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

The paper trust should be dealt
with BY the congress 1t not only
affects the great publishing; interests.
bet it is tax upon all newspaper
and magazine readers Prices must
go IN sos paper to print upou, and
then there must be an advance in the
price OF the printed newspaper or
book G. periodical 1t IS tax apon
leaning. upon information, upon tie
general Intelligence
The taxes on pulp AUD paper
should be reduced at once The
present tariff is a curse and disgrace.
The republican gang is alone respon.
sioIe for it
There are many reasons for reduc-
tion and not one for its continuance.
Under the law robbery, wholesale
and endless, is perpetrated The
Philadelphia Times says
"The paper trust is now taxing the
newspaper aud book publishers of
the country many millions. not be
cause OF any such actual increase ir
the cost of producing paper, but
because the trust has the power to
extort from the purchasers of paper
up to the extent that would make
tarif.taxed foreign paper and pulp
cheaper than the prices demanded
here This trust has played its
scheme of extortion to the utte:most,
and congress should at once remove
the tax that protects 40 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 Tor
American consumption Should come
from Canada, but it is excluded By
tariff tax. aud we are now rushing
headlong in the destruction of our
forests"
1t is not cred:table to the intelli-
gence of this country that such e
method of wholesale robbery should
be possible or tolerated 1t is de
structive and it is oppressive and
should not be apolcgized for or ia.
vored by any man of even pretended
responsibility. The Times says, and
wisely says:
1.-The two conclusive reasons
which should make congress act
promptly are--frst, that the paper
trust should be at once halted ID it's
rapid destruction of our American
forests by the admission of free wood
pulp from Canada and, second, that
the present extortion practiced by
the paper trust upon publishers of
newspapers and books shall cease
to have the protection Of the govern
mept.
The time has come when any
trust that makes arbitrary profits by
tariff duties must cease to be pro-
tected by the government !"
But wha. can be expected from
such congress as the present one !s
known to be? 1t is like its p.rty-a
republican roober and oppressor.
without fear or conscience. lis life
and hope are based CD schemes of
robbery 1t cares nothing for the
people-,he mass-and of course
nothing for forests. Tae 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 sod pulp on the free list
The Times is righ. when it says that
",be paper trust has demonstrated
that these taxes serve only single
purpose-that is to invite robbery
under color Of law"
The paper trust ie perhaps the very
worst of all t:usts for it not only
robs great publishing class, but it
places an embargo upon brains-s
tax upon education-a levy upon
| amusameat-a tariff upon news
There is no class, there is no condi
ton Of men who is in the remotest
degree benefited by this law save
only the class who create and run
The paper truss The Kansas City
Star says Of this vile oppression and
wrong: is there tue least shadow
ci an apology for imposing q penalty
on a business or profession which
yields TO the public the great moral
cf educational service performed by
the newspapers and magazines:
There certainly is not. The tysanny
of the paper trust is not justified even
as Gne and punishment inflicted on
the newspapers for their general cen.
sure of combinations against trade. .
is there any possible chance to have
the evil cured-sne oppression re.
moved Republicans say tney are
r