The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-07
Let Congress Repeal the Tax
on Intelligence.


with by the congress 1t not only
affects the great publishing interests,
but it is tax upon all newspaper
and magazine readers, Prices must
60 up for paper to print upon, and
then there must be an advance in the
price of the printed newspaper or
book or periodical 1t is a tax upon
learning. upon information. upon the
general intelligence
The taxes on pulp aud paper
should be reduced at once The
present tariff is curse and disgrace.
The republican gang is alone respon.
sible for it.
There are many reasons for reduc.
ton and not one for it's continuance.
Under the law robbery. wholesale
and endless, is perpetrated The
Philadelphia Times says:
"The paper trust is now taxing the
newspaper and book pub s,ers of
the country many millions. not be
cause OF any such actual increase in
the cost of producing paper, out
because the trust has the power to
extort from the purchasers of paper
up to the extent that would make
taritf'taxed foreign paper and pulp
cheaper than the prices demanded
here This trust has played it's
scheme of extortion to the uttermost,
and congress should at once remove
the tax that protects no American
industry and that has become only an
agent to rob the consumers.
Two thirds of the wood pulp
used in the manufacture Of paper for
American consumption should come
from Canada, hut it is excluded by a
tariff tax. sDd we are now rushing
headlong in the destruction of our
forests"
II is not cred;table to the intelli-
gence of this country that such
method of wholesale robbery should
be possible or tolerated 1t is de
structive and it is oppressive and
should not be spologized for or ia.
vored by any man of even pretended
responsibility. The Times says, and
wisely says:
"The two conclusive reasons
which should make congress act
promptly are--first. that the paper
trust should be at once halted in it's
rapid destruction of our American
forests by the admission of free wood
pulp from Canada and, second, that
the present extortion praoticed by
the paper trust upon publishers of
and books shall cease
to have the protection of the govern.
ment.
The time has come when any
trust that makes arbitrary profits by
tariff duties must cease to be pro.
tected by the government
But what can be expected from
such congress as the present one is
known to be 1t is like its psrty-a
republican roOber and oppressor,
without fear or conscience. Iss life
and hope are based on schemes of
robbery 1t cares nothing for the
msss-Aand Of course
for forests. Tue thing to do
to please the rabid. wicked, debased
party is to rob The thing for the
decent, reputable members to do is
to put paper and pulp on the free list
The Times ia right when it says that
"the paper trust has demonstrated
that these taxes serve only q single
purpose-that is to invite robbery
under color of law"
The paper trust lie perhaps the very
worst of all truste for it not only
robs o great publishing class, but it
places an embargo upon brains-a
tax upon education-a levy upon
tariff upon news.
There in no class, there is no condi.
tion of men who is in the remotest
degree benefited by this law save
only the class who create and run
the paper trust The Kansas City
Star says Of this vile oppression and
wrong: lis there the ieast shadow
of an apology for imposing a penalty
on a business or profession which
yields to the public the great moral
of educational service performed by
the newspapers aud magazines?
There certainly is not. The tyranny
OF the paper trust is not justified even
as fine and punishment inflicted on
the newspapers for their general cen.
sure of combinations against trade"
ls there any possible chance to have
the evil cured-the oppression re.
Republicans say they are
opposed to trusts. If there is any
truth in this why do they not razee
heavily the great tariff tsx-why do
they not strike down this senseless
attach unOn information on1 octo,