The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-13
the Tobacco-Tax.

The Tobacco-Tax.
There can be no such thing a. contlnn-
svm prosperity In the tobacco trade so long
- there Ia any tax left upon tobacco. Let
congressman protest AZ much as. they may,
and say what they win, and do what they
viii, they will never be able to keep down
agitation for the abrogation OF that tax so
long as that tax exists. "The ching that
has been IA the thing that shall be-" Yearly,
IN December, Congress meets, and yearly,
In December, the business Of all persons
engaged In manufacturing tobacco In any
of its forms receives shock. Thousands
Of hands arc thrown out Of employment,
and hundreds Of thousands OF dollars OF
capital are compelled to lie unproductive
until the annual scare Is over.
We are glad to find that the tobacco men
Of the cities and States most largely inter-
esied in the subject have at last come to a
knowledge Of the real state OF the case, and
determined to ask boldly for the total aboii-
ton of this most unjust tax. They have
heretofore allowed their enemies TO dictate
their conduct 10 too great an extent. They
have sometimes listened to and Joined in
with the clamor OF the men who warned
them against the evil effects Of agitation,
but warned them not because those ene-
mice OF the tobacco men were also the enc
mics Of the tobacco tax, but because they
mad learned from experience that mt least
some Of the tobacco men could be fright
cned into the ranks OF the friends OF that
tax. This winter. we repeat, the tobacco
men insist upon justice. They demand
thai the ubiquitous tax shall be removed
once for all. They arc tired of the annual
scare, and disguised with their pretended
friends the advocates of the tax and origi-
majors OF the scare.
"a free brsakfast-tab'e" was a few
years1go supposed 10 be dangerous war
cry for any political party to have to stand
up against. We wouldn't be surprised II
the congressman who favor the continu-
ance of the tobacco-tax should find "iree
tobacco" an equally popular war-cry. An
article which pays so many millions OF
universal consumption. The poor work
incmen whose only solace is their morning,
noon, and evening smoke, or their con-
slant quid, have long submitted quietly
and uncomplaininGly 10 tax which they
supposed 10 be necessary 10 the support OF
the Government; but they can no longer
bc misled by This deiusive appeal. Agi-
tation, II has done no other good, has at
least taught them that The Governments
surplus revenue is Il much larger sum than
the whole amount Of money collected from
tobacco. They therefore know that there
is no excuse whatever for perpctuating
this tax. So il is not likely that they will
much longer submit uncomplainingIy TO
such tax.
The friends OF the tobacco tax, how
ever, no longer justify that tax upon the
ground that ii is needed by the Govern
n,ent. but antagonize the proposition for
its abolition by proposition to reduce the
tariff upon certain articles OF general con-
sumption, supposed, either truly or mis-
takenly, to be such articles as the poorer
classes are in the habit OF purchasing in
large quantities. This is the old strate-
nv Of dividing in order TO conquer,
and will not. we trust, be allowed
for one moment to dclude and mis-
lead the opponents of the tax upon
tobacco. Nothing is more certain than
that o tariff much lower on the average
than the present one will produce more
revenue than the existing tariff. Those
who favor the abolition of the internal
taxes should, therefore, be the most zeal
Gus friends OF tariff Tor revenue so framed
a. to give incidental protection to Ameri-
can industries.
In word, the opponents Of the tobacco
tax have every reason for insisting upon
the entire removal Of that tax, and none at
all for ceasing their agitation Of the sub
Iegt