The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-11-15
INTERNAL REVENUE.
The Recommendations OF Commits
siOner Evans.
BE Desires Modification of the Laws
Relating to Vinegar Distil-
leries.

The Commissloncr of Internal Revenue
concludes his long report by stating that,
although justified by precedent, he could find
no provision OF law which authorized him to
make recommendations. However, he finds
law enough to make some important recon-
mendations. One Is that the statute fixing
the limitation for the prosecution OF onenscs
against the revenue laws be reduced from
Ave TO two years. This recommendation
seems To rest upon tho opinion that some
court expenses would be saved If II should te
adopted. Cases older than two years, he
claims, are almost invariably lost by the
Government.
The Commissioner says he has been urged
TO make n proclamation of general amnesty
10 class OF persons whom he calls "sman
distilcrs I'm inaccessible mountain-regions,"
generally known, however, outside of official
communication, as "Moonshiners."
Another suggestion of the Commissioners a
that the Internal Revenue lawsdo not extend
oyer the Indian Territory. This argument is
based on the treaties. TO the suggestion that
extensive frauds might be committed in that
Territory, II some means should not be pro-
vided for enforcing the Revenue laws in II,
Commissioner Evans suggests that such an
argument Is ''only 10 be addressed to Congress
rather than to the Judicial or Executive
branch of the Government.
The Commissioner estimate OF the amount
OF the result Of taxation caused by the
change in the law will be Si3,000,000 blR he
anticipates augmented receipts from distilled
spirits, so that the aggregate receipts for the
year. unless there should be further change
in the Revenue laws, Will be S220, 100000
He recommends that the law which author
ICES vinegar dlstilleries be modified. He says
this privilege is one which presents 10 I'M
scrupulous persons a constant temptation
together with sufficient opportunity To en-
| gage in tine Illicit production OF spirits,
while its abuse is exceedingly difficult to
prevent or detect, owing TO the
want of proper safeguards. As the
law stands the anomaly is presented of one
class of manufacturers using alcohol in their
business who are allowed TO make their own
alcohol without supervision or control, while
the distillers, who produce alcohol Tor use IN
all other trades and kinds of manufacture,
are watched with constant care and subject
ed to rigid restriction. "In my opinion,
! says he, Safeguards 10 the revenue which ex-
perience has demonstrated TO be indispensable
! in the one case cannot be omitted with safety
i'm the other. l would urgently recommend
that this privilege be withdrawn. If the law
should be so changed as to allow draw back
| TO vincgar-makers for the tax paid on the al
cohol used by them in making vinegar, the
opportunities for fraud would be reduced to
! the minimum.
By the consolidation OF collection districts
an annual saving TO the Government Of Sl2j,-
! 900 il secured. During the first three months
of the current fiscal year revenues decreased
! g, g29, 40l Uhe number of stamps issued to
! Collectors and Agents was LOBE, IA, 800, rep
resenting value of S4G2, $50, ia.
The increased production of manufactured
! tobacco and snuff was over 100000 pounds.
Increased production of cigars 1s6,G00,OOO,
and Of cigarets 98,00),000. The reduction In
| revenue for tobacco caused by the act OF los3
is at least S25 00O,0 600. The amount of rebate
claimed on tobacco was SO, 125,9l3; amosN
allowed, S3,524,167.
The number of tlistilleries operated the last
year was 5,129. consuming 1S,644,7S7 bushels
of grain. The decrease of spirits produced
was about 30, 600, 600 gallons. The amount OF
! spirits removed in bond for export was $500
APT gallons; transferred TO manufacturing
warehouses; 2s3, 93S gallons; withdrawn from
warehouses, 1921, 1870; allowed for leakage
and evaporation, 2,29l, 0l3; remaining III
warehouses June 80 1883, s0,449,993. Seven
tcnths of this is bourbon. There were is
warehouses oct. |, 1883, 73,405,36l gallons;
withdrawn for export the first three months
of the present fiscal year, 752,3SO gallons.
The distilled spirits in the United States, ex-
cept what may be in customs bonded ware
houses, the LIST of October, 1883, was nearly
ll6, sec, 900 gallons.