The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-04
The Internal Revenue.

the Treasury, gives the receipts from each
specific source Of revenue by years aud
collection districts, together with addi-
tional facts ard figures showing the opera
tions OF the Bureau during the months OF
July, August, September, aud October, be-
ing the first four months Of the current
fiscal year, and says: am glad 10 be a6e
| TO bring TO your attention the fact that since
my last annual report still further improve
ment has been made in the condition OF the
linterDal-reyenue service. The efforts OF
The past four years for the suppress
sion of the illicit manufacture and
sale OF spirits and tobacco baye been sub
stantiaIIy crowned with success. The
| frauds upon revenue and resistance to au-
lhoriiy still existing are confined to lew
localities. and / am of the opiniOn that the
hearty cooperation OF all officers charged
with lne enforcement Of the laws will be-
fore the close Of the present Admini,tra-
ton have established the uihorIty OF Gov
erpment for the collection OF taxes and the
equal enforcement Of its laws in all parts OF
the country. The discipline, efficiency,
and fidelity TO duty OF the officers OF the in
ternal revenue have steadily improved. The
manner in which they have enforced the
laws has promoted The relations Of bar
mOnv which should suhsiSt between the
taxpayers and the Government, ard |
take pleasure in noting the fact OF the
almost universal deposition on the
part Ct the taxpayers 10 observe the
| laws aud see them faithfully executed. The
receipis OF internal revenue Tor the fiscal
wear 1879 were S1l3,449 621 80, showing an
increase OF S2,79j,4 5S.0l upon the previous
wear. The receipts for the fiscal year 1880,
! in the face OF the reduction OF the tax on
tob,cco, were 1928 9Sl 9lG.10. showing an
increase Of Sl0,533, 1914 y. The receipts
for first four months Of The present fiscal
wear amount 10 Si3 7S9, 3lS SO. showing an
! increase over the corresponding period OF
last wear Of SO Cos 2l3 As. | know OF no
reason why this increase should not be
maintained during the fiscal year. so that
the total collections for the year from inter
naI-revcnue taxes at the present rates
would be S135, 100000.
Commissioner Raum says: While the
receipts from taxes are thus increasing in
amount. the demands upon the Treasury
are being lesSened by the reduction Of the
nublic debt and the annual interest charge.
lie therefore recommends that the tax be
taken of bank che cks, matches, patent
medicines, perfuueIy, cosmetics, bank de-
posiis, &C., but suggests that the act ah0l-
fishing taxes should not 90 into effect earlier
than three months after passage. Continu-
ing on this subject, the Commissioner says :
whenever tbe Interests Of Government
will allow il. think it will he wise TO con-
fine the internal.revenue taxation 10 spirits,
malt liquors, tobacco, snuff, cigars, and
special taxes upon manufacturers and deal
ers in these articles. | am OF The opinion
that reliance can be placed upon receiving
the sum OF S120, 000,0 600 annually from these
sources. which sum would gradually In
crease with the increase OF population. but
which would probably be subjected 20 dimi.
mutton upon the recurrence OF hard tines
He states that during the last four years
and four months 4,06t illicit dstilleries
have been seized, 1889 persons arrested for
illicit diStlling, and rs officers and en-
Move. killed and 81 wounded in the enforce
ment of the iDterna-revnue laws. during
the past sixteen months ,120 stills have been
seized: 1.265 persons arrested, and 10 Of
ficprs wounded in the enforcement Of The
laws. While the number Of stills seized
and nprsons arrested since his last annual
renoii ls very large, be is satisfied that there
will be O decrease hencefOrward in the mum
her OF such seizures and arrests. On the san
subject Secretary Baum says: "in Janua.
nv OF the present year combined move
mept was made by armed nodes o1
internal.rtVPnue officers from West Vir
pinia through the mountains and foot
hills infested by Illicit dstilieIs, which
resulted in the seizure OF number OF iliici
disiilleres aud The arrest OF many person,
ENGAGED therein. The effect OF this move
ment was 10 convince yiolators Of law thai
it was the determination OF the Govern
ment TO put an end TO fraud. and resistance
! to authority; and since that time ii ha'
been manifest 10 all well.meaning men IL
those regions of the country that the day
of Illicit distllers is past. Public senti
mept has been steadily setting IN agains
T these frauds, and | feel assured tha
: If continued efforts are made for The
enforcement of the laws, taxes upon wbis
KEY and tobacco can soon be collected II
districts where frauds have been so rift
without the use OF armed posses OF men
For the purpose OF preventing old offend
ers from resumiGg the business or Illicit
distilliDg, | have deemed 1t advisable tC
maintain special force Of deputies In
many OF the districts for the express pur
} pose OF policing the districts and OF selZlne
illicit dslilleries. These officers are armed
and move IN small posses so as 10 deter re-
sistance. They are instructed to establish
friendly relations with the people and tc
system has worked satisfactorily and beGe-
fcially, and, with the exception OF the Sec
opd dls,ric, OF Georgia, there has been very
little disturbance during The past few
months"
Referring TO he circular OF Secretary Shtr
man of June Both, in " hich he states all ap
pointmenls aud removals OF stOrekeeper:
and gaugers and inspectors OF tobacco will
90 and after july /, 1880, be by The Secre
tary of the Treasury only, the Commits
sjoner SAYS II have not questioned ana
do not question the right OF the Secretary
TO obtain information from such sources a
he may deem proper upon which 10 make
these appointments aud removals, but 1t oc
curs 10 me that the officer who by Law
has charge OF the general superintendent
of the collection OF the revenues, and who
: has so much 10 DO with the officers 10 ques
ton. should be consulted as to The necessity
OF making appointments and the propiiely
Of making removals."
The following exhibit will show The seve
raj amounts collected from different source:
of the tobacco tax, and the relative increase
or decrease Ia each as compared with the
collections from the same sources for thu
. fiscal year ended June 80, 1879: Tobacco
and northumberland tobacco at 10 cent:
per pound, S2l, 1853, 1928; Manufactured
tobacco at 20 cents per pound, S244 ~
manufactured tobacco at "a cents per pound
sI,7438O; snuff taxed at 16 cents pei
pound, $634,609. "a Total for the yeal
Tended June 80, 1880, S2l ,S04, 1853. IA; total
lsor the year ended June 30, 1879, S25,6O6,'
loo %. Decrease OF collections on TO.
bacco and snu1, $780,, 248.5l- or this
decrease 1888. 1900 was on chewing and