Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-13
rnhanoo and Taxes.

Saturday last when was read In inc
House Of Representatives bis report on
Mr.. RANpALL's tariff bill, which pro-
yided for abolishipg the tax on tobacco
that be had coined sentence which
would kill all future propositions to re-
move that tax when he said, "The 70.
moysl of the tax on tobacco will 'nr'
r,sh no new employ ment." "Neither
its smoke nor its juices will turn
wheel, shaft, or spindle"
IfMr. MORRISON should visit, let us
say, Richmond, be would find that to-
bacco furnishes employment to thou
sands of persons-men, women, boys
and girls; and inssmuch IS lower
prices must surely have the effect Of in
c,essipg consumption, and as the tax on
tobacco as manufactured into various
articles is more than the average price
per pound Of the leaf, it would seem to
follow that the total abolition OF the
tax on tobacco would set good many
new .pindles at work--that is to say,
would largely increase the number OF
persons, already an immense army
who make their living out Of tobacco
raising it and manufacturing it.
Tobacco is, as has been so truly and
20 often said, the poor mans one lux
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS especially. lie
can enjoy it whilst hard at work, or
whilst sitting in the bosom of his fam
il,-whilst dealing ponderous blows
upon iron or steel, or whilst reading
his newspaper or bis book. Why should
he be made to pay double price for
this solace of all his waking hours?
Why should he be compelled to pay
five or ten cents q day for tobacco that
ought to cost him not more than hall
that amount?
Mr.. MoRRIsoN's report further OBJ
iects to Mr.. RANDALL's bill that it
proposes to remove all internal taxes
on tobacco, snuff, and cigars, amount
ing on the basis Of last years receipts
to twenty eight millions Of dollars
This statement is evidently used as an
argument against the removal of the
taxes in question, whereas it is in fact
an argument upon the other side. 1t
tells us at once what an intolerable
burthen is thus laid upon the poor men
Of this country. The rich may smoke
imported cigars, but the poor must
smoke homemade cigars. The bur-
thens under consideration are therefore
| in o peculiar sense a class taxa tax
which falls upon the very men who are
lesst able to bear it. II no effort is
ever made to rid the people of this tax,
| il will of course never be removed.
| The national income tax was repealed
wears ago despite the fact that not one
man in ten had to pay any portion OF
that TAIN this section, at least.
This internal tax upon tobacco rem
ders it necessary to levy tariff upon
imported articles manufactured out oil
tobacco, in order to keep the home
market to ourselves, and protect ouI
own manufacturers against foreign com
petition. This condition of things an
swers by indisputable fact the question
Does protection protect? Is there
congressman representing tobacco
growing constituency who would dar'
to propose to abolish entirely the tarii
on manufactured tobacco on the grounO
that it does not protect the tobacc
manufacturers
Mr.. MoRRIsoN's bill was kille'
several weeks approximately for tn
Democratic party, we are inclined t
think. Mr.. RANDALL's bill was killet
last Saturday. Here in Virginia bot
bills, however, bad friends and both ha
opponents. "a plague on both you
houses" our Democratic candidates 70
Congress might well say.