The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-23
Not in a Good Humor

Yesterday its creditable declarations nrs',
that ..no economist with grain OF sense
would dream Of admitting foreign tobacco
duty free 80 long as there was an interna'-
revenue tax on the domestic TOBACCO
and secondly, that g the strictest tarih re-
former would mako the import duty equal
TO the excise" We construed these WORDS
not only AZ a clear admission that such
tariff would operate to protect Virginia
Observation-Disclosures, but as an acknow-
Judgment that they ought to be so pro-
tected. In fact, we interpreted our con-
temporary's language 10 mean that IL hao y
warm side for Old Virginia.
We begin TO fear, however, that we were
mistaken. The last Nc,cS and Courier, In
renlv;ng 10 an article m the Dispatch IN
which /, was charged with inconsistency
saws tina, Il is glad TO have another oppor-
t,mitv of exposing 10 the public the true
character Of the movement for the repea'
of the internal-rcvenue law, which move
mont Is. II declares, Gas impudcnt an at
tenpt rs ever was made TO bleed the gene
raj public for the benefit OF individuals"
As the Democrats Of Virginia. Pennsyl-
yania, and New Jersey in their platforms
Of last wear demanded the abolition OF the
acknowledgements department, the leaders
OF the Virginia Democracy, VINO iorf'."-
lated the resolution which made that oe-
mand. arc the objects of our eon1empo-
ary's fierce denmciations. 4
81 ~
from 1s 10 s cents, the NetcS ana courier
says:
..As we have shown, three eighths OF
tho las, reduction, amounting 10 fifteen
n,,,;on dollars. went to swell the profits OF
tho producers and manufacturers OF TO-
bacco."
The producers and manufacturers OIL
Virginia tobacco will be apt to infer that
further reduction Of eight cents might re-
suit in beneGting them and the consumers
fiye-eighths to the consumers, three-eighths
to the producers aud manufacturers OF TO-
bacco. Surely that must have been wise
measure which thus benefited all classes oil
the community consumers, producers,
and manufacturers. surely, also, 1t would
he q wise measure TO try once more TO ben
eft in the same way the same numerous
classes. Certainly nobody will expect the
Virginia Democrats, who arc some OF them
producers, others OF them manufacturers
and still others OF them consumers OF To-
bacco, to be influenced by our contem-
porary's article 10 spit upon the Lynch
burg platform.
II appears that we cornered our contem-
porary; for its declaration that the con-
sumner did not pay all of the tax levied in
England upon tobacco, it now explains as
follows:
"The word tax is not the most exact
word that could have been used to express
our meaning, which was, and is, that con-
sumption is checked by high tariff, and
that the producer loses by the curtailment
of the demand"
Whatever word is used, the fact remains
that our contemporary confesses that "con-
sumption is checked by high tariff"
II by high tariff, of course by high tax
of any other sort. And nobody Will deny
that tax Of 8 cents per pound, or the full
price Of leaf tobacco, is high tax. We
repeat, therefore, that the NetoS and Ceu-
rier has seen where "the wrong comes in"
in the case of a tax Of 100 per cent. upon |
Virginia tobacco. Its own true words are
that "the producer loses by the crrtailment
of the demand" It's first declaration was
that it would like to know where the
wrong came in"
Hear how the Ne,cs and Courier raves:
"The Government sacrificed tax OF s
cents n Mound. equal to eight million dol
lars. and the Virginia planters and manu-
facturers pocketed three millions OF u.
The tobacco-smoker and tobacco-chewer
nav the whole OF the existing tax OF
cents pound, and pay tribute amounting
TO 2 cents pound, in addition, TO planters
and manufacturers. Were there any way
to confne the profits OF this brigandage 10
Virginia we might be disposed to say no
more about il. but ether States are In the
same category, and repeal OF the internal.
revenue tax would extend the area Oh
plupder 80 as to make 1t unenduraDle.
"The whole people ar@ burdened for
the advantage OF the tobacco-growers ana
manufacturers, and these are not satisheu
vet. 10ey Nuut niecc"
Nav. The chances are that, II the remain
ing tax OF eight cents be removed, the
growers and manufacturers will absorb
nearl, the whole OF it. That Is what they
want. And, in order that they shall make
their millions Of dollars by the stroke OF
a peu, fifty million people must continue 10
nav exorbitant prices for articles OF 40
mestic use and personal comfort which
cannot be dispensed with. A more auda-
cious scheme for plundering the public
has rarely been devised"
We quote these extracts to let virginia
planters and farmers see how easy 1t Is 10
deuounce plunderers." This Is the word
that the Ne,cs and Courier applies to the
beuefciaries Of protective tariff. "Plun-
dercrn! 'Bngandage"! "Plundering
the publieo! Above they are applied to
Virginia manufacturers and producers OF
tobacco. All we ask Of these gentlemen is
that when they read OF tariff "plunder-
erso they shalt recall the fact that this
word was applied to them by the same pa
per which applies it to advocates OF nigh
tariff. The men who want high tariff
Tor tax are "piunderers." The men who
want low tax, or no tax, on tobacco, are
.splundercrs." We thank our Charleston
contemporary for its bitter words.
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The Kentucky farmer has as little need
Of protection rs the Illinois wheat farmer.
-. all tYin. a no