Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-19
The Tax on Tobacco.

We cheerfully give place to the fol-
lowing communication. We have for
years favored the policy of allowing
manufacturers Of tobacco a drawback
on such imported articles as they used
in their business. And Of course we
do not contend that manufacturers who
sell their tobacco outside of the United
States are benefited by the prohibitory
duty levied upon tobacco. So there is
nothing in A. NJ. C.'s letter to which
we take exception. Therefore we can
not see that we have "put our foot into
the wrong place."
Suppose, however, that Congress
should pass law admitting manufac-
tured tobacco into the United States
free Of customs-duties what would be
the result? We repeat that (almost
every factory in this country would be
closed. Why? Because on every pound
Of tobacco he sells for consumption in
the United States the manufacturer has
to pay eight cents, which is as much as
on an average the leaf tobacco costs
him. How could he possibly continue
his business if he had to come into COM
petition with Canadian manufacturers
who paid neither that tax nor customs
duties upon his tobacco?
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
l admit the fact that you are eau
tious, conservative, always the gentle
man, and generally right, but you GER
tainly put your foot into the wrong
place when you wrote as follows:
"As long as the Government taxes tobac-
co eight cents per pound the planters must
either have q protective tariff az Is now fifty
tured tobacco ont OF the United States, or
else every factory In this country will be
closed. Are the planters willing TO see the
tariff taken OF tobacco?"
Permit me to give the facts. If you
can, disprove them. So far as the
leading manufacturers of Virginia grown
tobacco are concerned, in one city of the
State at least, instead of getting any
practical protection from our Govern
ment, the boot is heavily weighted
down on the other leg. OF course l
allude to the manufacturers of Virginia
tobacco, who export all, or very nearly
all, of their goods to free markets--that
is, markets where they come into
competition with the products Of any
other country whose people may put
up manufactured tobacco. Now, our
Virginia manufacturers of tobacco
grown in Virginia, and who ship their
products to the free markets Of the
world instead Of getting any real pro-
lection from our Government, are terri
bly, taxed in the way of having high
duty to pay on sugar, licorice, flavoring,
&C., to say nothing Of the internal
revenue officers fees, &c. Now, if
our Government, seeing the latter
things were re-exported out Of the
United States, would give such
manufacturers a drawback on the
duty paid on the articles named, l
will pledge you my word that that
will be ali the protection they will ever
ask. Taxed as have been such manu.
facturers by our own United States
Government lever since the war, they
have thriyen, and in one city Of yir-
ginia at least. are to-day the basis Of
its best propristy. In spite Of the
taxes Of their own government against
them they have added to their posses
sions, and If you will remember that
their products are shipped out Of the
United States and sold in the open
markets Of other countries, / atm sure
you will admit that If our Government
will only do them justice by refund
ing the duties they pay on articles
afterwards reshipped out Of the United