Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-12

dollars q gallon. Should the meter which
nave described meet the expectations
OF those familiar with Its merits-and
this the trial of few weeks only will
determine - frauds may be prevented.
aud the present tax maintained with ad.
vantage, even though the adoption OF an
improved civil service be for time de-
layed. But II the Tice meter aud Others
now being tested by the committee shall
allke prove insufficient aud the estab-
llshment OF an improved civil service
De regarded as impracticable, see no
substantial remedy for existing evils ex.
cept IN the very large and early reduc.
tlon OF the tax, coupled with several
changes Ia the law, in addition to those
TO which l shall refer In this report.
Several changes in the law are pro-
posed. The Commissioner recommends
that the privilege extended by the stat.
ute OF withdrawing spirits from bonded
warehouses for the purpose of redistll-
lation or rectiacation without prepay
ment Of the tax, should be Withdrawn,
with perhaps the single exception Of
spirits intended to be redistilled for ex-
port. ....... ....
The Commissioner submits that Il
VIII be wise to provide that forfeited
spirits shall be sold subject to the tax,
the purchaser having privilege of enter
ing the same in bonded warehouses for
subsequent expectation or withdrawal,
upon payment of the tax. ..
II Is also recommended that where the
gross proceeds of q forfeiture do not ey-
coed one thousand dollars, the district
attorneys shall be entitled to receive ave
per cent, and that they also be entitled
to receive in any case calling for special
eXertiOns such fee as shall be awarded
by this department.
Some further changes in the law reg
ulating distilled spirits are recon-
mended. The report says:
A requirement that every distiIlery es.
tablished ia accordance with law should
bear sign cOnspIcuously displaying 10
the public the name of the distiller and
the number of his distillery as registered
upon the books of the revenue office
would make it much more difficult n
Illicit distillers to conceal their ops
tions.
~ ShOaAA AASJ BC IfNulT6u LQGb kIC.
| cess to every distillery while in o.
ton should always be had by the pre-
revenue officers.
Specific penalties should be prescri-
for any attempt to tamper with 3 me-
q SEAL or lock which has been appi
to distillery in accordance with Their.
ulatious Of the department.
A forfeiture to be of advantage to IT,
| government must be punishment t.
Others, and 1t is not unreasonable that
those Who lease lands for distillery pur-
poses should share with the Govern
ment the liability to injury from fraud,
especially when such liability is self
| imposed.
The share to informers OF fines, pen
alties, and forfeitures now authorized
by law, cannot exceed in any case the
sum Of $4,000. The inducement to with
hold infsrmation In cases relating to dis
titled spirits is oftentimes so large that
the Commissioner believes it wise to
| amend the law Ia this behalf, SO far as
To allow such share az the Secret airy of
the Treasury shall by general regula-
tlons provide, not exceeding one M oiety.
In regard to instruments issued with
out stamp the Commissioner is ga tbs fed
that it would be judicious to SO amend
the law that instruments might be at
any time rendered valid by the payment
OF a penalty in some degree commensur-
ate with the amount Of tax of which the
government has been defrauded.
In regard to bankers aud brok ers'
sales the Commissioner believes the re.
turn Of sales to assessors, and the paw.
ment Of the tax to the collectors, are
less incOnvenient to the public than the
use OF stamps, while they furnish better
opportunities for testing the ooserv ance
OF the laws
In regard to the tax on legacies and
SUGGESTIONS, it is recommended that
where in such case the amount, incl1s.
Ing both real and personal, exceeds len
thousand dollars, the excess in value
shall be subject to tax at the rate OF one
dollar per centum.
In regard to special taxes the report
says:
When special taxes were substitu ted
for licenses, provision was made as in
the act of 1862 for cases Of death and
removal, but none for the case Of assign.
ment. This is presumed to have been
the result Of an oversight, and it would
clearly be wise to now supply the onis-
sion.
Manufacturers of taxable Articles. who
pay the special tax Of ten dollars Der
annum In addition to the tax upon taetr
products, and dealers who pay a m0ata.
ly tax upon their sales, feel themselves,
uDjlstly dealt with when they see mau.
ufacturers of exempt articles paying
neither the excise nor the tax upon sales
| would recommend such al amendment
of the law as will require all persons
paying special tax as manufacturers bat
no tax upon articles manufactured TO
pay an additional monthly tax upon sa' es
with the same Limitations as are now
imposed in the case of dealers. a
BRASDoN.-D. L. Miliken Is again the
proprietor of the Brandon edition OF the
Vermont Record. That paper, Ia speak.
ing Of the causes of the prosperity Of
that town, has the following: