Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-24
Vac 1nternal.Revenue system.

The internal-revenue system, as every
body knows, owes its existence to the war
between the States. II has, therefore, no
right 10 exist at tins late day. PATRICK
HENRY drew telling picture OF the fede-
raj tax-collector treading in the tracks OF
the State tax-collector IN executing laws
too oppressive to be borne. Up to the time
of the imposition Of the internal taxes Oh
the war-period there had been, with Few
exceptions, no internal taxes collected by
the United States Government. But the
Federal tax-collector shipped his hand
into our pockets whilst war was
fragrant and whilst the word re-
bellion" was q bugbear wherewith
fanatical fools were frightened out OF thelr
wits. and We have never since been able 10
make him keep his hands out OF them.
The income-tax, and indeed almost all the
Federal internal taxes, have been abolish
cd. but the system remains in full force, as
do the tobacco taxes, which bear so heavily
upon Virginia.
The TndeI- Appeal speaks for the planters
and manufacturers of this State when II
denounces the internal taxes. They are
what SHAKgPRARE might have termed the
cankers Of long war" Would that IT
were as easy to remove those taxes as 1t Is
TO find reasons why they ought to be re-
moved. Would that the spies and INFORM
ers now harassing us could be left to their
own resources instead Of being permitted
TO draw money from the United States
Treasury as their reward for vexing the
owners of apple and peach-orchards and
rendering the lives of whiskey-distillers
burthen TO themselves. Let us say. by the
way. that it is TO the whole system we OBJ
iect and not to the details-certainly not
particularly TO the tax on whiskey.
Our northern Democratic friends in Con-
gress cannot be relied upon TO aid us in
getting rid of the internal taxes. 1t is
nice thing to know that 1.-THE best place
for a boil is on somebody else's leg" and
this fact too many of the Democratic con-
cressmen from the cotton States seem TO
be perfectly aware of. They JOIN hands
with New England fanatics IN declaring that
tobacco is at the best luxury and at the
worst harmful, expensive, and worse than
useless; whereas the truth is that tobacco
is the poor mans solace and the cheapest
article in which he can indulge. He need
not 90 TO the saloon to get it, nor chew
cloves to destroy ITS smell. He can chew
or sruokewhllst sitting by his humble fire.
side. and afford pleasure 20 his family by
reading the papers TO them as he thus sits
enthroned at home smoking his pipe or
cigar, or chewing the harmless, quoting
Cavendish.
How is it that the Farmers National Al
lance has never word to say upon the
subject of the abolition of the odlous
taxes of which we complain? They cause
the planter and the manufacturer to feel
as if they had collars around their necks.
They "smell OF the shop" and the shop
they smell of is the war between the
States. They are burthen which should
no longer be allowed TO hang upon the
shoulders of our people like an Old Man of
the Sea. We repeat that these offensive
and MISUNDERSTANDING taxes ought to
be done away with. Justice demands their
utter destruction.