The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-26

observe that the only hypothetical figure
Iuse is the annual production OF spirits
for the years concerned, and that I as
sumed Mat figure upon analogy to the
preceding decade and as having been
contemplated In framing the law, with
some other grounds besides inherent
probability. But Ialso promised to dem
onstrate that the trle figure can not be
lower on the grand aggregate, and, con-
seqnently on the average, while 1t proba-
bly, is very much higher. / win now
proceed to the proof by computation of
saleson the basis of taxes on sales, TAX
ing 1870 as an example, IN, 4c.,.,,.-, ,..
The provision Of the law was that for
every $4,000 worth of Business done by
the dealer he should pay 500, and for
each additional 81 900 worth $4-that is
the tax was equal to one fve-hundredth
Of the business done, and of the extra
business the tax was equal to one-thou-
sandth of the business done. Now,
have from the internal revenue records
the receipt of taxes on sales Ia Kind OF
figures which the officials have always
taken almost too good Care,) The addi-
tional $4,000 worth, is, as you see, taxed
at a relatively lower rate, 30 that in com
putting extra business qre.9. .5T
THE VOLUME SMELLS
twice as much as in computing the $780,
600 worth basis. But as the former is
not of very large proportion, we will
count the whole on the basis that the
aggregate of tax-money from sales, at the
rate Of 500 for every $4,000 worth, is
to the aggregate of business as one to
5000. Now, the total tax.mouey for the
year 1870 on sales we're $2,25l ,022, which
multiplied by 500 gives $l,l25,55l 900
worth of sales of distilled spirits during
1870! Now, all we have to do on this
point is to determine which deductions
to make and how many gallons cores
pond with the balance of the dollars.
This done, we necessarily ascertain how
much taxable whisky and the like was
sold, and by fair assumption, how much
was produced. .......... .....-.....
AS to deductions. All imported bran
dies and other fine distilled liquors, a.co-
hol and fancy liquors generally, may be
counted out, as having price greatly dis
proportioned to quantity. The stock,
too, may have included great deal from
previous years, .. .a. .... .are. ..a'.
nl AT A BETTER PRICE a.
For age. But this test, which / apply
only for the year 1870, l cursorily exam
ined for several preceding years with
little difference; so that as much new
product may have stood over after 1870
as old product may have come in before.
But, after all, the vast bulk of this
business of more than billion must
have been in common raw whisky. Take
off what deductions you like. Shall it be
ten per cent. for imported liqours not
taxable as propertyP This is hundre 1
and twelve millions and q half business
in reality imported liquors in 1910; does
any body believe it2 Grant it, however;
that leaves the aggregate 81 l,0l2,959,9 800.
Now from this cast away ten per cent.
again ION general principles, "Jand more,
if any body wants it so, and we have left
still nearly thousand millions, that is,
$9l 1858, 9l0. Now if we can agree on
how many of these dollars it took to buy
a gallon, we will find how many gallons
of taxable spirits were sold in 1870. IF
any body will pretend that the average
price of all liquors not already deducted
was as mnch as $4 per gallon we will
make it higher But at $4 gallon we
have 227,9l5,977 gallons / Certainly this
amount of common spirits must have
been sold in 1870, no matter when pro.
duced. Taking into account the enor-
nous amount Of illegal distillation, | be-
lieve the above is not gallon over the
of 1870. But my argument
does not require me to prove 227000,000.
1t requires me only to prove 176,0O0,00O
for 1870, with less amount each year
back to 1868, in order toprove that more
than thirteen hundred millions of dol
lars have been stolen of whisky tax be-
fore 1901 . .fH.. .....
And Just here remark on how have
heard men play,
ON THE TERM STOLEN"
They admit that the consumer paid the
tax in enhanced retail price, and they
admit that the Treasury did not get the
and they admit that sincethe lst
of September, 1862, it has not been law
full for any man producing a gallon of
whisky to sell it to any man until he had
paid the tax, but after these admissions
these beings affect to deny that they and
their official accomplices 'stole" the
money, and prove it by showing that
they sold the whisky at a price
lower than the bare tax. Plain folks
used to think when the tax was So gal
lon, and liquor was in the market at
1.25, it was the strongest kind of proof
the tax had been stolen. But what is the
difference? If they did not steal the tax
on the liquor, then 1t was the liquor itself
hey stole aud sold into :he hands of re-
tail dealers, thereby making them the
instruments of stealing the taxes Of the
the consumers.
So that between the producer and the
customer the tax-every cent OF it-Was
stolen. The consumer could not help
himself, but the Government could, and
aid taxes on other things to get money
% fill the void in the Treasury, and got
t.
NV tale is done. | wish you to think
IN these things, fellow citizens. More
han gr... &c.. .f.r.
! HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLIONS A YEAR
For eight years before 1870, has gone into
he pockets of the unprincipled classes of
he country. What did education cost in
87O-all kinds of education, from Har-
ard and Yale down to an old maids A
c private school2 All religious schools |
every thing without exception, that is
pupilary institution, public and private,
ven including West Point and Annapo-
is. According to the census Of 1870 the |
rend total was $95, ,S57 ,639-nearly sixty
nillions less than one years whisky |
tealingsl, The census of 1870 gives the
rand total of all manner of all church
roperty in the United States, genera
ions in accumulatingI including that of
ews, Spiritualsts, Shakers and Nor
IONS. as 1854, ,483 581. A little more than
wo years stealings would have enabled
nose thieves to buy our God Almighty,
egarded- las we are too often taught-as