Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-08-23
The Effect of Repeating the Internal
Revenue Tax on Alcoholic Liquors.
BY VIM. j. SYKES.

temperance 10 declare myselI ullequlVO>
cally against the repeal or the reduc-
ton of the liquor tax. Whiest there
may be, and are doubtless some things
Objectionable in the administration Of
this law, yet its repeal would produce
terrible results, especially in our South~
ern country where there is large col
ored population Can any man Sim
agine what would be the condition of
these Southern States with distilleries
at the head Of every hollow and on
every spring branch, and when whisky
could be obtained in the greatest abun.
dance and at very cheap rates. As
whisky became cheap corn would be-
come dear, for that which is now con-
sumed in feeding men and live stock,
would, much of it, be consumed in
making whisky. Labor would become
demoralized if not destroyed,
THE CoLoRED RACE
would be the terrible sufferers, and the
white people would necessarily share
in the dreadful results. Even now in.
temperance is making fearful havoc
among the colored people, Insanity
and intemperance are now making
rapid inroads upon them. No friend to
the colored race can wish to see them
any more exposed to this curse than
they are. 1t would be useless to talk
Of restrictive or prohibitory laws, by the
States, if this tax should be removed.
They could never be obtained against
sucI liquid fire as would be poured
in burning streams upon the country.
INCREASE OF TAXATION DECREASES
MANUFACTURE AND CONSUMPTION.
Taxation of these distilleries by the
States would be the merest farce. 1t
is extremely doubtful whether they
have the constitutional power, and it is
certain they would never do it. Shall
the farmers, laborers, and producers of
this country be taxed by high tariff
on all the necessaries of life in order to
make whisky and other alcoholic liquors
cheap and abundant? Experience in
England shows that as the tax on ALEC.
holc liquors is reduced drunkenness
is increased, and so it would be here to
a most alarming extent, especially in
the Southern States. There are places
where men could not live with their
families if free distileries became the
order of the day.
1t will be found that the amount of
the tax has much to do with the quan>
tity manufactured. In 1854 the rate
of taxation was SO cents per gallon,
aud the number of gallons distilled was
S5,295,343 gallons.
When the rate was increased to 81. SO
per gallon, the amount distilled was re-
duced to 1853, TAO gallons, and when
the rate was 30 cents per gallon in 1870
the amount distilled was 7S,390,19S.
The amount distilled under 80
cents tax was 71,976,39S gallons in
1882, and this was more than IA nils
lions of gallons less than was distilled
us far back as 1864 under 33 cent
tax. If all tax should be taken off,
there is no telling how much would be
distilled and used. When we consider
the difference in population the amount
distilled in 1864 was much greater than
that in 1882.
From 1870 to 1882 there was large
comparative decrease in the manufac-
ture of ardent spirits. In 1870, when
the tax was 30 cents, the amount dis
titled was IS, 400, 1913 gallons; in 1882,
when the tax was 80 cents, it was II, .
976,39S gallons. Although the pOpu-
lation had increased from 80, 15S,371
TO so, 155,7S3, the amount of distilled
liquors had actually decreased 6,512,-
500 gallons.
In 1719 an act was passed in Eng
land facilitating the sale of liquor, and
the mortality in London alone was in
creased to 29,732. In 1870 the gov.
ernment increased the tax on liquors,
and the mortality was decreased to 26,-
7G1. This act was repealed and the
tax decreased and the mortality again
increased to 2S,35S. In 1903 the tax
yo- irorao5o1 and tha ,,,Ortolitv do