The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-04-25
TO FRUIT.GROWERS.
Text Of Che House Agricultural Com
mittets RrporI on
The Taxation of Home Distilled Fruit
Spirits,
And tho Views of tho Minority

WAuIssros, April i0.-[Speoisl Cores
nond.ne. I-rh. com mi,tes ON agriculture
Ia whom was referred tho bill ii X. i,oui
submit the following report bearing on ths
cultivation OF fruits ,,,.,,.z
Regarding al measures of Legislation
which are calculated 10 advance or re'hiu
the development of ANY branch OF depart
ment OF agriculture AS failing WITHIN ,hei'
Legitimate ,oops OF action. tho COMMITTEE
aitsr careful Consideration aud with due 10
gard for precrden,s, entered upon investi
cation oil bill Aforesaid az ono pre.emi
nently Of tho class named they
hold IL automatic that Whatever
hampers agriculture, the nobles'
and most important OF oil the arts, 10 ad-
verse TO nationsl progress ana mater 81
prosperity, repugnant ~ tho genius OF our
,ustItutiops and Inc spirit OF the funda-
mental laW, and can never % justified ex'
cent in times OF war aud then only by tue
most imperious public necessity.
Your committee furthermore believe II
10 be selfevident that tax imposed on
any product Of the soil, whether in its
crude state or on tho manufactured article
into which IL "a naturally convertible by tina
producer to enhance ~ marketable value,
10 u clog upon " tei dins 10 Ietsrd or re-
strict production OF the natural article. IL
Is demons,rable In Egypt, where each indi'
vidusl date. bearing pnlm tree is SUBJECTED
10 fixed tar, q like capitatiou Tux upon
the vines Ut France or upon the wines
would do more to throttle or exterminatt
the greatest marketable crop OF the world
than even toe dread phYiloxera has been
able thus lar 10 accomplish.
Your COMMITTEES Can see no greater
reason for taxing appl, and peach trees, or
peach ana apple brandy, in the United
btstes, than the grape vineb In France or
the vine product resulting. The effect Of
suoh tax has long been obvious. They
hold that the decadence Of orch ards in sec
tionB remote from market ~ directly trace
able to cause assigned.
The committee Hre unable to zee in the
insignificant item OF revenue derivable
fiom this sourca corr, spending equiva-
lent for the lose occssiOned by 1t, monetn'
~, sanitary, and dietary. III revenue Ia
the aim, end. and ultimate Intent OF al
justifiable axation, 1t may well be asked,
why perpetuHe needless TAX on any
specific OF the SOL, crude or mar ufactured
which requires u comp ex organized ma
chipery anu an amy OF employees 10 collect
IL. ond at a cost OF ~ least 81 per cent,
which gives u the collector aud his depu.
ties the opportunity. II IL does not o. tai
the nee. ssity, for the exercise o.
arbitrary aud tyranncal mowers, I'M
worthy any FREQ people, but especially
repugDant TO the great English speaking
race, whose memory OF traditions, coupled
with liberty, autedatee that OF ell others
md all foY the paltry sum derived rom thi
particular source? In tact, the comm ttee OF
Horticulture Bre not disposed 10 c0uced0 ibn
any amount Of revenue from this or othe
source, kindred or Otherwise, can lustii.
the slightest infringement OF populs
rights as regards the mode and agencies q
collection. DomoliaIy visit, arbitrary ar
rest, or destruction OF private property
personal abuse, aud possible murder, CO
sanction no taxation, however essential
And We. they would uti0r no word OF CON
plant against the e4actiOn. II IL can b
shown that imperative public necesslt
authorizes Temporary Dad abnormal lev
from direct or indirect eource. always look
ing with jealous eye 10 abuses hsmtd,
not existing.
1t is \ reflection Of Mscgu.sy that shi
money Zone OF the prime causes that pre-
cipitated this great revoutlon) was no
tyranny II It could be shown that tho publ
exigencies demanded IL. But he adds, ~
edict of ono of the I'D ssrds, requirirg tn
long toes oil the nhoes Of the iopiincs OF hl
day to be cut off was because an un war
ranted exercise OF arbitrary power. Ma
not an onerous, Unnecessary, and to a
intents unproduotiye tax DO iikewise
clsssed?
The committees reiterate tee opinion tbs
the amount OF revenue 70 derived is ent,rel
leaving out Of account the objectiohaoi
features incident TO the present mode {
collection. Finally the committee is in
PEELED to the CONCLUSION arrived ut by COZ
sideratioQs of public sxpediency next
those OF individual reserved rights. tn
prevention OF wastage OF the connlry's n
sources by the repeal OF laws tendiD
thereto falls within the stnteman
province "a naturally as doe8 the improve
ment OF rivers and hsrhorg and the Ell
coursgement OF highways OY which to III
out produce to market.
The quantity Of fruit which annual
rots upon tho ground aud goes to vast
owing TO bulkiness, perisnabl'ty, and hiR
rates OF freight, would. IT converted I'M
compact aud durable shane proBosed, I'd
tens OF millions 10 the marketable prcIuc
OF the country, and consequently civ
fresh impetus % It's material develo omen
ActQe,ed by these aud other consider
tiops unnecessary to discuss, tho commit
tea have reported favorsby on said suosi
Sue 10 house bi.l ,oGi, and recommend
adoption.
WINS OF THE MINORITY.
The undersigned members OF the cor
mittee on agriculture beg leave to expre
their dissent from tho action OF the malo
ity in reporting WITH favorable recommeI
dalton the bill II. II. 1854 making 1t lawf
tor "auy one to mepuiactnre tho apple
peaches, piums, berries md other peris
able ffuits, raised by himself or his tenant
into brandy ire Ppm a.y internal revenu
tax or restrictions now existing"
opinion that this bill involves question
revenue, and that 1t ought to have been r
ferred to the comInittee on ways an
means; but they are opposed to this mea
ure on Its merits for several reason:
First-rbey believe that its effect.
enacted into law, would be to complicdt
to the detriment Of the governmen It
collection OF the internal revenue taxes
imposing on the government the burden
proof as TO the material out OF which u
alcoholic liQuors are manufactured.
Sscond-lt would tend tn the perpe,r
ton OF fraud On tho revenue throogh u
clsndestine production Of alcoholic liquo
from grain under the guise OF fruit distill
ton.
Third-It would GLOW the products
those fruit distileries to come into q
market In competition with that OF othe
VIII CHI pay heavy tax TO the goyernmer
1t is claimed for this measure that lar
qualities of fruit IRE wasted annually I
cause Of the inability 10 utilizs IL In q
way proposed ~ this dill. | IS also clair
cd that brandy add other drinks thus pr
duced are NOR. wholesome and bear
higher price IN the n s.get han do the pI
ducts OF the other Clos 80 OF distiileriea. v
do not thiIk IL necessary 10 controvsrt u
correctness OF the latter proposition, NJ
submit thai the higher prices paid W
fully Justify the producers Of fruits
manufacture tbersirom alcoholic bev'
ages and pay the tax az do other distillel
The committee have had no eviseoce
yopd O general statement, OF great was
OF fruits by reason OF the requirements
the government Ia exac'iog tax on Z
production Of spirits. We believe that lar
quantities of slcohoic liquors are man
fsctured annually from the fruits named
this bill uDon which Tire tax is paid, a
that such production 10 iound to be prom
BILE fospcielly. We ara. therefore. OF
opiniop that no iriuktics IL being oOna