Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-01-18

of the 1927, 1851, ,6s4.86 Of internal
revenue collected by collectors during
the fiscal year, ended June 80 1881,
1858, ,83695 was collected in this dis
trict, comprised of the northern part of
Allegheny county, including Alleghe-
ny city, and this county and two or
three adjoining ones, of which Col.
John NJ Sullivan, of this place, is col
lector There are now but ten districts
in this State, and l26 in the country.
The salaries of these 126 collectors
range from $4,000 to S4, 500, and there
are | ,035 deputy collectors whose sal
aries range from $50 to 50, 100; also,
19l clerks, etc., whose salaries range
from SlO0 to $l,7OO. There are also
employed 706 gaugers whose fees are
not to exceed S. per day, l,07t store
keepers and gaugers not to exceed 81
per day, GA store keepers not to ex-
ceed 81 per day, all paid when actually
employed The 80 tobacco inspectors
who are paid by the manufacturers, and
store keepers and gaugers assigned to
distilleries of capacity not exceeding
20 bushels receive SO per day. The
largest amount collected during the
year in any one district was from the
first Ohio Qikely Cincinnati beer and
whisky, over twelve and half mil
lions the next largest was from the
FIFTH Illinois Peoria whisky, we sup
pose), nearly eleven and half millions.
The first Illinois contributed nearly 10
millions, the first Missouri over 81 mil
lions, the fifth New Jersey Al millions,
the lst, I'd and Sd New York add up
nearly IL millions, the first California
over B. millions. These are the largest
In the Pittsburgh district, Davies col
lector, nearly J millions were collect
ed. The total amount of internal rev.
enue collected in the country during the
year was $l35, ,225, ,9l230, and the re-
ceipts for 1882 are expected to be over
l57 millions The things taxed are
spirits, tobacco, fermented liquors and
banks. A comparatively small amount
(about seven million of dollars) is also
collected from the people by means of
stamps on friction matches, bank checks
and patent medicines. These taxes
are nuisance and should be repeale d,
but as we believe, the best thing to do
with national debt or any other debt
is to pay it as soon as possible, and as
the receipts of the internal revenue de-
partment are over third of the entire
receipts of the government, we want
to see the internal revenue continued
and the debt paid off as fast as posi-
BILE. The entire expense of collecting
the internal revenue during 1881 was
little over five million dollars, or less
than four per cent. of the amount col.
lected, and all the money collected was
satisfactorily accounted for and turned
over to the treasury. Whisky, beer
and tobacco are luxuries, and should be
taxed in preference to such articles as
sugar and mulasses, on which two ar.
ticles the customs receipts amounted,
last year, to the enormous sum of SAT,
| 977,l Sugar and molasses, if not
absolutely necessaries of life, are al
least ordinary every day comforts, the
tax comes off rich and poor alike, foI
mauy people cannot afford to buy any
thing but molasses to spread on theil
children's bread, and if the receipts OF
the national government must be re
! duced, the tariff on these and all ottel
articles of food should be the starting
point. Our tariff laws undoubtedly
need revision, but the internal revenue
with the exception of the items W.
have mentioned, should stand.