The daily gazette., 1875-02-12
The Whiskey InC---A to JYort,
Mr.. Beck. ......I

That is the job now. And n bic
thing it is. These are simple words
But they are words of import-An.
glo-Saxon-and we utter them with
emphasis. The whiskey tax is a big
thing in the Radical budget OF ali
the masters of political corruption the
party has produced, none, in the the.
ory and the practice, excelled Thad
stevens. His .master-srtoke was his
wh1skey taxa dollar to the gallon -
on the future product. OF course the
tax added that much, or near It, to the
price OF the stock on hand. If the
amount on hand was fifty million gal
Ions, as was sreckoned--for the combin
alton had been laying in-then fifty
million dollars was to be made by the
ring. OF course it was a tax on con
sumption, on the people, and oueh,
70 nave been so levied as to go to the
public revenue and not to the ring OF
wbiskey dealers. The Democrats saw
the game and demanded that the tax
apply to the stock ON hand. Fernando
wood put the matter so forcibly in
debate that (even Radical House has
some shame, and even in war times
some wholesome regard to public
opinion) the amendment had to pass,
and the tax apply to all. But The
great Radical leader in corruption was
not at his wits end, because of one
democratic setback. He arranged n
disagreement between the two Houses.
and a committee of conference from
which he made deceitful report. and
either by cunning use Of technical
words applicable to conference, or bv
want OF vigilance on the part of the
Democrats, misled them into an ac-
ceptance of the conference report,
which put the tax as the ring wanted
II, and an enormous sum into their
pockets. 1t is not likely, we trust,
that the same bold fraud can carry
now. A Northern paper says "Mr.
Beck jumps to the front whenever
whiskey tax comes up" And we'll he
may. First, because there is fraud
and villiany in it; and secondly, be-
cause it is specially tax on u pro
duct of Kentucky, Mr.. Beck is a
man OF vim, not the Wis inertie, which
distinguishes some feeble, well-mean.
ing Democrats, who have talents
enough to be useful If they only had
activity and energy. Mr.. Beck be.
lleves that the present tax is enough
Tor revenue purposes that more will
be excessive, will not be collected
will result in fraud, and loss to the
revenue. He knows the first effect
of the tax, If not laid on the existing
stock, must be loss to the revenue
in preventing production, while tho
stock on hand can undersell the taxed
product. But the worst part, far the
worst, is the large sum it will put il
the pockets of the holders of whiskey
That's not the way to levy taxes. /
the tax is levied it ought to be fo
| the revenue, and not tor the whiskey
ring, Mr.. Beck has only to put the
tax on all the whisky on hand to- de
feat the job. The argument of tn,
ring Is, that 1t can't be collected, ex
cept on the whiskey in bond. Tha
is not so. If all whiskey sold, OF of
fered, or hold for sale, is liable to til,
tax, or to confiscation (as for fraud OF
the revenue), the tax will be as easily
collected as any other excise, or i'm
lpost, or inland duty, and a large gail
Iaccrue to the revenue. But the tax i
meant for the whiskey ring, and no
flor the revenue, and Mr.. Beck will fin,
that if he puts the tax on tile stock O.
hand, the job isldefeated, and the bil
will fail. That, of course, is his OK
Iject-to defeat law which would dt
crease the revenue, and increase til
taxes of his people. He may hav
!, hard work to carry the amendment
for there is big job on hand. TIL
New York Sun says millions. "
estimates the stock not in bond Q
thirty millions, and the profit to tn
! ring, If the bill passes, at near tel mi
lions. 1t is never easy to defeat job
like that. The Tribune argues tha
1 there is no excuse for increased tax;
tion that the revenue will be sutl
cient from the present laws, if they al
Honestly administered. 1t goes int
an elaborate statement and argumen
and shows that by honest .administri
ton, without any increase in the bu
dens of the people, thirty millioI
would be added to the revenue. Bal
0asette. .4sl-e f.
D---~G-----
a rA .co fa.xs..u Eoolaion