Year: 1862

Tho Proposed Tax Upon Newspapers.


We have already intimated our entire con-
currence in the details of the Tax bill intro
duced by the Hon. Mr. Stevens, of the House of
Representatives, and especially we heartily ap-
prove of those portions of the bill which place
several heavy taxes upon newspapers.


The mode in which newspapers are taxed is
very novel and effective. In the first place
there is tax of three mills per pound, or about
fifteen cents per ream, upon the white paper
Then there is a tax of five per cent upon the
annual receipts from advertisements. Thirdly,
there is stamp duty upon telegraphic mes
cent upon the aggregate income of the newspa-
per establishment. Altogether these taxes
constitute pretty heavy burthen upon news
paper. The HERALD, for example, will pay
from thirty-fve to forty thousand dollars
year, in the form of taxes, for the sup
port of the government. This is no small
sum for one newsl aper to contribute; but
we shall pay it cheerfully, and hope that the
bill may soon become . law, and the govern
lnent be able to realize this large sum.


The Tribune states that its annual taxes will
amount to about twenty-five thousand dollars,
and the Times and World will have to pay pro-
portionate sums. As the Tribune confesses
that it is now losing money every day of its
publication, it will of course be unable to con-
tribute its twenty-five thousand dollars, and the
Times and World are both in the same pecu-
liarly perplexing pecuniary perdicament.
For the benefit Of this impoverished and ruined
trio, therefore, we revive our former sugges-
ton, which they would have done well to regard
some time ago, and kindly advise them to make
a copartHership of the three establishments, and
issue only one paper. They must either COM
bne or collapse, and we are anxious that they
shall combine. Together their aggregate crcula-
tion would become almost respectable, their
advertising would occupy several columns,
their expenses for editors and reporters, print
ers and pressmen, would be diminished, and
they would make most harmonious trio, and
work together, as usual, for the abolition of
everything generally, under the pleasing and
appropriate title of the greatest newspaper on
earth-"the World, the Flesh and the Devil"


As for the evening papers, the Post and
Commercial are least able to endure any Pc
cuniary strain, and will have to coalcsce, upon
the Christian principle of bearing one another's
burthens. The Journal of Commerce will die,
no doubt, having killed many of its readers
lately with enn,9 It has been diseased long
time, and its decease will be very natural, not
unexpected, and very little regretted. The
Express will probably be able to pay its little
tax of about ten thousand dollars from the re-
ceipts of its ninety-nne editions, and the
well known patriotism, liberality and public
spirit of its proprietors leave no doubt that its
contribution will be cheerfully paid, and even
doubled if the government requires the sacri-
flee. The Sunday papers, however, must
either unite or become extinct On the part of
the public we sincerely desire that the Sunday
press may decide upon the latter alternative;
but, if all the Sunday papers bundle together
we suggest that the result be called the
Sunday Se,oer, and wish it all the success it
deserves and can obtain as a new rival to
Barnums "Happy Family


By all means, then, let the Tax bill pass i'm
mediatcly. The government needs the money
il will realize from the taxes, and the public is
anxious for the newspaper reforms the taxes
will inaugurate.