The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-09-22

| pTOuLaDle culture pGCuIlarILles G
climate and soil not found in ever
State, nor in every part of the sam
I State. But in it's natural habitat i
is the staple of the farmer financial
ly. Its free production supplies tn
meat and bread and clothing of tn,
family, as we'll as the Injuries Of re
fined and elegant social life. /
gives education and culture TO the
children; furnishes aims to the poor
supplies liberal means for the pur
chase of tariffed goods, (thus bring
ing revenue to the Treasury for The
erection of useful and charitable
public works, for the payment o.
State, county, and municipal taxes,
and thus tends directly to suppress
agrarianism and the spirit of repudi-
alton, and for the support of the
Gospel at home and abroad. In
short, it is the essential basis Of f.
nancial prosperity and all the re-
sultant benefits and blessings OF
such prosperity.
How then, sir, without injustice
and oppression, can We by legisla-
ton PROSTATE and ruin whole com
munities, l might almost say whole
States? How can we justify our
selves in overburdening with taxes
the labor of q few localities devoted
to the production of commodity
specially adapted to them, and le2v.
ing untaxed and free the field labor
of other localities? / ask now, sir,
is the existing law in accord with the
spirit or letter Of the Constitution ?
| answer, first, the Constitution itself
declares it was "ordained to estab-
lish Justice" But l have already
shown that this law establishes IN
justice and oppression; it is there
fore at war with this clause of that
instrument. In the second place, the
Constitution, article l, section 2,
reads thus:
Representatives. and direct t1res saa1 be
apportioaed among the several States aoh5ch
mag be included sotthia this Union accord
ing to their respective numbers.
And again, in article l, section 9,
clause 4
No capitatSo7a, or other tao shall be IaSd,
atnzess IN proportion to the census or e2luna6r-
alton herein5etore directed to be taken.
Now. sir, to ascertain whether the
law under consideration is in harmo,
ny with the letter and spirit Of the
Constitution, only two questions need
be answered: First, is the tax on to-
bacco "direct taxi" and secondly.
Is the tax on tobacco "Iaid" aud ap.
portioned among the several States
according to their respective num-
bers" and sin proportion to the CEN
sus or enumeration
The answer to the first question is
an emphatic yes; incontroverCibly it
is a direct tax upon the producer-
so direct that the infraction of the
law draws after it the most severe
personal penalties, the most disas-
trous fines and humiliating imprison-
ment.
The reply to the second question
is an equally emphatic no! Will any
man dare declare that the law tax
ing tobacco and whisky take5 any
account whatever of plumbers" or
proportions" in imposing its enor-
nous exactions? Why, sir, it is no
torious that some half dozen States
and comparatively small commu.
mites in those States-are almost
the sole producers OF this great ag-
ricultural staple; and yet, in the We
ry teeth Of the prohibition fixed in
the face of the Constitution, in the
plainest, most unmistaksbie lang
uage, you are extorting by legisla.
tive fat having not the shade OF
warrant in that instrument forty mil.
lions Of revenue yearly from q small
number ofcitizens of these few States
to pay the debts for which all alike
are bound.
But, sir, this feature of the law is
not only unjust aud contrary to the
Constitution, but it is hurtful folly
as we'll. If the revenue it yields
must of necessity be derived from
this commodity, would it not be the
part Of wisdom to get such revenue
if it can be done, without cfippline
or crushing the producer? And i!
it not consummate folly to wound
an important industry almost unto
death when your revenues can b'
better secured without hurting The
producer? You have so construct
ed your tax law as effeotually t'
prohibit any sale by the planter ex-
oept to the manufacturer. AS re-
suit, combinations of manufacturer
dictate the market of the raw mate.
rial and efTectually control it. O
course it is their interest to reduc
and keep down the price of tn
"leaf' to the utmost minimum, be
cause every fraction of cent sab
/ L - h1 49,