Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-05-24
WHISKY MAKERS.
Considerable Interest Felt In Their
Next Move.
ImmEsE AMOUNT OF WHISKY TAXES.
Troubles Of the Whisky Men---lots Of
Hocus Poeus and Monkey
Business.
Special 70 ne Register.

Special 70 Gs Register.
WASHINGTON, May 23,-There is q good
deal of interest telt here to see what will be
the next move Of the whiskey makers, espe-
cially of Kentucky. 1t is now but about 60
DAYS until the time for which their reprieve
was granted will expire. The situation in
their case was just about this: There were
nearly two million gallons of whiskey that
must come out of bond on the lst Of Decem.
Der, "a. There were two and halt million
that must come out on the LIST of January, IS:
On February there was the same amount
to come out On March l, two and three
quarters million gallons. On April l, two
and half million and on May l, one and
three quarters million gallons. From the
LIST of last December last to the first OF the
present month there were nearly fourteen
million gallons OF Bourbon wbiskey on which
the tax was due and must be paid. This
was the situation when Secretary McCulloch
and the Department Of the Interior came to
the relief OF the whiskey men with deci-
sion and ruling that they might retain their
goods in warehouses without the payment
OF the tax seven months after it was due If
they indicated that they intended to
export it. This ruling was issued on the 9th
of January By some hocus pocus, however,
the whisky which had been due on Decem'
Der 9th, had, through system of assess
ments and monkey business OF this sort
been held back, and was, when this order
was issued permitted to come under this
rule. The order was in brief, that if parties
holding whisky in warehouses should de.
clare when the tax was due that they in
tended to export it, they need not be COM
PEELED to pay the tax at once but might have
seven months in which to get it actually en-
ported, and in case they did actually export
it, of course they would not be required to
pay any tax on it, for this government does
not tax anything that goes out OF the coun'
try. Further it was stated that after they
had declared in good faith their intention OF
exporting the goods they might change
their minds at any time and withdraw it
from the warehouses for consumption at
home by paying the regular tax OF 80 cents
per gallon. This, in other words surely put
of the payment OF taxes seven months
longer, for the owner Of the goods had, Of
course, the privilege that time, of exporting
it if they choose to do so to avoid the pay.
ment OF taxes. So the result was
that payment of the taxes on
the million and two quarters
gallons coming out on the first of Decem-
Der, which had not been paid was post
poned seven months, the payment of tex on
the two aud a half million gallons due on
January 9th, the date the order was issued
was postponed seven months, and the pay:
ment Of tax on the amount coming out OF
bond on February, March, April and May
9th, was postponed in each case seven
months. From January 9th to August 9th
is seven months. Of course the declara-
lions of
'Intention to Export
we're made at once, though everybody knew
they were not intended to be kept How
have they been kept2 Not at all. Of the
thirteen million gallons Of Kentucky thus
declared to be for export not million has
been exported. 1t still lies in the ware.
houses, waiting for the seven months to ex-
pire. 1t is not the intention TO export it.
On the quantities due to come out Of bond
the 9th of December and the 9th of January,
amounting to four and a quarter million
gallons, the tax must be paid on August 9Th
unless it is actually exported by that time.
On that due February 9Th about two and q
half million gallons, the tax must be paid
September 9Th; on that due March 9Th, two
and three quarters million gallons, the tax
must be paid October 9Th; on the Two and q
half million gallons due April the tax will
be required Nov. 6, and on that due MAY 6,
one and three. quarter million gallons, the
tax must be forthcoming on Dec. 6.
AS stated above the expectations since
the order was issued have not amounted to
a million gallons of this Bourbon whisky,
not q half million gallons. So that unless
expectations are made later on the whole
tex will have to be paid just the same. 1t
has simply postponed
The Evil Day
that is all There will be about fourteen
million gallons on which taxes must be paid
between August LIST and the end Of Decem.
Der.
will the Kentucky distillers be any
better able to meet this tremendous demand
on them in the last half Of the year 1885
than they would have been in the first halt2''
your correspondent asked Of an old official
Of the Internal Revenue service.
81 don't see that they will, he answered.
Perhaps they may be little better of, but
Only little. / suppose the amount has
been a little reduced by the customary de.
nand for this sort OF goods which may
amount to four or FIVE million gallons in
the six months between the time the paper
vas issued and the time the tax must be
paid. But there seems no doubt that they
will find themselves confronted with about
he came trouble then that they were when
hey got this ruling made"
And they will have to hunt up this twelve
millions of dollars to pay the tax on the
fourteen million gallons that is to come out,
will theyH
Certainly, unless they 90 on and export
it as they said they were going to d. but as
they evidently didn't intend to do"
Have they exported much OF that which
they declared as intended for exports?'
NO, none worth speaking o."
HAS the stock Of Kentucky whisky been
depleted by the natural processY'
Not very much, for the Withdrawals OF
tax paid goods have been less this year
than usual. So it is pretty evident that it
will make it very interesting TO them to
settle up even though they did get the evil
day postponed.
West Virginia Educational Association.
The local committee appointed to take