Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-14

Opposed 60 Consolidated MOnopo-
lies, whether PoliticaI;or Otherwise
Cheering signs that Ring Rule
is About TO be OverthrOWn-
A Letter of Interest to TObaceonfsts
National and state Taxes-Gen.
Longstreet and the Georgia Mar
shalship.
WASHINGTON. April 12.-The following letter
from Senator David Davis, the Independent,
explains itself:
WASHINGTON. April 8-DEAR SRI am much
obliged for the friendly expression in your let
ter. In my Judgment the best hope for the
country is through a reconstruction Of parties.
Our politics have become degraded into a
shameful scramble for the spoils of office. For
weeks past the Senate. which is supposed to
represent the best intellect Of both sides, has
been engaged in al unseemly struggle for
small places, ard now, at the very start of a
new administration. the Republican factions
are arraigned against each other over the
patronage.
Great corporations and consolidated monopo-
lies are fast Selling the avenues of power that
lead to control of the government. 1t is an
open secret that they rule States, through pro-
cured legislators kand corrupted courts; that
they are strong in Congress, and that they are
INSCRIPTIONS in the use of means to CONQUER
prejudice and to acquire influence. This
1OAQlbAOn III AbAnSo ID duAI dAdEIlAuEs
for unless it be changed quickly
and thoroughly, free institutions are doomed
to be substituted by an oligarchy, resting
upon a basis of money, and of corporate
power. Every farmer in the West is bound
hand and foot by the manacles of monopoly.
Corporations prescribe the value of his hard
labor, and his crop is absolutely at their
mercy. Who proposes on either side to protect
the Just rights of the great agricultural COM
munity with twenty five millions of popula-
ton ?
GN.Anro%sAna -aT AnIr Love III - a. -
dustry of the farmers, but every blanket with
which their children are warmed, every plough
share that turns the soil, and the necessary
articles of household economy; are taxed by an
exorbitant tariff for the profit Of monopoly.
How can resistance be successfully made
against corporate power when both the great
parties are organized and run as close corpora
lions. Leading newspapers recognized as Re-
publican and Democratic organs are directed
and ordered by grasping monopolists to sub
serve their selfish schemes and to restrain OPP
position to them in either party. Their only
politics is greed and gain. One party retains
possession of the government for a quarter of
a century by methods which would
long ago have condemned it to crushing de-
feat' but for the errors of Democratic leaders,
always committed at the worst time. For long
years past the Republican party has existed
upon sectional agitation, and by the follies of
its opponents. There are hundreds of thou
sands of pure and patriotic men in both organi-
cations, who are rendered wholly powerless by
the machine management of each, and who
are politically enslaved by leaders that scarce
" unite whenever a venal object is to be gained
by combination.
Regular nominations, dictated by professional
politicians, and the irresponsible caucus, di-
rected by a few ambitious leaders, control ma
uOnal, state and municipal politics. They put
up candidates, construct Platforms, and pro-
claim patriotic principlesin fine phrases, which
are mere Shams
Practical reform is impossible on any large
scale. while one hundred thousand offices and
a patronage represented in some five hundred
millions OF annunl receipts and expenditures,
are offered as The prizes of success. The
party in possessions, disciplined and led like a
regular army, has an enormous advantage,
which is somewhat crippled by the bitter
rivalry Of its chiefs. Unfortunately for the
temperate party, a prejudice exists in the
Northern mind that it was hostile to the Union
during the civil war,
The fact that tens of thousands of Demo-
Gratis, many of them, too, from the slave-hold-
ing States, noblY volunteered their services
for, and offered up their lives in defense of
the old flag, does not affect tbs belief; while
that prejudice exists, the chances for the
Democratic party are limited. however pa
trlotic its purposes may be. If the mere name
should be abandoned, the Republican party
would die from the wan of an opposition that
now serves to keep it alive.
A national party, founded on harmony be
tween all parts of the Union. healthy reform
OF abuses, economy in public expenditures.
rigid accountability Of officers, honest civil
service. free and fair elections. upright oh
oh0
maintenance of the public credit, would be
gladly welcomed by the people Republicans
and Democrats alike seek to be emancipated
from the vulgar despo'ism of the machine, :"
which is common to both parties. There are
cheering signs hat the end of this domination
draws near IN { e popular demand for good
government, without respect to party. Ring
rule must be overthrown, or it will stop the
wheels of progress and destroy the founda-
tionS of social order.
