Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-21

James r. Claim in the Rev York Independent
The law allows whisky -owners three years;
under bond, to pay the tax of ninety cents a
gallon. One year ago there were in this
country ninety million gallons in bond on
which the three years hal nearly expired
Ssl 900, 900 must then be paid the Govern
ment unless the tax could be previously re-
pealed. A strong move to abolish it was
made very early last winter, but met with
such grave resistance that the whskyites
sought temporary relief another way. They
introduced Il bill in Congress to extend the
bonded term two years hoping thus to defer
payment until they could effect the repeal of
the law. To save SO many millions they could
afford to spend money freely at Washington !;
and the ablest men there became their attor-
ncys. Through pressure OF business in both
Houses, the bill failed to pass. To further
evade the tax the owners of the whiskey
shipped it abroad for storage until the excise
should be removed, when the goods will be
returned to this country free Of duty as
goods OF American manufacture"
There are still in the country sixty million
gallons on which the bonded period is nearly
up, when SOD 600, COO more will be due the
treasury.
Here lies the handspring of the movement
to abolish or reduce the tax on whisksy. OF
course it Is favored also by the friends Of
the 'MoOnshiners" at the South and the
people Of Kentucky, who manufactured
forty million gallons Last year, according to
report
viii the removal of the tax be benefit
to tie government OF course not Every
intelligent man knows that it is the heaviest
blow at the revenue of the country that could
possibly be struck.
Il is the most reliable and uniform tax
that is paid into the treaSury There was
collected last year from the excise on This-
ky and tobacco 1920, 100000, at a cost of
only four per cent. Every dollar paid went
into the national pocket. No article of i'm
Port brought to the government one half
the amount. The production OF whisky
and tobacco from year to year is so nearly
Uniform that the Secretary OF the Treasury
can Compute the revenue from this tax far
more definitely than from that OF any other
articles. 1t is levied on a luxury, and not
on necessity, and is collected largely from
haunts of crime and their patrons. 1t clogs
tho wheels of no useful industry. 1t IS a
burden upon vice alone. 1t is in accord
with evcHt principle Of political economy,
and hence has been mace, ailfOrg the most
enlightened nations, the staple OF revenue.
England collects three-fourths Of all her Gus
tom duties from these two artces-spirts,
including wine, and tobacco aud she raises
an equal amount (S75, 000 000) by her excise
tes on the sane. No one looking to the
interests OF the Government can advocate
the repeal or reduction Of the tax ON these
miniser0 Of vice.
But how 10 it about the tax paycr1 True,
it doubles the price of the commodity to
the consumer; but that is benefit to his
wife and children. If man will spend
money for these articles, the less of them he
gets for his money the better. The price OF
whisky Sin bond" Is about 81. 10 per gal
Ion. Add ninety cents tax and the price
becomes S200. The Kentucky pool has
Just ordered that the dstilleres shall run
but twQ-.hrds their capacity the present
year. Throw or the tay rnd the liquor
leagues can no longer conttCl the market
by limiting the amount manufactured.
Small d!stileries will spring up everywhere
and the good old days" when rum sold at
fifty cents Il gallon CT three cents glass,
will return to many villages. Is this what
the laboring classes are camorng for
the Christian church praying for; the tom
pcranNe people working for tho respectable
people waiting for
Then must the good people Of the land
take up the word and let their voice ring out
SO loud and clear that it shall be heard even
in Congress above the din of parties and the
clamor of the lobby, saying, in the name of
temperance and industry, in the
name Of employers and employees, in the
name Of the drunkard's wife and children, in
The name of humanity; "Let il alone. 1t
is good tax"