National Republican., 1884-03-20

in order, and he must take the responsibility.
You may bulldo1e this bill through, but LIhe
remainder Of the sentences was drowned in cries
Mr.. Morrison then made a short statement as to
the purpose ana object OF the bill. Tho tax on
distilled spirits must bo paid, according TO exist
ing law, In three years or as much sooner MS the
spirits We're removed. The object Of the bill was
to extend the time for the payment of that tax on
splrlts now III the warehouse, on condition OF
new guarantee and interest on the tax extended.
II this business OF converting grain into alcohol
existed only TO be taxed, then tue beneflcaries
OF TINS bill were entitled to no consideration here.
Regarding II as q legitimate branch of manuiNc-
turing industry IT. was entitled TO be placed on an
equal basis with all other industries From thisin
dusry the government derived more than onC-filth
OF all It's revenue. In the next few months there
would be forced out of the warehouses 2j,00J0OO
gallons which must pay tax aud in the next few
years 1O,UOOVU0 gallons, for much Of which there
would bo no market. The commissioner of inter
nal revenue estimated that the surplus for which
there would be no market would amount in the
next two years to 45,0OO0O0 gallons. In the years
when this whisky was made everything was over
done: excessive production was not alone In this
industry, but was common TO all the larger pro-
ducing interests OF the country. The producers
were not able TO compete in the sale of alcohol
in European markets with Germany. This
country fought the German people with pro-
tectye tariffs, and had to sell in the French
msrkets in competition with the subjects of the
ill-natured Bismarck. suppose that this surplus
was purely the result Of the speculative spirit OF
our people was that good and satisfactory reason
why All industry of this magnitude should be
forced 10 pay taxes when the government had
nothing to make by this, enforcement Il was
legislation in the interests Of the special few That
was not the fact. This legislation was to undo us
far as 1t went, special legislation against this in
dustry and put II, as nearly as might be, on an
equality with all other articles that pay internal
revenue taxes lie believed with the commits.
sioner OF internal revenue, that If this
was anything else than whisky there
would be no question about it; lie believed,
further, that Whenever II could be done (as IL
could be done now, that relief should be granted.
If this bill were passed 1t would not cost the gov
erument one single cent, and 1t would not add 10
the buriens of single person of the 55,0O00O0 of
people TO the extent of tho hundredth part of a
farming.
Mr.. Willis said that the people of Illinois, Ken
tucky, and Ohio, aud Of half dozen other states,
were deeply, vitally interested in the immediate
passage of this bill but It's friends did not wish to
push itthrough by any railroad scheme. II there
was anything wrong in II tley wanted II to come
ont. lie, therefore, yielded to Mr.. Blackburn,
who with the expressed hope that the considera.
tion of the bill would bc concluded to-day, moved
that the committee rise.
Tho motion was agreed to- and the house (at 5;l5)
adjourned