Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-01-21
INTERNAL TAXES On TOBACCO.
SPEECH OF HON. ]. RANDOLPH TUCKER, OF
sENTATIvEs, MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1885

C
VIRGINIA, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRE-
SENTATIvEs, MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1885.
The House having under consideration
the bill (H. R. 5, 5,432) relating to the duties
on tobacco, Mr.. Tucker said:
Mr.. Speaker,-one Of the reasons, and q
principal one, for the passage of this bill
is that it will reduce the surplus in the
| Treasury. That surplus has been for years
past, and will be for years to come, a
wrong to the people, from whom the Gov
ernment should take no more than it needs
for an economical administration.
The revenue from customs was last year
about s195, 5,0O0O 900, from miscellaneous
sources about $50, 0OO, 900, and from inter-
nal taxation about $121, ,OOo,O in all
about s34s, 1000, 900.
| The expenditures were, for pensions
about $55, 100000, for interest on public
debt about s55. .OOO,O for other ordinary
expenses about $135, 900, 900, and for the
sinking ftnd about SAG, 900, 900; in all about
$3.50, 100000; leaving a surplus of about
a58, 100000 of the peoples money to lie
idle in the Treasury.
| 1t is thus seen that customs and miscel-
laneous sources furnish about 1925, 600, 900,
which falls short of the sum of expendi-
lures Ind the sinking fund about 500, 600,
600, OR short of ordinary expenditures, in
Guiding pensions and interest, about $19,-
100000, and leaving nothing for the sink
ing fund. This would be the deficit on the
total repeal of all internal taxation.
But ss customs and the miscellaneous
sources supply 1926, 900, the internal
taxes are only needed to supply s65,
600, the difference between the total ex-
penditure Of $500 900, 900 and the revenue
of 1925, 100000 thus obtained from GUS
toms and miscellaneous sources
Now, as my collsague (h1r. CabelD has
said, the total repea! of tax on cigars and
tobacco will BIS, say, S23,000,000, on spirits
used in manufacture not more than 81, 000,-
900, and on brandies from fruits about
$4,000, 600; in all about $32, 100000 leav-
ing moro than $50, 1000, 900 from the tax on
spirits, beer, SC. Add this sum to $685.
000,00 from customs and miscellaneous
sources, and we will have over $305, ZOO, 00C
to meet $780, 100000 of demands on the
Treasury for ordinary expenses, pensions,
interest on debt. and the sinking fund.
This bill will therefore leave ample means
for the Governments needs and relieve the
people of taxes which only put a useless
surplus into the Treasury to tempt to un-
constitutional legislation, to reckless ex-
travagance, and to official corruption.
Again, there is a strong reason. and a
special one, why this tax on tobacco should
be repealed. The law which imposes it
singles out this one product of the farmer
for taxation, subjects the producer to re.
strlctions upon its free sale, and, with the
zeal of inquisitorial watchfulness, pursues
it from the plant-bed to the hand of the
consumer. The same may be said Of the
vast suplus fruit product of the country,
which rots in the hands of the producer
because he cannot take it to market in the
condition of distilled spirits.
But the tax on tobacco is most une
quail one. It has the evils which have been
condemned as involved to the system Of
specific duties under the tariff system. II
taxes the cheap article consumed by the
poor IS heavily as the dear article con
sumed 9y the rich. II it be, as is otter
said, !, luxury to the consemer, why :