The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-30
THE TOBACCO TAX.
A Letter from Hon. George ID. Wise.

A Letter from Hon. George ID. Wise.
| II is well to recolect the Bourbon Fund
ers who voted in the United States Senate
against General Mahone's proposition to
reduce the tax on tobacco to eight cents
per pound. They were the following:
"Messrs. Bayard, Camden, Coke, George,
HAMPTON, Harris, jackson, Jones OF Flo
rida. Maxey, Pendleton, Salisbury, Slater,
and Davis Of Illinois,"
Other Bourbons failed to vote at all on
the proposition-among them Johnston, OF
Virginia.
Now. il is not merely that these gentle
men voted with Republicans against the
reduction, bit that they actually defeated
the reduction By their roteS. There were
thirteen of them who voted with the Re
publcans. and the vote was IS ayes to 3S
noes. II the thirteen BourbOns who voted
10 kill the reduced rate had voted with
General Malone 10 establish it the reduc-
ton would have been secured by the fol-
lowing vote: Ayes, 81; noes, %.
Let the people of Virginia, and OF all the
tobacco-growing States. remember this ana
act accordingly wing.
II would be difficult to compress in the
same space more of sublime efirOntery and
MISREPRESENTATION than is contained in the
above. taken from the columns OF the Rich
mond Win. 1t is we'll known that the
editor OF that journal is committed to the
support OF an Administration which has
used the weight OF its influence to prevent
the reduction or abolition OF the tax upon
tobacco Both the President and his Sec
retary OF the Treasury, in their annual
communications to Congress, strongly re-
commend that there shall be no reduction
OF that tax: and it is also well known that
the Republican party in caucus was COM
mitted TO oppose and defeat all measures
for the relief OF the producers ana
consumers of that staple agricultural
product. Being i'll an unquestloned
majority, their resolution to that. effect
was regarded and accepted as hnal.
ity. When the mternal-revenue tax bill
$50 calletD was before the Senate for con-
sideration General Malone proposed the
amendment for reduction of the tax upon
| tobacco to eight cents per pound, with full
knowledge OF the fact that the Republi-
cans with whom he is in coalition would
oppose and defeat it. They were commit
ted to that by caucus resolution, as before
said. and all the amusing by-play in the
Senate was intended to afford certain gen
tlemen an opportunity to eXtricate them
selves, ii possible, from an unpleasant d.
lelnma. Senator Johnston in the above eX-
tract is represented as being unfayOrable to
the amendment proposed by his colleague,
whereas the truth is that he spoke in its
favor, and iii effect voted for it. In its al
yoc,cy he said: "In the interest Of
consumer and producer both, / am
very earnest in desiring the reduc-
ton OF the tax to eight cents"
He proved that by bringing to ii almost the
whole support which it received, whereas
his colleague either could or would not
constrain his allies to help him. Senator
Johnston was paired with a Republican
who would have voted against it, and so
did, a. above said, in effect vote for it. The
remark Of Senator Logan that it will not
be adopted if all our folks Ghe Republi-
cans) vote " is sufficient to show their dis
position in reference TO the amendment.
!" All our folks " save two did vote in OPP
position, and the result was As predicted.
Our people have been told that General
e Malone would incline the Republicans by
his course to a favorable disposition to-
4 wards them, and that blessings would flow
> from his coalition to the industries and en-
u terprises OF the South. The result la;
!. been that he could carry with him only one
| Il
: sylyana.
: The vote OF Kellogg, Of Louisiana, is t
II be accounted for otherwise. He supported
o Mahone's amendment in no spirit OF con
= cessi0n, and with no view OF atlOrding re
II lief TO our producers OF tobacco, but will
q the purpose to kill the bill. so as TO preven
the action proposed in reference to sugar
!. When the same bill was before the Hous,
for consideration Hon. S. j. Randall pro
Is posed as an amendment "that from anC
Is after the 1st day of July, 1888, all laws anC
g parts OF laws imposing internal taxes upol
40 tobacco, snuff, cigars, cheroots, and cigar
AZ cites shall be, and they are hereby, repeal
ne ed; and on all original, unbroken package
., Of tobacco. snuff. cigars, cheroots, an,
cigarettes held by manufacturers or dealer
on the said Isl day Of July, 1885, upol
which the tax has been paid, there shall b
allowed a rebate or drawback OF the ful
H. amount OF the tax. And all laws and parts O
t. laws which impose any limitation or re
n striction on the sale or use Of leaf Tobacco
e. by the producer are hereby repealed"
-, viii be seen that full relief is provided i
~ this Tor both consumers and producers, AM
as that at the same time the interests of manu-
n. facturers and dealers are carefully guarde
AT and protected. Mr.. Kelly, the chairman q
=, the Committee on Ways and Means, is con
:. mitted TO the position that this measure q
81 relief might have been adopted withou
IL detriment. Where were the faithful allie
III OF John Paul and the Wing in this emel
gency? The vote was close-105 for am
l06 against 1.-THE Democrats voting solidl
In the affirmative, and the Republicans, wit
two or three honorable exceptions, solid
j. ly in the negative. Here was rea
v measure OF reief-no half loaf-an,
!. the record is too plain to admit O
evasion OF Misrepresentation. II JOIN
Paul, OF Virginia, had not voted to unsea
. southern representatives, upon evidence In
a sufficient and shown I'm some instances I,
be fraudulent, the tobacco-growers Of Yir
, ginia and other Sites would to-day reioic,
in the prospect OF an early deliveranc,
from an unjust unnecessary, and Odioui
taxation, and from restraints and restric
lions as CALLING as they are iniquitous
"Let the people OF Virginia and Of all thu
fobacc0-growIng States remember this and
net accordingly" With these facts staring
him In the face, feel justified In saying
that the authorof the above extract has dis