The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-13

I6oat rrslriclioa upou the emouutS5 v1:et
which Il Is permissible TO introduce into the
latter. Nc are probably far In advance Of the
views which The obaccomanu{acturers OF
Great Britain will shortly lay before Dir.
(;ladstonc. II Is their intention, we be-
jicyc, to ask foe the retention OF uniform
duty. and for the reductions OF that duty
from three aud sixpence to three and two.
pence per pound. But II Mr.. Gladstone
ever finds time to 90 into the whole
ouestion-which can hardly be expected
with the Budget so near at hand, and In the
existing condition of public atiairs-we
antlcipa,e that the conclusion at which be
will arrive can be no other than that the
duty on the raw leaf should be reduced to
half crown, or Whereabouts, per pound,
and that the amount OF water allowed by
law 10 be introduced into low. grad. A" drink
ing " tobaccos should be limited to leu per
cent. OF their weight. Such measure
would, perhaps, Involves temporary surren-
der OF reyene-alhough this Is by no means
cerain-but In the end II would give us
honest tobacco. and an equitable revenue
upon which dependence might be placed,
and which would be steadily ana surely pro-
gressiye. Nor ought II TO be forgoSen tnat
Prince Bismarck is said to have 1t IN con-
tempIatioD TO make tobacco Government
monopoly IN the German Empire; III which
case London would become the great en-
trero, Of all the tobacco used IN the nortn
of Europe. So tbat-as will at once De
patept to Mr.. GIadstonc-tbe trade ought %
be made as free rs possible In these isiands'
| An uneasy impression certainly prevaiIs
among some OF our t0bacco-manuiacl urers
that IL the question he widely agitated MI:
| GladstOne's attention will be forclOIy caheu
| TO the excessive Introduction OF water lnlo
low-grade tobaccos which now exists, wb'cn
is undoubtedly favored and encouraged
| nv many engaged in the trade, and which
involves an anomaly, not to say dishon-
esty. out OF harmony with the Premier's
known and often-expressed principles OF
finance. Be this as it may, the question Is
so large aud complicated that no living
EngIshman, except Mr.. Gladstone, is COM
petent to graphic with it. He will discover
whenever he has time to make such search
ing investigation into the subject as has
always characterized bis proceedings under
like circumstances a. CbancellOr OF the Ex-
chequer that the revenue officers actually
lend themselves to the encouragement
of deceit and adulteralion by permit.
ting manufacturers to use citric acid
to prevent their tobacco when wet
from fermeniing. Mr.. Gladstone VIII see at
glance that the duty upon tobacco ought
in fairness to be levied on the manufactured
leaf in its natural state, and that it should
be forbidden by law surrepilli0usly to dou-
bic the weight OF the manufactured leaf by
the introduction OF water before IT is sold.
thereby greatly deteriorating the favor OF
the poor mans half ounce Of tobacco. 1t
may well be that Mr.. Gladstone cannot look
into the question before the next Budget !;
but the day is not far distant when, either
by him or by some other Chancellor OF the
Excbcquer, the economical aspects OF the
tobacco duties will have TO be searchngfy
investigated.