Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-06-18

By the imposition of the tax the farmer
loses the possible profits arising from the
manufacture of his own product, and he
sees this business by the taxing power OF
! the Government transferred to capitalists
| alone.
| For the same reasons we fnd the large
manufacturers of cigars do bot desire the
tax removed. They can crowd out tie
small dealers and monopolizs the trade.
| The effect of the tax on tobacco on the
producer is so clearly and ably put By my
colleague from Virginia, Mr.. Venable,
that beg to quote what he says
| Virginia has asked for the abolition of tn o
! tax on tobacco for years past, and now ask II
| of this Congress.
| 1t Is tax that is hateful to my people and
| hurtful to their interest.
1t restricts the sale of their leaf-tobacco to q
| few customers. and thus, by destroying com :
| petition tends to make the raiser OF tobacco
receive less for his product.
| The majority report of the Ways and Means
ofprices due to the tariff the country will have
| to rely upon the unchecked competition
among the protected industries
| yield up its right and duty to give the people
| the protection of equal and just laws. 1t turns
over the American public to the uncovenanted
mereies of the protected classes. 1t denies to
| the people in their purchases the benefit OF
| free competition In the open markets OF tne
w
| on tobacco they deny to the tobacco-g grower
the benefit of free competition for an increase
in the price of his product. The tax they i'm
pose restricts the buyers, and accordingly
lowers the price.
This is the height of injustice to the tobacco.
planter. He is made to bear the double burden
of protection. He is not free either in his pur-
chases of the necessaries OF life or in the sale
of his products. 1 protest against this unjust
discrimination against him and appeal to this
House for justice.
II the tobacco.raiser were allowed to buy
hat HI nofc hn mo a
world, he would have less ground of COM
plant. But he is not. The Government ties
his hands both when he buys and when ne
sells. There is no other class of farmers thus
upjustly hampered.
The Treasury vaults are loaded with the peo-
ple's money, taken from them beyond the
needs Of the Government, and it is the duty of
the Government to relieve every class OF It's
citizens of every dollar of taxation possible
The tobacco planters have been taxed on every
article upon which the tariff is laid as well as
upon their product, and they now ask a rellef
that takes not one dollar from the Govern.
ment which it needs.
By the imposition and continuation of
this tax the tobacco lands in Virginia are
greatly deprecisting in value and the crop
| is gradually diminishing, and the result is
that the Government is using its taxing
power to contfscate the lands of the people.
The tobacco grower in Virginia asks no
protection from foreign competition; the
do ask and demand protection from the
legislative power of the Government that
would use the taxing power of the Govern
ment for the purpose OF cofJtscGtang fhea'
lands.
But see how unjustly this bill deals with
tobacco in comparison with two other agri-
cultural products, silk and sugar. The tax
on tobacco is retained at cents per pound
this is trifiing with the people, for they
demand its total abolition while the pro-
ducers Of silk and sugar are to be paid a
bounty out of the Treasury. In the nj
nority report on this bill MIR. Carlisle says
on the subject of the bounty on silk
Again, there are few persons in the United
States who claim that IL they had what they
call proper encouragement" they could pro,
duce raw silk here. and accordingly this bill
proposes to compel all the people 10 pay out
of the public Treasury bounty OF 81 pound,
or 81 240 per ton, on all the raw s1iK reeled
S156.S per ton of fresh cOcoons. intending the
worms produced in the United States. Raw
silk and cocoons are now on on the Iree,list. and
and 1Gl ,GH pounds Of cocoons The object OF
the proposed bounty is to discourage those I'M |
portatuns. which cost the people nothing an- |
less they saw proper to use silk goods Bnd to |
encourage the production OF those articles mere
at an expense of 81 pound for the silk and 7 |
cents pound for the cocoons. IN addition 10
and tins expense is to be charged to all the |
people whether they use silk goods or not, and |
lie paid out Of the public Treasury.
At the same time the bill proposes to make |
enormous increases in the rates on Woolen |
goods, which all our people are compelled to |
the rates on some kinds of cotton and linen |
goods which are absolutely necessary for the |
health and comfort all classes.
IA -, .bo .,I,:oot of @ba e,,ror ;,onrfu