THE PROPOSED INDIAN THE CESS

摘要

The text of the Memorial of the Indian Tea Association to H.E. The Viceroy in regard to the proposed imposition of an Indian cess on tea, is given on another page. It will, we think, be generally acknowledged that the planter's case is well stated. The memorial is clear and concise. In it there is a statement of what Ceylon has done, and an indication of what her action has meant to her. It is frankly admitted that India has not previously come up to the mark in regard to this matter, but the memorialists appear to think that she has done so now* It remains to be seen whether the Viceroy considers 380,604 acres a sufficiently large proportion of 520,000 acres to warrant the imposition of a cess on the product of the whole area; and, if he concedes this point, whether his ideas of what is expedient in the interests of the Indian tea industry will permit him to accede to the report of the memoralists. We trust that he will do so. For years past there has been a considerable amount of discussion on this subject, and the only way by which a practical conclusion can be arrived at is-a practical trial of the working of a cess. If this results well, no one will be displeased. Should it, on the contrary, result badly, five years is not a very long time, the experiment can be stopped at the end of its first term, and the minority will rejoice because they "told us so".