Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-09-11

10 ~ - - -
POST : INTELLI GENCER
-
On ruE SUBJECT OF "BsTTEas-"
By an act of Congress adopted at iss
last sssnou, which took effect July LIST
Of tho present year, stamp taxes we're
from all drugs and proprietary
medicines. Prisr TO that date, for years
nat. many alcoholic and vinous com
pounds, and preparations selling under
the general name of bitters,' had
been prepared, labelled. stamped and
sid ~ medicines, not only by drug
eists. but at the bars and counters OF
saloons, restaurants, stores, etc., With
out the necessity II obtaining special
retail license, the stamp tax and allega-
ton by the manufacturers that the arti-
clss we're medicinal in character cover
inc the case. On the LIST OF July last,
however. whom the stamp tax was dis
continued, the question immediately
arose wbether these bitters were not In
reality alcoholic beverages, thiniy dis
euised By navoring and the addition OF
a minimum quantity Of drugs under
special proprietary name. From q re-
cent circular letter from the United
States Commissioner Of Internal keve-
nue. addressed 70 Msssrs. Hoststter and
Smith, Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, man.
ufaoturers and proprietors Of the article
known a. Hostettsr's Bitters. ve CLEAN
the following facts and conclusions OF
the Department
The claim was frst made that this ar
ticle was a medicine. The Department :
Chemist analysed It and found the CON-
ponant partst to be, absolute alcohol ~
DER cent, water Ga per cent, extracts
only 1 per cent. He says at is made
from strong alcoholic liquor favored
With various essential oils, az oil OF
auise, coriander, etc., and contains
some vegetable bittsrs, such AZ gentian,
einchona, etc., aoaine '.~. 'us'' =.
OBVIOUSLY MUCH Ino'0 spi's '".a -
absolutely neoe,y 20 n''u su' o'.o'
ingredients ID solo'ion ao o,A'"
was further made sns' 'nn al''s's Inv
ing BEEN ZOE. sen ysA1s isu'1.. "
the Revenue Depe' q : 'u01'0'.'
and naving pA'a = amp w ~ SUM-
upon sne aoo''''on = s'0. ", " '
sisied 70 % "ane'so'uIeu A.1 1 -
other medicines, v''nou' pay,ns ie0'l'
ners OF fesai ..qosl "sl. n
Inis ciaim sno Dep"lslnsns .o'o' ~
tenabie. 1t decaoss snss eecn paf"ou-
lar case must % oeo'oeo ~ sne o'l0un-
stances attending vi sn"' .ne qus.sD.
wnssner dealers ~ sns m'Ass1o s'ou'u
b required 70 NY spso'ss "a - iiq-
nor dealers mus cepenc upon =. .so
made OF is. HITS soio ~ . "eo'0'Do
to nil pfesoFipaon no icsn's -
quired H. ON sne contrary II oe solo a.
q beverage ss'muisns' OF insoA'oan', u
cense must % procured IN SNORT 'oe
use governs tine matter, ana revenue
officers must Judge eacn particular case
according to ciroumssanoes. !" II may
we'll BE-" says the commissioner tnat
a compound can b used both as med
icine and ~ beverage. when used In
good faith ~ . medicine emily. though It
may contain distilled spirits, dealers in
IL, under such circumstances, will not
b held liable to pay the special tai; but
suppose It u not only capable OF being
used a. an intoxicating beverage, but
also that II 10 In fact sold and used ~
such BY individuals or BY large class
Of community. surely the Law. a. veil
40 justice 10 the regular liquor
dealer who pays his tax. re-
quires that tho special tax shall also be
collected from those Who make and
from thnse who cell such oompoonda
for such purpose. II Hostetter's Bit
ters In In any locality sold and used N
An alcoholic beverage, stimulant, or in
toxicant, those Who thus sail Il win b
liable 10 pay the special tax. The cir
cumstancs that Il IL used only ~ medi.
cine in ons community will not exempt
from liability 10 tax those dealers In Il
In any other locality who may. in fact
ell Il q an alcoholic beverage. Each
oass must depend upon its own facts
and hence this offios cannot now Lay
down any other general rules than suot
q are stated In this lsttss, and In cir
ealaS recently issued from this oflioe,
No. so, dated July l6, 1881. II 10 ur-
eusd that Congress BY repeating Sohed-
uls 4, whereby stamp taxes we're 70.
moved, meant 70 relieve suoh articles al.
toeethsR from taxati6u. Il ID certainly
true that Congress did repeal the Law
laying tax upon medicines, but Il |,
equally true that Congress did not 70.
move The TAI from retail liquer- dealers
and oar efforts must b directed 10 a.