Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-30
PRINCELY TRIBUTE.
Annual Report OF Commissioner
Raum-ReduetfOn of Taxation
The War on M0Onshine."


WASHINGTON, November 29.-Commis-
sioner Raum, Of the Internal Revenue De-
partment. to day submitted his annual re-
port to the Secretary of the Treasury for
the fiscal year ended June 3Oth, 1881. The
report shows that the receipts of internal
revenue in round numbers for the fiscal year
1879 were $113, SOC, 600; for 1880, SPA ,OOO;
for 1881, slS5, 100000 The receipts for the
first four months of the present fiscal year
have been $5l, OOO,0 900, and, if this increase
should be maintained during the remaining
eight months of the fiscal year, the receipts
for 1882 win be fully s157, 100000.
Respecting the reduction of internal reye-
nue. taxes, Commissioner Raum says "Ine
large increase in the receipts OF the govern
ment and the great reduction in the princi-
pal and interest of the public debt
are causing discussion as to the pro-
priety of reducing the income OF the gov
eminent by lowering some OF the taxes
and dropping others altogether" He then
calls attention to the recent action OF the
National Distillers' Association In favor OF
a reduction of the tax on distilled spirits,
and says: "Whenever the wants OF the
government will allow a reduction of the
internal taxation my opinion is that it will
be wise to confne these taxes to distilled
spirits, malt liquors, tobacco and its pro-
ducts, and to special taxes upon manu-
facturers and dealers In these articles, and
to fix the taxes at such rates as will yield
the amount of revenue necessary to be
raised from these sources"
On the subject of the enforcement of the
laws, the Commissioner reports that In the
collection districts where frauds in the
manufacture and sale OF spirits and tobacco
have been rife, and where resistance to au-
thority has prevailed, there has been mani
fest Improvement in public sentiment. he
SAYS that while there have been $50 Illicit dis
tilieries seized and 1910 Illicit dIstillers ar
rested during the past sixteen months, Illicit
distilling has by the active operations of the
past five years been reduced to minimum,
and the Illicit manufacture OF tobacco has
for the most part been abandoned. In this
connection the report says: "By maintain
ing careful supervision over those districts,
where frauds have hitherto prevailed, hav-
ing them regularly policed by Deputy Col
lectors, believe that relapse into the for
mer condition of fraud, lswlessness and
bloodshed will be prevented"
Commissioner Raum again recommends
additional legislation for the protection OF
the lives and persons of the officers OF the
United States from the unlawful assaults of
those who resist their authority. He is OF
the opinion b18G 6lefe snOulQ DC law lot
the trial and punishment in the courts OF
the United States of persons who kill or
make assaults with intent to kill officers of
the United States, while engaged in the per-
Torrance of their lawful duties.
There has," the Commissioner says,
sheen already ascertained to be due the
sum of $722, 705 from seventy banks in the
cities OF Chicago, New York, Baltimore,
Boston and Philadelphia, a considerable
portion of which has been collected and
paid into the Treasury. Other collectors
have been instructed to examine the banks
of their respective districts in regard to
their liability for additional taxes"
The Commissioner says he is satisfied that
large additional sums are due the govern
ment from this source.
The total amount of collections from to-
bacco for the year was $40, S54 sol, which is
about four millions more than the receipts
from the same sources last year. This
amount includes the taxes imposed upon
imported manufactured tobacco, snuff and
cigars and special taxes paid by manufac-
tureTs.