The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-19
The Tag-TaX. Again.

10 the EdttOr OF me DtSputCh:
While l do not see anything I'm the
clustering communication OF :" One OF the
Simple Minded" in your issue Of the 18th
instant worthy of notice as touching the
main question at issue, still, that he may
not appear wise in his own conceit, | ask
space to assure him that / am simply 4
farmer, intent only on my own business.
/ was born and raised on a farm, and am
now, and have been since the war, eXclu-
sively engaged in the business Of agricul-
turc, which | love, and in which ! have
prospered; that buy and use exclusively
on my own lands fertilizers, and that
never sold n ton in my life, and am in
no way, directly or indirectly. inter-
ested in the manufacture or sale
of fertilizers: that when | wrote
the article criticised by your CORE
spondent OF Clinton, Va, | had never
/ seen the bill of complaint to the Chancery
Court of Richmond, through which certain
fertillzing companies cnioined the tag-taX !;
and knew really nothing more OF the mat
ter than had gotten from the newspapers ;
had never been written TO, nor asked, nor
employed" TO say or write anything in
reference to it. | entered my protest
against the measure in my own behalf, as
| u
would OF course have to pay this tag-taX-
and for what? Simply for the Oficial
stamp and seal Of the Commissioner of
Agriculture, which Gf it means anything)
can only mean that the vendor is thereby
exempt from the penalty OF the law regli-
lifting the sale OF fertilizers i'm the State.
This law clearly intended to put the
Commissioner of Agriculture beyond the
patronage of fertilzing companies. So |
still say, All honor to those honest manu-
facturers who are resisting this tax in be-
half of their patrons, even at the risk OF
mourning the displeasure of the Commits
sioner OF Agriculture. i notice in the
GAINESVILLE (Va.l Adrdnce a correspondent
who signs himself "Patron" doubtless a
brother-chip Of Mr.. Simple-Minded ~
asserts that in consequence OF these "ruIes
and regulations" OF the Commissioner of
Agriculture Zone Of the best fertilizing
companies have already reduced their
guano $40 ton" lie doubtless means
that The price has been reduced and |
suspect fhat the guano has been reduce Il
too. But he that as it may, any company
can afford 10 pay something to he EXEMPT
from the penalty OF the law regulating tho
sale OF fertilizers, however honest they
may call claim TO be-
The wide-awake farmers:are Justly indig.
nant at these measures; the more Sc be.
cause they are the outcome of the GREAT
Granger n,ovemenf-an organization insti-
( tuted ostensibly for the protection OF ALI
liarmers-an organization which for Iong
gears has been deluding the sirnple-mindsa
WIN promises compared to which that tr.l
ldhtonai "f0rty acres and mnllev sinks
lfo inslgnifleance. - One Of tue Simple
Minded" poses as a grammatical critic. and
yen writes OF Ing communication "A "amus-
ing fn that it shows what impIe.minded
farmer dwells or writes from the intelli-
gent county of Halifax 1t is sssd that
abe simple laugh easily, and am firmly
glad that this ClintOn Granger had a hearty
laalgl,, even though Il cost us the r.y Ella
taon thai simple-nsnded farmer can
dwell ~ write from TIE Intelligent coyr,-
~ OF Halifax"
Now, let this Clinton Granger have an
other hearty laugh at fndisg oM that there
Is In this intelligent county farmer who
has reached measure OF success in his
calling sufficient at least TO put himself
beyond that riekety condition when he
should be ever looking around for same
hing 10 lean up against-either The rorh-
missioner Of Agriculture or the Granger
organization; both broken reeds.
FARMER.
Souh Boston, Halvar county, "a, Octo-
Der II, 1882.