Daily Republican., 1882-08-19
An IndefensIhIe Match tax.

1uGEO 10 bAPV Wv
Rress did many things that 1t should
not have done. but amongst those leIt
undone the failure to repeal the gov
srnment tax on matches stands the
most prominent. 1t is true as Senator
Bayard states in his speech against the
repeal, that it is tax that is not felt
like some others and is promptly COL
lected, but in that lies its insidiouSness.
The most dangerous tax is that which
works itself quietly and imperceptibly
to our every day lives, and while we
re not noticing, nor feeling it, steals a
march upon us and strengthens itself
10 such a strong position that it is al
most impossible to dislodge. This is
lust the way the match tax has gained
such o strong position. While tho peo'
pie were easy and accomplishing, know
ing that the stamps upon every box OF
matches they purchased was a war
measureand went to pay off the war debt
thisquiet little tax has led to giant mo-
nopoly, which is more unjust and op'
pressive than the stamp act of the revo'
luton. A more grievous omission of
Congress to repeal this act 1t is difficult
to imagine, and the instantaneous use
made of the failure to repeal, in raising
the price of matches stands out so
shamelessly prominent, that nothing
can mitigate or disguise 1t.
How was this monopoly created, do
we hear asked? No doubt this ques-
tiou is mystery to the millions who
keep it up in every box of matches they
purchase. We are sorry to tell our
readers that the government itself per.
mitted the monopoly TO be formed and
when formed supports it. 1t could not
exist were the government tax taken
off matches. Here is monopoly that
is kept up by the profits it receives on
stamps alone. 1t was very easy TO
compute the revenue which accrued to
the Government from the tax on some
fifteen or twenty match manufactures
that existed before the Diamond Match |
Company, the boa-constrictor in the
trade, ,gobbled them all up and crushed
the life out of them, thus destroying all
competition. 1t was not difficult to
compute the profits by commissions a..
lowed by the government on the sale of
stamps in bulk. which amounted to
about $327, 900. By combining in one
company this 1921, 900 could be saved
to the monopoly, and that much money
alone amounted 10 more than all the
former profits on the manufacture of
matches without the commission on
stamps.
We can imagine how the smaller
deaf ers, who never could purchase a
sufficient number Of stamps to be al
lowed ten per cent. commission, jumped
at the proposition to become part of
the great monopoly and to receive a
share of the profits on 1920, 900 worth
of stamps wrung from the people.
How does the stamp tax influence
the price of matches, do we now hear
asked? 1t does it in this way. A gross
of matches which could be proftably |
vended at thirty. FIVE cents, is arbitrari-
ly placed upon the market at two dol
lars in excess of thatprice, and all com.
petition is practically excluded, because
no other manufactory could purchase
stamps sufficient in quantity to have
the commission allowed the monopoly
which is allowed ten per cent. rebate,
and more is allowed sixty days credit
from the goveFnment-time sufficient
to manufacture and realize upon the
stamps purchased without any outlay
of money whatever. This discIimina-
'fiun is not against foreign competition,
but against native home industry and
is style of protection that would eat
the heart out of the nation if permitted
to extend to all industries, I