Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-04
Lnciier Matches.

FROM the American drocer, March ".
The last returns of the Internal
Revenue Bureau report that the re
ceipts for stamps for matches amounted
to 1922, 258. Taking the average Of
the internal revenue stamp tax pei
gross OF matches, the total production
in the United States is about ZOOS, 000
gross, an average Of about $3.50 gross
per day, or a total of about thirty.
seven thousand FIVE hundred and fifty.
five million matches that went into
consumption in the United States
during the year 1882. With a popu>
lation of 50,0O0,000, this shows an
average consumption of about two
matches per day for every man, woman
aud child in the United States. The
average price of matches OF all kinds
should be reduced after July LIST, at
least 81 IS per gross, which will make
a difference in the cost to the consul
mers of about $500 600 yearly. If
this reduction of 81 70 per gross is
realized, it will represent a reduction
in profits Of about 81, 100000 a year
to the Diamond Match Company, or,
in other words, the result of taxation
has been that not only did the people
pay the tax, but they paid an extra
profit to manufacturers over and
above the amount that was an ordi-
nary manufacturers profit OF about
81 100000 per year. That is the
direct result of the annoying stamp
tax or matches, in keeping out Of the
business small manufacturers who
could not we'll give bonds for stamps,
and who lacked the capital necessary
10 pay the large stamp duties in ad-
vance. To show the great difference
in the cost Of matches, where no
stamp duty is levied. we have only to
look to the cost of Swedish matches.
A good sulphur match is sold in Swe,
den at the equivalent 10 our money OF
30 cents per gross. On matches mans
ufactured in this country the stamp
duty is about 81 36 per gross and the
cost of making in this country and
adding a fair manufacturers profit,
would be SO cents, making total cost
OF 81 Y. The price at which the
Diamond Match Company are selling
is ~ go showing a profit over aud
above a fair manufacturing profit of
over 80 per cent. This has been the
direct result of trammeling tax laws,
that permitted rich corporations to
form combinations that have, within
the last eight years, taken fully ten
millions of dollars extra profit out of
the citizens of the United States. Ne
person will pretend that during that
period the finances of this country
needed any income from matches.
The above facts show conclusively the
evil effects of heavy taxation, and how
it trammels and effects business trans
actions. The United States should
at this time be able to largely manu-
facture matches for export. 1t is a
fact, however, that our export Of
matches is almost nil. The country
has commenced to throw off the incu-
bus Of over-taxation. On July
next the stamp tax on matches will be
entirely taken of, and we predict that
manufacturers in this country within
three years, will be exporting matches
largely. At the present time Sweden
is the greatest match manufacturing
country in the world, Notwithstanding
makers import not only nearly all
their chemicals, but actually large
quantities Of the wood from which
matches are manufactured, besides all
Of the tin used in making the tin
lined cases necessary for lacking
matches for shipment to far away
foreign countries