National Republican., 1883-02-27
THE WHISKY BILL.
The whisky Men Disheartened-Nvhatt the
Country WIN Lose by Expectation md
Heinnortnttou

The whisky Men Observation-Disclosures the
Country WIN Lose by Expectation md
HcimportRtion.
A gentleman who has been watching the
progress Of the bonded spirits BILL and has
about given up all hope Of its passage said 20
a reporter last evening: "The whisky bond
extension bill passed carly in the month Of
January in the senate, and from that date to
the present the bill has remained on the
speakers table. Several efforts have been
made TO take II up for consideration and final
disposal in the house, and each time the house
has refused to consider IL. The second ses-
sion Of the forty.seventh congress is now
drawing TO close, and grave doubts may
well be entertained rs TO whether congress
will consider the bill at all before final ad-
journmont.
"Thero probably never was proposition
offered before any congress which had q
Stronger Endorsement from disinterested busi-
ness communities and bankers from all parts
of the country. Many boards of trade and
chambers of commerce strongly advised that
II. r. bill 1856 should become law, not be-
cause the members of such boards of trado
were personally interested in the surplus
whisky now in bond and on which the tax is
maturing before IL is needed for use or con-
sumption. Men engaged in commercial and
| financial operations see that If the largo
amount of tax due and coming due from month
to month before the stuff could be sold, and
| ut q time when the country was already suf-
| fcring because of the excessive revenues which
were drawn from the people and nccumuating
| in the national treasury, that there was the
/ greatest danger Of many business failures,
which would not only involve the owners Of
/ the bonded whisky, but other interests rs
| well.
| To all appeals, however congress contin-
| ues to show perfect indifference for reasons
not appreciated in business communities nor
| TO experienced revenue officers. Congress
must be aware that all articles other than
| distilled spirits which are taxed are not re-
| quircd to pay the tax after being manutac-
| turcd until removed for sale or consumption.
In this connection IL seems fortunate to
| the owners of the surplus whisky that con-
| Gress Is prohibited to tax or prevent the OK
| poration of any article Of commerce ex-
, ported from any of the states. Under our ex-
isting laws and the laws of other nations, dis
| titled spirits may be NpOrtcd without pay
/ mcnt of tax, stored in warehouses out
side the United States and remain
for any length of time, and be-
brought back into the United States and de-
posted III any customs warehouse and remain
one year longer without payment of the in
tcrnal revenue tax.
This movement in whisky on which the
| tax is maturing has already commenced, and
about 1000 barrels have been sent out of the
country to be deposited in warehouses In
| Liverpool and other cities. A few figures will
! illustrate the almost inevitable results of the
failure of house bill $3.50. The surplus
| whisky, that over and above required for use
! or consumption In this country, Is cOnsidera-
bly, over 100000 gallons per month for two
! years To come. IL must be remembered that
the extension bill requires interest to he paid
on the extended tax ut the rate OF per cent
per annum.
I'VE will suppose there will be one million
gallons exported monthly for two years, ag-
gregatng 2i,O00000 gallons, about 600, 900
barrels. The storage in foreign warehouses
nowhere exceeds 10 cents per barrel per
month. The foreign warehouse man will re-
ceive $lii,0OO from the American owner
simply to avoid the premature payment of
States for two years. Freight and commits
sion must be added to the cost of storage TO
cover the expense in thus avoiding the inn
mediate payment of the tax. On the other
| hand, if the whisky shall he allowed to re-
main in this country under the operations of
| the proposed law, the money paid for storage
abroad and freight for carrying in foreign
ships would not only be saved to this country,
but the government would receive the inter-
est on tho tax on 2i,0O0,000 gallons for two
years. amounting TO ~, 100000. In the light
of all the hcts addressed the reasons for con-
gress to refuse to pass house bill 1856 are not
apparent"