The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-13
The Tobacco Tax.

on tobacco TO eight cents per pound was
% ayes 70 81 noes. on the ayes q were
Democrats. on the noes only four We're
Democrats. So that the Democratic vote
was ayes 81, noes 4. Necessarily, tnen'
the Republican was ayes 8, noes 20. Ihe
Democrats voted FIVE TO one In favor OF ihe
reduction. The Republicans voted more
than two 10 one against reduction we
count General MAHoNg's vote with those Oh
the nine Republicans.
II Is not necessary to comment upon sue"
facts In order 10 enable the pubic 10 recos-
nize the fact that the people OF virginia
owe n 10 the Democrats OF the ohl'eu
states Senate rather than to the kepuDh-
cans General MAHoNE's associates) that a
favorable result was reached IN the Seha1e'
The same state OF things will be made
manifest In The House OF Representatives
when the question shall come up IN that
hody for action. The Democrats as n RUE
will vote for the reduction, and the Eepuo-
licans as q rule will vote against reduc-
ton.
We do not assert that the question was
made q party question n the Senate, nor
that 1t win be made party one In the
House OF Representatives. we state the
facts only TO show how preposterolis is the
claim that General MALONE Is entitled 10
speciaI credit for the adoption by the
Senate OF the motion to reduce the tax.
IL the question had been stated TO that
body as one to do honor to General MA
HONE, there would have been a very dill
iercnt result, it is to be presumed. We do
not believe that one senator on either side
voted with any reference to General Ma
HOMES wishes.
Whilst upon this subject OF the tobacco
tax. we will add that, much to our sur
prise, the New York Herald OF Saturday
came out as decidedly for the repeal OF all
internal taxes as any Virginia paper has
ever done. That journal seems TO have
come suddenly to q realizing sense OF the
enormity OF the iniquities Of the internal
revenue system. 1t is worthy OF mention,
too. that the Herald gives Mr.. FLOWER, OF
New York. the credit OF this movement, Just
as certain Mahoneites would make the pub
lie OF Virginia believe that General MALONE
was in some sort entitled to the credit OF
the affirmative vote in the Senate on the
motion TO reduce by 80 per cent. the tax
on tobacco. Our New York contemporary
SAYS nothing new on the general subject;
yet our readers may be pleased to read some
OF its remarks. We quote
"The internal taxes are the most con-
spicuous relics of a great war which ended
eighteen years ago. Before that costly war
made heavy taxation necessary no party
could have stood moment before the peo-
pie which should have proposed to lay
internal taxes. What reason is there,
in the face of continuing surplus
revenue OF over S100,000,000, for in
sisting on these taxes now None,
except the desire to perpetuate hate
full and unusual interference by tax-gath-
erers with the home industries OF the peo-
pie in order that whichever party may be
in power shall be able to command as a
vast corruption fund share ofthe $4,000
600 which the unnecessary collection OF
these hateful taxes costs, and to use as an
electioneering force the clerks, gaugers,
and other officers who draw Sj,000,0OO per
annum from the people for their needless
interference"
That is not new, but it is well said. 1t
is really amazing that the northern people
have so long submitted to these taxes.
They would not have done so il it had not
been for their insane preiudices against the
southern people, aud the fact that most OF
the revenue has for years been derived
from two articles Of luxury, not to say OF
useless indulgence whiskey and tobacco.
IL the Republicans in Congress would abol-
ish all the internal taxes at this session, they
would reinstate themselves in the estima-
ton of their Ohio brethren who bolted last
year, and would take the prospering winds
out OF the sails Of the Democratic presiden-
tial ship. But the Republicans seem to be
suffering from judicial blindness. They
calculate that their acknowledgements spies,
informeE, and negrO-managers can get
more votes for their party than would be
gained by passing even such measure OF
reform, OF justice, of common honesty, and
of sound party-policy rs would be the
wiping-out Of all internal taxes. We quote
from the Herald again:
eve are aware that the free-traders and
tarifI-reiormers oppose the abolition OF the
internal taxes. They are so intent to get
at the tariff that they forget that true tax
reform means not partial but general
reform OF the whole tax system. To all
the purposes OF such a reform the repeal
Of the internal taxes is the first necessary
step. How can a fariil-reformcr tell def
nitely what is the proper duty, having re-
gard to the pressure OF taxation on the in
dustries OF the country, until he knows
what this pressure is TO be! Is it moi plain
that the true method is to first abolish the
totally unnecessary, hamperng, and bur-
densome internal taxes! For when that is
done then, and only then, can statesman
like and correct view be taken OF what re-
auctions in the tariff can be prudently
made"
Those comments were apparently made
upon the remark Of Mr.. Nancy, OF Texas,
that he would rather secure reform in
the tariff than TO get rid OF internal taxes.
II there be any such Democrats in Con-
gress as the Herald describes, we trust that
they win drop their docirindire notions
long enough to vote as practical men upon
practical question. 1t has seemed TO us
plain from the beginning, and we have re.
peatedly said, that IL the internal taxes
were all done away with revenue tariff
would be necessity OF the new situation
BY a tariff Of no other kind could the
wants OF the Government be supplied.
We fear that there is no reason whatever
10 hope for the repeal by the present Con