The New York herald., 1878-11-28

wise than detrimental It may be insisted that ship
aud that therefore its price would have no material
effect upon The value of the manufactur
leaf. This statement, however. would ,. be
that the tastes of the people vary much that
to produce manufactured tobacco to meet all demands
manufacturers compelled to draw their stocks
from all portions Of the country. Not only are the
light tobaccos OF Virginia and North Carolina and the
red tobaecos of Kentucky in request for manu-,
facturing purposes, but tobaceos grown in
Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois. Indiana and ONO
enter largely into the manufactured tobacco OF TINS
country 50 that in fact all the various grades OF TO-
bacco grown go 10 make up the stocks which manu-
facurers lind It necessary to use in orler to meet the
wants of their customers. 1t is therefore obvious
that the price Of the tobacco used by our manu-
facturers il affected by the foreign demand
for the surplus, product. small accninu-
lated surplus light crops and an active
foreign demand will increase the price OF all grades.
while large accumulated stocks, heavy crops and
of prices of all grades, and these results would he
produced, whether the tax on manufactured tobacco
to sixteen cents per pound If the tax We're entirely
removed
OPPOSITION REDUCTION.
The bill before the Senate proposes reduction OF
the tax on cigars from 50 to S5 per thousand. This
would be equivalent to reducing the tax each cigar
one mill 1t is Incredible that such reduc-
ton can affect the retail price or in any
degree operate to stimulate the consumption of
SgaTs m ana IN my os opinion m the wnt aon
compensatng advantage. 1t is to be noted that the
agitation for the reduction of the tax on manufac-
who alone pay the tax. Not single taxpayer has yet
come forward as such to demand its reduction. The
absolute ,o sacrifice Of slI Of revenue without
reasonable prospect OF benefit to the producer or
relief to the taxpayer.
ErrEcr OF TIE AGITATION
The agitation OF the question OF reducing the tax
on manufactured tobacco last year paralyzed
the trade during the time the uncertainty
PEELED to temporarily suspend operations and
large numbers OF workpeople We're thrown
ont n I'm ma fax nnnI fuft1I Ira1
bacco from December 1877, to June, 1873 showed a
falling of, as compared with the corresponding
Immediately npon the adjournment of Congress-
when it became known that the tax would
began to recover the receipts from the tobacco tax
for July 1873 showing increase Of $58 the
corresponding month of the previous year. have
no doubt that similar results would follow pro-
onged agitation OF the subject this year 1t therefore
appears to be very desirable that whatever action is
had by Congress In regard to the proposed change of
the should be had early possible, the in
terest OF the well Of the manufacturers
their thousands of employees and the producers to
all of whom continued suspense must prove in
furious.
COLLECTIONS.
statement of the collections of internal revenue
tax. by districts, for the fiscal year ended June &c.
1873. shows that the of S1l0654, ,2SO sc col
lected and accounted for during the past fiscal year.
for During the first year ended June
80, 1877. the internal revenue collections were
Sis 995 1S4 25 There remains unaccounted for that
period the sum of Sl9OO 1t thus appears that dur
ing the last two fiscal years the OF $29 6i9. .465
has been collected and accounted for and the sum OF
Sll, ,6o5 55 has been collected and not accounted
for Each item making up this last amount
has been reported to the First Comptroller
for suit The Commissioner is assured that the
amounts due will be paid during the present year the
surees OF the collectors bonds being entirely good
that there will be actual loss to the United
States. The total cost of collecting internal
in the United States for the fiscal year ended June
1878. was $405G9lO being less than 81 per cent upon
the whole amount collected. The Commissioner
thinks that the for the present fiscal year. If
the rate OF taxation is not disturbed, will not fall
short of S115, 5000.
The report ends with a statement showing the re-
ceipts from the several objects Of taxation for the first
four months of the present fiscal year. compared
with the same period of the last fiscal year. This
shows decrease Of $393.5l3 on spirits; in
Of $272,246 tobacco increase Of
1896 204 fermcnted liquors; decrease of S64.82l
on banks and bankers; increase of $104. 736 ad
hesive stamps decrease of S45. 14 IN the amount of
penalties, and decrease OF $1G.964 in the amount
received for articles and occupations formerly
taxed but now exempt. The net increase Of revenue
has therefore been $545,4 ,427.