Connecticut western news., 1878-12-04
INTERNAL REVENUE.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER.

The Internal Revenue Commissioner in his annual report states that the heavy falling off in the receipts for in- ternal revenue taxation which marked the closing months of the past fiscal year has ceased, and that the receipts for the current fiscal year have thus far shown an increase. He is able to report that in 8 majority of the States the in- ternal revenue laws have been enforced without serious difficulty or obstruction. There has been 8 commendable spirit exhibited on the part of manufacturers and dealers to observe the law, and it is believed that the tax on distilled spirits is now being collected with fewer frauds and less loss to the government than at any time since the establishment of the internal revenue system. In the ma- jority of districts prosecutions for viola tions of the internal revenue laws have been reduced to a minimum in conse- quence of the steady enforcement of the laws and a state of public opinion fa- vorable to their observance and enforce ment. In other districts, however, it has been found necessary greatly to multiply prosecutions for violations of the internal revenue laws and to institute vigorous and systematic efforts for the suppression of frauds.
 A statement of the collections of in- ternal revenue tax, by districts, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1878, shows that the sum of $11O, 654, ,28O 86 was collected and accounted for during the past fiscal year, and that the sum of $9,7055 55 remains unaccounted for. | During the first year ended June 30, 1877, the internal revenue collections were SIS, ,995, ,184.25. There remains unaccounted for that period the sum of $1,900. It thus appears that during the last two fiscal years the sum of $229, 649, ,465. II has been collected and accounted for and the sum of $11, ,605. 55 has been collected and not accounted for. Each item making up this last l amount has been reported to the First Comptroller for suit. The Commis- sioner is assured that the amounts due will be paid during the present year, the sureties of the collectors bonds being entirely good, so that there will be no actual loss to the United States. The total cost of collecting internal revenue in the United States for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1878, was $4, 056, ,910, being less than 34 per cent. upon the whole amount collected. The Commis- sioner thinks that the revenue for the present fiscal year, If the rate of taxa tion is not disturbed, will not fall short of $115, 100000.
 The report ends with statement showing the receipts from the several objects of taxation for the first four months of the present fiscal year, as compared with the same period of the last fiscal year. This shows a decrease of $393, ,513 on spirits; an increase of $272, ,246 on tobacco; an increase of $326, ,204 on fermented liquors; de- crease of $64, 821 on banks and bankers; an increase of $194, 736 on adhesive stamps; decrease of $45, ,174 in the amount of penalties, and decrease of $16, ,964 in the amount received for taxes on articles and occupations formerly taxed but now exempt. The net in crease of revenue has therefore beer $545, ,427.