Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-22
THE TOBACCO TAX.


GAINESVILLE Democrat, informs its
readers that the internal revenue
tax "dOes not effect the raisers" of
the tobacco grown in the Clarks-
vile district. The intelligent ''rais-
ers" of this crop are probably not
dependent ON the Democrat or any
other newspaper for information
on this subject. The internal reve-
nue. laws have been in force for
some time, and the tobacco grower
who knows anything, is doubtless
well informed as to how such laws
effect his crop.
The CHRONICLE would not do
itself the injustice to attempt to Gre
ate a wrong impression concerning
a matter of such common knowl-
edge, and in our frequent assertions
that the tobacco grower of this Sec
ton is wronged and oppressed by
the internal revenue laws, we have
had no such intention. If we had
been mean enough to attempt an
imposture, policy would have pre-
vented US from doing so in a case
like this.
We say that the internal revenue
tax on tobacco is an Iniquity and
we stand by that assertion whether
the tax affects the grower in this
immediate section or not. We al
so assert that the internal revenue
system and the laws relating thereto
Cypress and outrage the tobacco
grower OF the GAINESVILLE district,
and every other district where these
laws operate. They abridge his
liberty, interfere with his natural
rights aud take money out of his
pocket. The tobacco crop and to-
baccO trade are, i'm fact, hedged
about by perfect panoply of laws
in the interest of the Government
and TO the detriment of the grower
and dealer. We copy the following
from circular recently sent out by
Commissioner Evans and which is
posted in every post Office in the
country:
"Dealers in Leaf Tobacco. $12
"Dealers in leaf tobacco received
from producers in hand less than
$500 pounds per annum, $500.
Retail dealers in leaf tobacco,
$3.50, and on monthly sales over
rate of $500 per annum, thirty cents
for every dollar in excess of such
rate.
dealers in manufactured tobacco,
$780,"
In addition to these charges that
go to the Government are the col
lector's fees. No producer is allow
ed to sell his crop except in the
leaf, with the paltry exemption OF
one hundred pounds. When a
pound Of tobacco Is manufactured
in any shape, even in a common
twist, ii becomes subject to tax OF
eight cents and must have an in
ternal revenue stamp Of that de-
nomination placed upon 1t. Every
dealer in tobacco must have stamp
posted cOnspIcuOusly in his place
of business, showing that he has
complied with the laws, and the
Government maintains an army of
spies and informers to detect and
bring to punishment any violator
of these strict regulations.
1t is true that the stamp tax of
eight cents is placed only on manu-
featured tobacco, and it is also true
that large portion of the tobacco
grown i'm this immediate section is
exported in the leaf, thus escaping
the tax. In speaking of this espe-
cial feature of the revenue system,
we may be allowed to rise above
the local and speak of the injustice
done to the farmers Of other sections
much more extensive than the
GAINESVILLE tobacco district. But
this section does not escape the evil
effects of this Ubiquitous tax, not
withstanding the facts just stated.
All of the tobacco grown here is not |
exported, and some of our promi-
nent tobacco men are kicking Wig
Orously because the Senate has
ratified the Mexican treaty, which
will bring Mexican tobacco into |
competition with the tobacco grown
here, in the markets of this country.
But the point is this: Why can't |
tobacco grown here be manufac- |
tured here and the profit made by |
the manufacturer added to that |
of the producer The answer is
that the internal revenue tax has
given a monopoly to the big manu-
factories, and nothing of the kind |
can be attempted except on very
large capital. The older farmers
of this section well remember when
a good portion of their crop was
sold in wagons that peddled it over
the cotton country south of us. But !
for the structures of the revenue |
laws, farmers would manufacture |
great deal of their tobacco for local |
and neighborhood trade and thus
increase the profits of their crops. |
That a large portion Of the Clsrks-
Vile tobacco is exported in the leaf
is in a great measure the result of |
the internal revenue laws. Those
laws are oppressive and unjust and
papers whose patrons are tobacco
growers should demand their re-
peal. The CHRONICLE stands on
that platform.