, 1880-06-06
TIE STAMP TAX.
Why Druggists Demand Its Abolition
An Orga nIzed Attack upon 1t.

An Organized Attack upon 1t.
Neso FORK Erentna Post
Druggists al over the country are uniting ia
urge Congress to repeal the stamp tax on pro-
prietary medicines, perfumery, and cosmetics.
In January lust Mr. Frost introduced bill in
the House Of Representatives proposing that
from aud after the 3Oth day Of June, 1880, 50
much of Sec. 3,437 Of the Revised Statutes as im-
poses tax upon medicines and medicinal prepa-
rahons, pcrfumcries, cosmetics, colognes, and
proprietary medicines be, and the same Is here
by, repealed" The bill wao read twice and re-
ferred to the Committee on Ways and Means,
before which 1t Is now, and since it has been in
the hands OF this Committee various representa-
tives Of associations composed of the leading
wholesale aad retail druggists OF tho Northern,
Southern, Western, and Eastern States, and
members Of prominent New York drug firms
have appeared before the Committee and pre-
Bentcd their arguments in favor OF the bill. As
this Is a matter which bas been internationally
agitated for many years, and concerns the buy
now seems to be approaching final settlement,
tho following description Of the present state OF
affairs given to a reporter OF the Evening Post
SchtGclin & Co., will be OF interest:
every ono Who has ever Investigated the
question, whether interested or not in the drug
unjust to the dealer and buyer, difficult to un-
derstand, burdcnsome, and an unnecessary
bother to the Goyernment: It was imposed as
under which it was made have long since ceased
to exist, and 1t is now high time that it be re-
moved. The majority Of the members Of the
Committee OF Ways and Means think that it
should be removed, and we believe that We do
not hope in vain for its abolition Various con-
sideratons have prevented its repeal up to the
present time.
1.-The arguments against 1t nre simple and
strong. In the FIRST place the amount OF rev.
enuc which the Government obtains from the
fnv fchr4
machinery which is required to collect it and the
enormous Inconvenience and annoyance which
it throws upon the shoulders OF tho druggist.
In 1879 the revenue from this source was about
$a@,M' \ per Gent censum no OF n the aggregate @
and domestic, proprietary medicines psr-
aggregate .a' business ,.ss about o. $a9n1oo Il
pose trades escape eos Such ssxacn
We do not object 80 much to the amount Of the
tax as to the serious hindrancc which it causes
imported in m < FOODS Foods each &C package must b un- a.
wrapped 50 that the stamp may be put upon the
article Itself With this class Of goods to destroy
IS M to % impair II thoit afket value. fake the case
of Lubin's extracts to show that the tax IS
excessive. These goods at the present time
Contained IN them and s. per centum ID
saniTae1t iS''ef of lie gasa % a
hlCOnOl "QcI TUG INV was pesstN III lco- W ~
now about $L75), and the 81 per centurn, ad
vaorem, beng the amountof protection accord
ed to the American manufacturers Of similar
articles. In addition the stamp tax is imposed.
Is this tust2 1t Is often cumulative tax.
Take tho case Of bay rum. Whom it IS imported
q heavy duty Is paid, and each cask must DO
stamped according to its retail price here. r. q
barrel is sold from the cask the barrel must be
kegs, demijohns, aud bottles. Thus t6e original
tax mny be paid twice over and more.
Honest dealers often suffer from the intricacies
of the law. 4 bottle Of something may
sell In New York for 81 aud have four-cent
stamp, in Chicago for IS cents and have q three
cent stamp, and In some other place for 50 cents
and have 4 two-ccut stamp, according to the
law. But II the bottle be stamped With a three
cent stamp as .5-ocnt bottle, AID dealer in
the interior sells 1t for 81, not knowing that It
should be restaInped. he may be fined $40. II
We sell Mr. Somebody's nectnr for the cure OF
something. NC must stamp the bottle; but II we
sell It as nectar prepared BY Mr. Somebody for
tho cure of something, we need not stamp the
bottle. The law is nonsensical, unjust, and q
nuisance"