The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-02-22

The stamp required by the internal
revenue laws on such articles as pro
prietary medicines, matches, etc, is 4
relic of the legislation to meet the ext
gencies of war, and is in itself annoy
ing and every way Objectionable, and it
is almost the universal sentiment of the
people that the law authorizing this tax
should have been repealed years ago.
But, like the whole revenue system be-
queathed to us by the war, it has be-
come so engrafted on our political
system, affords shelter to so many party
workers of more or less influence, and
yields so much of the vast amounts alb
sorbed in the annual expenditures, that
the popular demand for its repeal has
year after year been d%isregarded. Happi-
ly this demand is assuming organized
shape; the business interests oppressed
by the law are moving, the press is
speaking out, and congress will hardly
refuse to listen to their appeals.
An association has recently been form
ed by the manufacturers and dealers in
proprietary medicines in New York for
the purpose of inducing congress to re-
peal the stamp tax. @. N. Crittenton,
one of our most prominent Emerchants,
is the president of this association. In
their memorial Tor the repeal of the tax
the following solid reasons are present
ed:
First: The money obtained by the tax
is not needed by the government.
Second: The tax is terribly Cypress
i've. Since 1862 the articles referred
TO have paid the government $36, 0O0,-
900. More than half Of this tax has
been paid by farmers and mechanics
who carr less than two dollars a day.
Third: The tax originated as a war
measure. Peace having been declared
in 1860, all war taxes should certainly
be repealed in 1882.
The principal articles used by manu-.
f~acturers is producing the goods on
which the stamp tax is imposed are also
heavily taxed, either under the tariff on
imports or the internal revenue system,
and consequently the stamp duty is a
double tax, and is peculiarly burden
| some.
The stamp system is Objectionable OF
account of the inconvenience and ex-
pense entailed in aflixing the stamps af-
ter they have been purchased.
The popular idea that the class of
goods on which this tax is imposed yield
a large profit, while in itself an error,
since only here and there an article
yields a large return-is not a justilc-
alton for imposing such a burden upon
one class of manufacturers. Nearly all
the medical preparations that have af-
forded large profit attained their reput-
alton before the tax was imposed, and
vast numbers of meritorious prepar-
ations have failed to obtain deserved re.
cognition because of the expense neces-
sary in introducing them, of which the
stamp tax is a material item.
Commissioner Raum recommended
the repeal Of the stamp tax at the las'
session Of congress, and the house com
mittee on ways and means also recon
mended its repeal, in connection will
the tax on other industries; but the bill
u %embodying these provisions failed to Sc
cure a vote before the session closed. |
is hoped that the Importance of the sub
ject will command the attention uuces
; sary to secure a revision of the anti
quated and unjust laws on the subjec
: before the close Of the present session