New-York tribune., 1901-12-29
WANT TEA TAX REMOVED.
IMPORTERS SAY IT IS A BURDEN TO
THEM AND Is NOT NEEDED BY
THE GOVERNMENT.

The war tax law of 1898 included a tax or III
cents pound Ever since the enactment OF
that law tea importers and dealers have denounced
The tax as burdensome and unwarranted. ana nave
periodically exerted themselves TO secure It's re-
peal Their position to-day is clearly stated IN the
following interview with John B. Brown one OF
the leading tea and coffee importers of this city:
The tea trade has been in demOralized and un- %
VAR revenue tax in 1855. The great mass of con-
sumers had become educated 10 buy gooa tt tsa 1o
20 10 - cents pound retail. and, owing TO the ~
cents a pound duty, the consumption OF tea mas s
been considerably essened and Will continue 10 oe
as long higher prices are in force. l.. or
The tea trade is the only large interest IN our our
country which has suffered continually during Ih
last four years of prosperity. Theirs Is the onIL
article In the grocers list of one thousand wnSn tS
Spanish war. They have borne this burden sig hoT
four years the risk and with the lmpenoIlls ON
danger of destruction, and now ask 10 De ieie'eu
was moi imposed by the Dingley Tariff law, put
created years after thal isM, M .iff y w
absolutely no bearing upon the general tarln law,
81 be rotectsye tariff system; that 1t created
solely as war measure. and its repeal would in
no wise raise the question OF the tarlH reVlslon @
on which tax was levied for war purposes, have
been partially relieved. and the war oaa oi Tbe
5,riet medicines entirely removed ne
enormous surplus in the United States Treasury IS
potent testimony 10 tne taTe tn Collect this tax
smountinC 10 over 100000 annually. from the
mater and protects no American labor 1t en-
ters into everyhousehold Of the land ana rs Is
iy uIeu - &C an IIntaxabe article for fifty years.
SasSeG tj, n, times of war because it is neces
i enGeE } 60 - many including large proportion of
the poorer class For this reason the duty IN m
Or as soon as the revenue would warrant dong SO:
il seems needless. therefore to collect any TAX ak
nbateyer in times of peace and surplus on an
artcle required by large majority Of the pd peoRled
1he subject that this duty OF - per cehb naS S eO
enhanced the that the retail dealer mas peeil
%snee the selling price. Consequently the I'M
Yortation Of the better grades wnlch nt'e +I, pet
+,,fe orr1,tr1 for ma
go viii become extinct; and while the poorer
tlnue' I conId fopmerly buy desirable tea 25
cents pound they are now obliged 10 pay % cents
While the consumer is suffering as abe above s.tsii Te
lated tens Of thousands IN & OF % To bepetofre
derived from this leading article For example
m an o ps2 annSm he Would be Obliged to lend
over $4,000 for duty TO his customers wltnout
dneha h ri hse PTons srge sums
duty have TO be trusted out on Iong Erea 10
seller or buyer. The citizens injured by TINS OPP
Wholesale grocers and hundreds of thousands OF
The lea trade heretofore one of the large inter-
ests OF this country. is becoming seriously crippled
great rival. has been allowed 10 come in tree OF
iast Ioqr yeSisr 0t in inanortsfion about one
hundred million pounds year, while tea has de-
srfcIe is tbresfened both IN duality and quantity
has fallen 10 q secondary position the grocers
list While consumers are deprived OF GOOD
quality. rhe dealers are deprived Of a reasonable
proht ana a leading article Of commerce is threat
ened with extinction
The only objections that have been heard to re-
peal from the Committee on Ways and Means are
two: First, that importers petiuoned for a
duty. and. second that the repeal will open up
the question of the tariff
rorters only petitioned for a duty before the en-
scfment of the Tea Adulteration act, and when
no barrier existed against the importation of i'm
pure and unWholesome tea. 1t considered
that might help to discourage the importa-
rion of inferior and aduterated tea. When an
effective barrier raised by the Tea Adultera-
fion act against these Objectionable grades, the
yea trade ceased 10 petition for a tea duty, with
the exception of two three individual importers,
who alone to-day OF the entire community ask for
Ats preservation.
The only reason assigned by these individuals
for a continuance of the duty is that its oppreS-
eive burden might possibly crush out some OF the
smaller competitors 1t is certain that IS per cent
of all dealers advocate repeal and that not 3 per
cent are in hesitation
AS the tariff question was not opened for debate
when the tea duty passed in the meas
-re. neither should il be opened when 1t is re-
Jealed-
AS il was imposed exclusively account OF the
Standardization War. logically, il should
te discontinued upon the cessation Of that war
always been measure exclusively,
eno the former duty repealed pos
eibie after the close of the Civil War.
: Therefore. in times OF peace and while a large
Furplus is in the Treasury, IL is uselessly op-
Sressive tax.