The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-15
THE wHIsKEY TAX.

Proposal to Take $27, 100000 from
the National Revenues-The Arguments
of the Distillers-The Tariff Commission
Bill and the Sugar Men.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 14.--Mr. Carlisle esti-
mates that the bill providing for reduction OF
the tax on distilled spirits, which he introduced
yesterday, and which fas the support OF the
United Distillers' Association OF the country,
will, if adopted, reduce the revenue some S1.,
600, 900 over the figures of last year The dis,
tillers themselves in explanation OF their bill
express confidence that it will pass Congress
during the present session. The bill proposes
reduction of the tax on all distilled spirits from
ninety to fifty cents per gallon after August l,
1882 The following arguments are made in
favor of the scheme, which proposes to take
1921, 000, 900 from the revenue. The distillers
assign as the reasons why the lower rater rates
of tax should not take effect Immediately on its
passage, first, that distillers are feeding stock
that cannot be sent to market until June, 1857
second, that the dealers throughout the couh-
try have large stocks of tax-paid spirits in store
and that some time should be allowed to work
off this stock before the cheaper goods op
which less tax was paid can be put upon the
market, and thus avoid prostration to the DIS
tilers and loss to the dealer. The distilers also
express the belief that the proposed reduction
of the spirit tax will not reduce the revenues
They say the present tax is above the revenue
standard, and has made alcohol too dear to De
used extensively in the arts and industries. A
careful examination of the receipts from this
source for years past, they say, seems to give
weight to this owinion. The amount OF reven-
ues collected from spirits for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1870, when the gallon tax was 80
cents the Government received $556O0,00O,
whilst in 1878, the second year after the tax
was raised to 80 cents, the collections were
only $50, 100000. The subcommittee having
these revenue matters in charge is composed
of Dunnell of Minnesota, Russell of Massa-
chuSetts, Errett and Randall of Pennsylvania,
ana Carlisle of Kentucky. Errett, Randall
and Carlisle favor these broad reduc-
tons of taxation on whisky and tobacco 1t IS
understood that Messrs Russell and Dunnell
oppose them. It is proposed, whatever may be
decided as to any special article, to join all the
articles upon which any reduction is to be at
tempted in one bill. No seperate effort will be
made to reduce the tax on whisky or tobacco.
The effect of this will be to unite the interests
in favor of any reduction in support OF the
general bill. 1t is estimated that majority OF
one of the whole committee favors reduction
of the tax on both whisky and tobacco, but In
any event the contest in the committee is to be
very close.
The Tariff Commission Bill and the Sugar
The tariff commission bill will probably find
among its strongest opponents those who are
interested in repeal of the laws fixing the tax
on sugar, and modification of the laws as TO
the classification of the yarsous qualities OF the
imported article, since the passage OF such
bill will postpone any action on these matters
till after the commission has reported. This
opinion is entertained by Representative Car
Isle, who has been prominent in the agitation
of the sugar question in previous Congresses.
He told delegation of sugar men who called
on him the other day, that il the commission
bill passed he would make no further efforts to
secure repeal of the laws relating to the tax
ing of sugar until the commission had report
ed. He said he was opposed to the bill for 9
commission, but if Congress favored he would
leave to it all questions of tariff including that
on sugar as well as that on iron. He thought
Consequently. that the sugar men should OPP
pose the proposed tariff commission. The more
| this question is agitated the moro noticeable
| are the divisions among the Democrats, while
| there are more indications of united action on
the part of Republicans than there have been
| in favor of the tariff commission.