The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-15
Internal Taxes.
rA. washincton Posl SAYS

Thp Wa&IiUktoH = Vos 49,
Democrats who desire TO abolish inc
iutcrnal-reyenue system in order 20 ge. r'a
o,s the collectors, who are VIGOROUSLY usee
as the most offensive features OF me pVns'.
On, machine, would do well TO give serious
consideration TO the fosfs plan ior aus
rcpsing with the collectors and gettlng ~
the revenue by sale OF stamps. We horu
Thar n Is Democratic 20 tax luxuries. TO
shol,sb The lio,,or-taxes while keeping up
the duties on almost all the articles ths'
she moor are compelled to buy would DC
ELECTROMAGNETIC. Whiskey is good thing
IN ;.s place. but Il Is certainly less essential
70 \ comfortable existence than coal, salt.
sh;r,s. hats. and the tools with which the
Iaborer. the mechanic, and the farmer
earns his daily bread.'
We are among those who desire 10
abolish the internal-reyenue system In or
der 10 ret nd OF the spies, informers, and
e,ecfIoneerers who now yex our people
and control too many Of our elections. We
also wish the tax upon tobacco to be en-
tirely removed. The periodical agitation
NJ propositions to abolish or to reduce this
tax propositions one or the other oil which
has been made for many years at every
session OF Congress, and will continue
10 be made at every session SO long
M even remnant OF the tax is
left--we say, the periodical agitation
OF one or the other Of these propositions Is
ruiuous 10 the business OF tobacco-manu-
facturers. Every winter their trade Il
parpIyzed by a renewed agitation upon TINS
subject. whiskey may be classec among
articles Of luxury; hut not tobacco; or. II
n Injury at all, il is the poor mans lux
ury. Indeed, II Is the one luxury
which he may enjoy without feeling that
he is robbing his family OF needed COM
forts. lie cannot indulge in wine, nor
brandy. nor whiskey. These are too costly
for the poor mans purse, to say nothing
Ms 10 their effects. But plug OF good
Cayendjsh costs but little and will last him
a week or two, or longer. He can ENJOY
II all day long every day, instead OF las IN thc
case of the consumer Of whiskey) enjoy 1t
for only few minutes each day. lie can
chew while he Is at work, and whilst he Is
going to and from his work. No party
can make any capital by declaiming against
the use Of manufactured tobacco as lux
ury. Those who chew and those who do
not chew-the rich and the poor--the hui
manitarian and the sordid money-gather-
er-will all unite in favor Of allowing the
Woodworking poor man to have this one
cheap ..luxury," and have it untaxed.
They want no stamp-tax nor any other
kind Of tax upon tobacco. The tobacco
interest is the largest manufacturing and
agricultural interest Of this Commonwealth.
There is no justice in taxing the Virginia
planter's tobacco. and not taxing the colos-
sal incomes Of New England and New
York.
As to taxing whiskey, and collecting the
tax by the Use Of stamps, we have nothing
to say except that IL the tax were necessary
TO the support Of the National Government
il ought to be continued. Nothing else
will bear taxation so well as whiskey. But
the money is not needed for the support OF
the Government. and its presence in the
Treasury is constant Indictment to eX-
travagance in appropriations. 1t Is also
prolific of bad schemes such as the PROPOSE
ton to distribute the money collected
i'm one State among all the states.
We would prefer, therefore, to abolish
the internal taxes entirely. The hand OF
the tax-gatherer is seen much more plainly
in that department than in the collection
OF customs-duties. We have heard many
men complain Of direct taxes. We don't
recollect that we ever heard a poor man
complaining of indirect taxation.
We have strayed little way from our
text. We conclude by saying that we are
inclined to think that no national war-cry
more popular than that OF 'Down with
the Internal-Revenue System" could well
be adopted by any party in the United
States.