These opinions have long been entertained
tho 1Ao1N -. Co. VTTsAl
high respect. DAVID DAVIS.
John Martin, Esq, Topeka, Kansas.
LEAF TOBACCO MANUFACTURERS.
The following letter is of interest to dealers
in leaf tobacco in all parts of the country:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF INTERNAL REVENUE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., March Is, 1881.
Hon. Jno. F. House. ClarksUiHe. Tenn:
SIR-As per request contained in your letter
Of the 9Th inst, / enclose copies of circular No.
23l, which contains the amendment to the
eighth subdivision Of section 3244 of the U3ited
States Revised Statutes, approved June 10th,
1881, and the general construction given by this
office to that amendment.
Various questions have been proposed by cor
respondents relative to their privileges and
liabilities under this amendment. In response,
the following rulings have been made:
First. The act of June 10th, 1880, was not in.
tended to confer any special benefit uoon per
sons who were already engaged in the business
OF nandIng lear TOBACCO, or TO relieve them
from any portion of the special tax which they
were required to pay. 1t was intended to en-
able persons who grow small patches of tobacco
primarily for their own use to dispose of any
surplus so grown by exchanging or selling it TO
country storekeepers who would be authorized
to buy it. in the hands of those persons, and to
sell or dispose of it to leaf dealers, manufactu-
rersof tobscco, snuff and cigars, and to ex-
porters, provided the annual sales did not ex-
coed 25, coo pounds, by the payment of a special
tax of only five dollars.
Second. A leaf dealer who handles tobacco
under a five dollar special tax stamp other
wise than as specially provided in the act Of
June l6, 1880. renders himself liable to pay the
special tax of a leaf dealer under the general
provisions of the law imposing a tax on leaf
dealers. although he has or may handle less
than q, 600 pounds during the period for Wbich
the special tax is paid,
Third. Persons who are engaged in buying.
selling or shipping and consigning leaf tobacco
in competition with other leaf dealers. asst is
put up and prepared for and received and
handled at tobacco warehouses are liable to
pay special tax as leaf dealers under the pro
visions OF the sixth subdivision. of section 3 ,744,
United States Revised Statutes, and not under
the provisions of the act of June 16, 1880.
Fourth. The act of June 10, 1880, authorizes
and directs the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue in case any person has paid a special
tax of five dollars and shall have
been found to have handled more
than 25,000 pounds Of leaf tobacco in any one
special tax year, to assess such person for
bH6 ulIlbI6uC6 DebWten Lu6 special TAX PAID by
him and the special tax of %twenty-h five dollars
imposed on dealers in leaf tobacco.
The liability of any person to such
an assessment will be fixed and
determined when his sales or
c~onsignments for sale on commission shall
have reached the limit of "a. 900 pounds thin
the period of time for which he has paid a spe-
cial tax. If limit is reached prior to the COM
mencemeDt of the next special tax year he will
be liable to an assessment, and the amount of
the assessment will be the difference between
a special tax of five dollars and a special tax
of twenty-five dollars. computed for an entire
year, or 70 rata for the period of the liability
to special tax, to-wit: for a whole year $50, for
nine months S15, for six months $40, and so on.
When a liability has thus been ascertained it
is to be entered on Form %, and reported to
the office of Internal Revenue for assessment.
Respectfully, GREEN B. RAUM,
Commissioner.
NATIONAL AND STATE TAXES.
The following letter from Commissioner of
Internal Revenue Raum involves a principle
and decides a question:
Louis HolzendorJ. Esq, Pearson, Ga:
SIR-Inr reply to your letter of the 21st in
slant, l have to inform you that, under the in
ternal revenue law, and for revenue purposes,
special taxes are imposed by the General Gov
eminent on persons engaged in certain trades
or business; also, specific taxes are imposed
upon certain manufactured products. In
cluded in the first class, are persons engaged
in the business of selling distilled spirits, wines,
malt liquors, etc, and in the second class are
included distilled spirits, malt liquors and