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

R. 9416) to reduce the revenue and eQuslize
duties on imports
Mr.. Thicker said:
Mr.. Chairman l offered the amend
ment on Saturday evening abolishiug the
entire system of taxation upon tobacco,
and offered it in entire good faith. ]
represent, sir, upon this floor a hundred
Thousand white and black people, nine.
tenths of whom are interested directly in
the cultivation Of tobacco. I have stood,
sir, with the great party to which I belong
for many years advocating the total aoo-
lition of this tax; and, by the efforts of
that party, we at last got the tax reduced
to cents pound.
When this bill came in I looked with
anxiety to zee if that measure of reiief which
was due to the agriculturists of the country
vas not to be given to the poor of old Vir-
ginia and North Carolina who make their
living by the sweat of their brow in the
cultivation of tobacco, but was disappointed
in finding that it only proposed reduction
in the tax to cents per pound.
a great deal has been said on this floor
about the question as to whether or not the
consumer pays the tariff tax, but upon this
question there is little doubt in my mind
that the people who mostly pay the tax
it; and this is admitted by the other eide IN
the last national Republican platform; and
yet we are met in this bill, which purports,
gentlemen say, to aid agriculture, by the
retention Of the tax of cents pound upon
it; while we find at the same time in the
bill that the man who makes pound Of
sugar shall be paid by the Government out
of it's revenues cents pound.
We are told that the sugar-producer
shall have bounty of 2 cents pound on
his product out OF the Treasury, and at the
same time if we make pound of tobacco
we shall pay cents into the Treasury for
the privilege of doing so. Is that fair? Is
that equal taxation? Is that just? Is it
proper in legislative measure of this
character that you shall say to one agri-
cultural interest, ''We will give you 2 cents
for making pound of sugar." and to
another, "We will make you pay cents
for making pound of tobacco?"
But we are met with another state of
facts. There is another so-called agricul-
tural product protected under this bill,
namely, silk; and when go back to my
good people in Virginia along the Blue
Ridge Mountains and they ask me if the
tax on tobacco has been abolished, l will
have to say no; but instead Of that relief
can offer them the consolation that Re-
publican Congress has given them the
privilege of paying 81 tax upon each pound
of reeled silk, and Z cents on each pound Of
cocoons Laughter That is all. Agri-
culturists of the country cry aloud for re-
lief, and you give them, not the relief that
they ask for, but instead compel them to
pay ST. pound on reeled silk. [Applause
on Democratic side. Your answer to them
is the same given by mother to her little
boy who was crying to go to the circus,
when she said, 'No, my son; but if you will
stop crying and be a good boy you can go
to your grsndmother's funeral"
Mr.. Waddill. Will the gentleman allow
me to ask him question?
Mr.. Tucker. Certainly.
Mr.. Waddill. AS q friend of your
amendment wish to know whether you
and your party associates, as far as you can
speak for them, mean 10 vote for this bill
if you succeed in getting your amendment
adopted? [Cries Of "No!" on the Demo-
cratic side.]
Mr. Tucker. Well, ask ne another one.
Ask hard ono.
Mr.. Waddill 1 want an answer to
that.
Mr.. Tucker. Now, when we get to that
point we will answer it. / will answer for
myself, but my party associates are of age
and they can answer for themselves. I say
for myself will not vote for this or any
bill that puts taxes upon the people of this
country, upon the absolute necessaries of
life, ard removes them from luxuries.-
Applause on the Democratic side.1
have said the tax on tobacco is mostly
paid by the producer. Any argument on
this subject would be useless to convince
our friends upon the other side of the
House, for in their last national Republican
platform, on which we have SO often, dur
| ing this debate, heard it said Mr.. Harrison
had carried the country, we find the fol-
lowing
The Republican party would effect all
needed reduction Of the national revenue by
repeating the taxes on tobacco, which are an
annoyance and burden to agriculture.
gsA clear, emphatic admission that the tax
is paid by the agricuiturists who produce
it.. A tax is necessarily q restraint upon
the production Of any article upon which il
is imposed, just as commerce is sensitive tc
the touch of taxation. The tax upon 10
bacco increases its cost to the consumer
where the cost is increased consumption il
diminiehed; where consumption is dimin
| ished production decTeasess so that the to
bacco- grower pays the tag, indirectly il
may be, in the loss of production arising
from diminished demand.
Again, the manufacture Of tobacco re-
quires capital for the payment of the tax
license, sc. This fact encourages the con
csntration of large capital in such business
while the poor, and especially the farmel
who p.oduces the tobacco, is not able tt
manufacture his own product, which, bu