Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-02-16
Total ~ .57s 7a a.S25 Sd IO.laa 50 see 81


The above statement exhibits the
effect of the present high rate of tax
alton on the manufacturers of tObac-
co for the fiscal years ending June
80, 1874, 1875, 1876, and 1877, in each
of the States where the business has
been carried on. From this it will
appear that for the year 1874 the
sum of 81, 578.76 was collected as
a special tax. Manufacturers of to-
baccO pay a special tax of SO. Di-
vide the above sum by ten, and we
have eleven hundred and tifty-Seven
manufacturers of tobacco in the Uni
ted States for the fiscal year ending
June 30. 1874. From the same
statement it appears that for the ifs
cal year ending June 80, 1877, there
were s., 1881 collected as a special
tax. Divide this sum by ten and
we have eight hundred and seventy
manufacturers in the United States
for the aforementioned year, or two
hundred and eighty-three less man.
ufncturing establishments for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1877, than
there were at the close of the fiscal
year in June, 1874-that number Of
manufactures having disappeared
in three years.
Yet, the Commissioner can look
on the ruins of two hundred and
eighty-three manufactures, and on
the dead faces of six hundred and
twenty-One dealers in leaf-tObaccO,
and of four thousand two hundred
and eight dealers in manufactured
al, IL IL l.. -,
year, and gravely proclaim to Con-
gress that he has given considerable
attention to this matter, and in his
opinion the interest of the manufac-
turers and the dealers will be sub
served by leaving the law undiS-
turbed If he had consulted the fig
ures | do not think he could have
reached any such conclusion, and if
he had taken the pains to learn the
wishes of n vast majority of those
engaged in the business, instead Of
few powerful firms in the East, he
could never have said that " Il large
majority of persons who are interes-
ted in the production of such taxa
BILE articles" desired no change in
the rate of taxation. But there are
those, few in numbers, but power
full in capital, who really wish no
change, who are here beseeching
Congress not to lower their taxes.
This is an exhibition of patriotism
so beautiful and sublime that it
ought to be held up as an example
not only to this country, but to all
nations. Who can doubt the inviO-
liability of the public faith and the
preservation of the public credit of
a country where sIch shining exam
pies of lofty and disinterested self
immOlation are produced, however
few they may be in numbers. In a
land that grOans under the burdens
of taxation, where the grass is not
allowed to grow under the foot of
the taX-gatherer, where from indi-
Viduals, counties, municipalities,
and States there comes a dirge as sad
and solemn as the tOlling of fune-
raj bell, where the cOrpses of bank
rupts and the ruins of private for
tunes are strewn along the walks of
industry, the highways of COM
merce and the martS of trade like
the dead and the debris of a great
battletield-amidst all this distress
and gloom and ruin, the CHEEKY
voice of the great manufacturers of
New York, beseeching the Govern
ment not to lower their taxes, falls
like music on the ear. Who shall