Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-14
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER IA, 1885.
The Tobacco Tax.

II the tax on tobacco is ever TO be
removed, il must be done BY the Dem
ocrstic party. II will never be done
BY the Republican party. The votes
in Congress on this question show un-
mistakably that as q party the Repub-
leans are opposed to the measure. The
few Of them who are willing to remove
this odious tax---to repeal . law
which is closely akin to . sump-
tuary law-are mere handful as
COMPARED with the numbers who
will never release their grip upon
this source of revenue to the Federal
Government. OF course also the pro-
portion Of Republicans who would vote
in favor of abolishing tho tax is small
In comparison with the number who
were willing to abate part Of the tax.
And yet the number Of Republicans in
Congress who voted to reduce the tax
on tobacco was small indeed. The
Campaign of last week gives the
figures. The bill to reduce the tax on
tobacco from l6 to cents per pound
was passed in the Senate February 10,
1888. The result was announced as
follows:
YEAs..-Messrs. Aldrich, Barron,
Bayard, Beck. Brorn, Butler, Call,
Conger, Farley, George, German,
Grorer, Jockson, Johnston, Jones Of
Florida, Kellogg, Lamar, Malone, Mil
Ter Of New York, Mitchell, Morgan,
Pendieton, Plat, Ransom, Sawyer,
Slater, Tance, Van Wick, Vest, and
Wiliiams-30.
NAYs.-Messrs. Allison, Anthony,
Blair, CoekreH, Coke, Davis of Illinois,
Dawes, Edmunds, Frye, Garland,
Hswley, Ingalls,, Lapham, Logan, Nc
Dill, Mcmillan, Maxey, Miller Of CAL
ifornis, Morrill,, Plumb, Rollins,
Sewell, Sherman, and Windom-24.
ABsENT.-Messrs. Camden. Came
ron Of Pennsylvania, Cameron Of Wis
cousin, Darts Of Vest Virginia, Fair,
Ferry, Groome, Hale, Hampton. Har-
rison, Hill, Hoar, Jones Of Nevada,
AcPhnson, Pugh. Sanlsbury, Saun-
ders, Tabor, Voorhees,, and Walker
90.
Democrats in italics.
Voting Aye: Democrats, 81; Re-
publicans, g; and Malone, scallawag.
Voting No: Democrats, 3; Repub-
leans, 81.
Not Voting or Absent: Democrats,
IL; Republicans, 10.
The pairs Of five Democrats favor
ing the bill was announced for FIVE Re-
publicans opposed to it. Davis of
West Virginia and Hampton favored
the bill but were not paired.
II will be seen that this Republican
measure, which is claimed by the Ma
honeites. was favored by nine Republi-
cans out of thirty mine, and by twenty
eight Democrats out Of thirty-six.
Thirty-one Republicans out Of thir-
ty-nine opposed it, including Bloody
Shirt Sherman, and all Of Mahone's
leading South-hating allies. Only eight
Democrats opposed it, out of thirty
six, in the Senate.
Do not overlook the fact, already
stated, that not half as many Republi-
cans would vote to abolish the tax on
tobacco as voted to reduce it to eight
cents. A tax Of eight cents per pound
is tax Of about 100 per cent. on the
value Of tobacco, the selling price
Of leaf tobacco not averaging, we sup
pose, much more than eight dollars per
hundred pounds.
These are the friends to whose
tender mercies MALONE would COM
nit the tobacco-planters Of Virginia.
john A. LOGAN, for whom MALONE
and his followers last year voted, was
one Of the Republican Senator's who
voted against the reduction Of the tax
on tobacco.
That very same year 1883 the Demo-
cratic State Conventions in Virginia,
Tennessee, West Virginia, and Penn
sylvsnia declared boldly in favor Of the
abolition Of the whole internal-revenue
system. Nobody can point to one sin
gle State Convention Of the Republican
party in any northern State that ever
made such declaration.
A word 10 tho wise is sufficient.
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