The national Republican., 1869-02-20
TAX ON WHISKY,


There IL q very perniclous provision In the
new tax bill rs 1t has passed the House, and
IL shows that the whisky rings have been In
dustriously at work, and that by their i'm
portunitios have induced majority Of the
members Of the House to give them still
longer lease In which 10 swlndle the Gov
eminent. At the very last moment the
whisky lobby succeeded in tacklng on to the
bill, In Committee Of the Whole, provision
which extends the time for tho withdrawal
OF spirits now In the class B bonded ware
houses for another year, or until Goth Of
April, 1870.
II Ia notorious that this bonded warehouse
system Is mischlevous dodge and tho fruit
full source Of fraud. II enables class Of
men who are bent upon making money to
Increase their gains, and to build up enor-
nous fortunes at the public expense and to
the depletion Of the Treasury.
Every one knows that there are hundreds
Of millions Of dollars that justly belong to
the Government, means that should now be
In the Treasury of the United states, which
have been flched from the pockets Of the
people. II this Is not class legislation, and
that too In favor Of as corrupt combination
which constitute the whisky rings, we are
lost to know what Is class legislation.
We confess that we did not expect this ac-
tion In favor Of a class and against the peo-
PIE. II there Is any kind Of taxable property
upon which every dollar Of the revenue should
be collected at once tits whisky. We cannot,
therefore, understand why this pernicious
warehouse system should have q longer
lease Of life. 1t Is q favor not extended to
other interests why, then, should this spe-
cial privilege be extended to distillers and
dealers In whiskyl
The present law was passed on July 20,
1888, and the day fixed by law for the pay.
ment Of the tax upon spirits in bond Is the
Goth Of April next. This amendment will
give to the owners OF this property another
year In which TO withdraw their bonded
whisky from the Government warehouses
II Ia fact that the cessation TO n large ex
tent Of distillation in many sections OF tn,
country has led TO the withdrawal of tn,
lower and cheaper kinds Of liqr ors from thu
warehouses. There was Dc nand for thes,
liquors. hence their remoya,. But the kind
now In bond are the better and the highe
priced brands, such as old Bourbon and thu
better qualities Of rye, worth in bond from
$3.50 to - per gallon.
Those who own this liquor are, II this bi
passes, to have the favor Of the bonded war,
house extended to them for another yea
Why should the Government give these IL
dulgencesl What have these men done
entitle them to these special favors? 1t
said that this whisky thus put In bond
unfit for use, and that ii must have time
ripen up, so Ii Is claimed that the Cover
ment should grant this favor. The absurdit
OF such reasoning does not merit serious II
ply. 1t Is part and parcel Of that maneu
vering on the part Of the whisky rings
defraud the Government, and thus fill the
own Golfers. Whisky never brought bett,
or higher price In the market than II do
to-day, and the tax, under the present la'
is comparatively trinlngi why, then, we III
again, was this amendment tackled on In Il
very last moment, while the House was
Committee Of the Whole, II II was not dol
In the interest of the whisky rings, and by
weak yielding TO their unceaslng importuI
tiesl We have heretofore trusted these me
for one, two, and three years, and now the
ask for a more extended credit. SupPo
any other business interest to claim such In
munity, will they get III We think not.
To be sure those who voted to grant IL
Indulgence shield themselves behind seei
ingly honest provision, but nevertheless I
thing va pretext and sham. This pr
visicn Is that there be paid per month Il
otone cent gallon on all spirits remainir
in bond during the period Of extensio
Those who advance this reason In justifc
tion Of their vote, do not state the who
truth. The Government Is compelled
allow at least for leakage one per cent.
month upon all spirits In bond, and 1t n
unfrequertly happens through corrupt Of
cials that this leakage amounts to two, thrt
nand in some cases 1t has amounted to
high figure as four per cent. month. He
far then will the tax Of one cent mon
per gallon go towards making good 4
actual loss OF the Government In cons
quence Of this provision extending the tin
that liquors may remain in the warehouse
The true policy, and indeed the only way
manage this business Of collecting the Il
on whisky Is to collect 1t at the still, and '
call upon the Senate to reject this proyislo
and SO far put 1t out of the power of Il
whisky rings and their friends to defraud Il
Government.