and ten
times more in bottle of beer than in
a cup Of tea, yet these articles, the ap-
petite for which is as much acquired as
that for spirits and tobacco, are treated
by the law very properly as necessaries
Of life and exempt from taxation, while
the malt and spirituous liquors, the al
most universal beverages Of our native
born and naturalized citizens, are en-
numbered with a burdensome tax
More than two dollars per head for ev-
cry man, woman, and child in the coun-
try was paid into the public Treasury
last year from taxes imposed upon these
three articles, and it bore just as heav-
lily upon the payers as if the tax had
been levied upon the most absolute ne
cessaries of life. The tax is Just as
grievous burden, when laid in equal
amount, upon the poor mans beer as
upon his bread. He is that much poor
er at the end Of the year, and that much
money has been taken from the support
of himself and family.
The advocates of temperance reform
may say that, to admit these articles to
a free market is to encourage their use,
and would lead to the increase of mise
ry and crime in the country.
If that were probable, then l would
say, double the tax rather than diminish
it. But, sir, the history of the past
abundantly proves that such would not
be the effect.
The statistics of the country plainly
show that the consumption of these ar
ticles is not affected either one way or
the OF her by the imposition Of an ex-
else tax.
As large a quantity Of distilled spir-
its, in proportion to population. was
consumed in the country when the tax
was 50 per gallon as when it was but
fifty cents.
Congress in establishing the present
rates Of taxation upon these articles did
not resolve itself into temperance So
ciety or reiormatory institution. 1t
was not expe cted nor intended that the
tax would diminish their use or the
crimes that ensued therefrom. Reve.
nue. money in the Treasury to pay the
public demands, and relieve the capital
OF the country from legitimate taxation,
was the sole object, and had the tax di-
minished consumption, its very object
would have been defeated.
These duties were imposed with full
knowledge of the weakness of human
nature and the memorable demands of
an acquired taste. Those who passed
them knew that, notwithstanding the
duties imposed, the articles would be
consumed all the same, and money
would flow into the Golfers of the Treas
ury. And so it has; and, as before sta
ted, under the system now enforced,
seven hundred millions of dollars of the
hard earnings Of the yeomanry of the
land have been taken from the wages
Of their daily toll, which should have
been derived from other sources.
These facts and arguments show con-
clusively, to my mind, that this system
OF taxation is wrong in theory and OPP
pressive in its operations, and by il the
poorer classes are made to pay almost
all the revenue arising from the inter-
nal taxes, and the property and capital
Of the country escape the burden.
There is another reason, Mr.. Speaker,
and, in my opinion, still stronger one,
why the tax now imposed upon the ar
ticles named should be reduced and f.
nally abolished. They are agricultural
Productions. The Tobacco that is man.
ufactured into so many different forms
for consumption, and the grain from
which fermented and distilled spirits
are made, are the productions OF the
soil, and the great agricultural interests
Of the country are injuriously affected
by their taxation.
We are pre-eminently an agricultural
people. The farming interest is greater
than any other in the country and almost
equal to all others combined. More than
twenty millions Of our population de-
pend upon the products Of the sod for
their support, and hence they are enti-
tied to and should receive the largest
share Of our fostering care and atten-
ton.