Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-02
MEMPHIS APPEAL
THURSBAY, MARCH ?, 1876.

Il COMMITTEE Of the Wine and Spirit
Traders society Of the United States is
Just now in washington urging upon
tho attention OF congress the passage oil
I'LL to codity and simplify the internal
revenue law relating to the tax on dis
TILED spirits, and we learn from the
New York Herald that a bill for that
purpose will be introduced this week,
one OF the provisions of which
will be TO dslocalize the rev.
enue officials, reduce salaries from
5000, OOO-wbst they amount TO now
to 81, 936, eco, and the present tax 10 fifty
Cell IS gallon. Allofficers are to be ap-
pointed by the President and confirmed
by the senate. The President slso has
the power to appoint temporary store
Keepers and gaugers without confrma-
tion when absolutely necessary accord
ing to limitations specified in bill, but
such sppoin msnts TO be valid only for
one year. Toe commissioner assigns
the officers to stations, but no officer is
allowed to remain at the same station
longer than six months, nor are two or
more officers serving together allowed
TO be changed at the same time to the
same station. Officers are allowed per
per cent. additional compensation for
each years faithful service without sus-
pension for misconduct, for which eleb-
crate provisions are made; all commits
sions 10 hold during the pleasure of the
President. AL bonds must be approved
by United States judge and commission.
er, end 10 hold W tho1t regard to local.
ity, and are conditioned that officers
shall obey fuperiors. The penalties
against official ma fsassnce are in
creased, but the principal object of this
part Of the bill is ID render the profession
so honorable that 30 officer will stcop TO
defraud, and, by d .tsching it from local
political influences and extortious, the
profession will be as free from corrup-
tio1 as the military or naval service.
This portion Of the law has been framed
after the successful revenue systems OF
suit our form Of government. PEN
alties sgaiLs. dis,ii!er3 are increased, rs,
for instance, the fine of three times the
amount Cf the fraud instead OF double
the amount, as now. The abolition Of
stamps is purPosed, because it is claimed
that they have not pceven,e frauds, but
Tathsr fscilits ed by their use the second
time, as was recently the case in Chica-
60 and S.. Louis. Penalties against
unlicensed distiliation are heavy, and
guilty collision o! dealers with manu-
fscturers is very heavily punished by
fine and imprisonment. The distinction
bet ween rectifi rs ard wholesale dealers
is abolished. Who esale dealers license
is fixed at $500, with privilege Of retail
ing without further payments, and retail
licenses remain at S25, the pre- cot
price. The committee, which, by
the way, represents many OF tie
most ho1Crlb.e whisky firms Of the
country, declare that St is to the interest
OF all leading houses to have the tax
oollec.e1 uniformly throughout the
country, and that it is only by the
adoption of such a system as il laid
down in the bilI-whose chief provisions
VIC hsve synopsised-thAt The govern
inert can sIve itself from the disgrace
of such tran sactions as those which have
consigned so many officials aud dealers
to the penitentiary. Tney say that this
bill embodies the experience Of the most
reputable dealers, citizens who feel that
its enactment will insure them protec-
tioD, IS well as the government, since it
Is only the dlsreputsble houses who can
afford to embark in a robbery of the
government which enables them to sue.
cessiuiiy compete with honest msnufac.
turers.