The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-29
The Tax on Tobacco.

The Tax on 1OpdcCo.
In the House OF Representatives at WASH
ington on Thursday last petition was pre-
scented in which IL Is stated that "the To-
bacco trade OF the city Of Louisville oepre-
cate any attempt, either in or ont Of Con-
grcss, 10 change the existing law on manu-
featured tobacco rs tending TO depreciatc
the value of both leaf and manufactured
tobacco by unscttling and restricting 'raoe
for several months to come. Should any
change bc made the whole tax should be
taken off, In order that the trade may adj
inst itself to the situation without any fear
of future agitation or legislation"
That Is view Of the question which II Is
very natural for the tobacco trade every
where to takc--we mean those persons who
Inv and sell and manufacture tobacco.
They would rather that the tax should re-
main a. II is than that there should he any
unproductiyc agitation on the subject
And everybody will agree that so far they
are right. II IL were certain that all efforts
10 reduce the tax. or to abolish 1t entirely,
were doomed to failure, then every friend
of the tobacco buyers and of the tobacco
planters would cry out, Cease agitating the
subject.
We suppose we may predict that the tax
Is not to be allowed to remain forever as II
now is. II is shamefully unjust tax. IL
depreciates the price Of tobacco, as has
been clearly proved, and discourages the
g.. -. Grin in n.
or where there is not much capital. rake
fbe whole tax of, and Virginia would an
nually thereafter make millions OF dollars
out OF her tobacco crop.
The tobacco trade of Louisville assert.
and truly. that agitation Of the question OF
reducing or abolishing the tax on tobacco
tends TO " unsettle" the prices Of both leai
and manufactured tobacco. Surely it does.
But whyy Because the leaf is expected to
bring higher prices when the tax is re-
moved, and the manuiaeturedto bring lower
pnces. This furnishes congressman from
the planting districts with all the excuse or
reason which they need at the present or Will
need at any future session OF Congress Tor
is, il there be any reason to suppose that
the demand will be respected. On the
other hand, the manufacturer would pre-
fer the tax TO agitation and unsettled
prices, because his goods will fall. The
planter prefers agitation, because II Is con-
ceded that il the agitation be successful
the prices OF his tobacco will rise. III the
removal of the tax would make no differ
ence in the price OF either manufactured or
leaf tobacco, nobody would care how often
nor how much the proposition to remove
that tax was agitated.
The tobacco trade Of Louisville say the
whole tax should be removed. This Is the
right doctrine. The tax is an outrage upon
the PLANTER, constant annoyance to the
manufacturer, and drain upon the purse
of the consumer. 1t ought TO be done away
with entirely. \ Distinguished gentleman
of Richmond has well said that OF the three
elements going to make up the price OF the
manufactured tobacco when put upon the
market-namely, the cost of the leaf, the
cost OF the labor, and the cost OF the tax,
the first is the one which must necessarily
give way The planter must be the loser.
But will agitation at this time have any
good results: We fear not. We have
watched for all the signs that might appear
in the North or in Congress, and we have
regretfully come TO the conclusion that
there is no possible chance TO have the to-
bacco tax removed during the present ses-
sion Of Congress. Wcneed not specify the
facts which have led to this conclusion.
But they were unmistakabe signs. II,
therefore, we were in Congress, we should
at once offer resolution declaring that the
present Congress will not remove nor re-
duce the tax. One or the other house
ought in this way to let the planters and
manufacturers know what they have to ex-
pect. The result will be the same whether
the declaration be made affirmative OF mega
i've in it, form. The one resolution would
be rejected; the other would be adopted.