The National tribune., 1886-03-11
WHO PAYS THE PENSION MONEY.


sions are in the direction of alarming the
people as to the enormous burdens that will
be saddled upon them if the soldiers are
given their rights.
The best answer that can be made one of
these demagogs is to ask him to point out a
single item of taxation that is likely to be
added to the schedule to provide for the
payment of even the largest amount that
has been suggested as likely to be needed
for pensions Let him be asked where a
single article of necessity or comfort in the
poor mans home will be made cent dearer
if justice is done the soldier.
This will silence him.
The money needed to pay pensions is sup
piled by the men who drink whisky and
beer and foreign wines and smoke good
cigars, by the dudes who foul the atmos-
phere with their cigarets, and by the women
who wear French silks, costly laces, and fine
diamonds.
Whoever drinks a barrel of ale or beer
pays 81 toward meeting the expenses of the
Government, which include the interest
paid to bondholders, salaries of officers, and
pensions for the support of the disabled
defenders of the Nation.
Whoever drinks gallon of brandy or
whisky pays 80 cents.
The brewer who brews 500 or more barrels
of ale or beer in a year pays 800. He who
brews less than 500 barrels pays only $50.
The whisky dealer who sells by wholesale
pays 500.
The man who sells beer or ale by whole
sale pays $50 year.
The man who sells spirituous and matted
liquors by retail pays $25 year.
The man who sells only beer at retail pays
$40 year.
The manufacturer of stills pays $50 a
year and $50 for each still or worm made.
The rectifer who works up less than 500
barrels of whisky year pays 500; above
500 he pays 5000.
Whoever uses pound of snuff or tobacco
of any kind pays cents.
The dealers in tobacco pay from $40 to
$12 year, according as they are retail or
wholesale.
Whoever drinks pint bottle Of imitation
wine, made from materials not produced in
the United States, pays the pensioners 10
cents
Whoever smokes 1000 homemade cigars
pays 50.
Whoever smokes 1000 cigarets pays so
cents
The woman who wears foreign-made jew
elry has had to pay 25 per cent. of its whole
sale value when it passed through the Gus
tom-house
Whoever drinks English ale or German
beer contributes to the Nations charges 80
cents for every gallon.
The nabob who tickles his palate with fine
French brandies, cordials, ETC., contributes
s. for every gallon he drinks.
The gentleman who opens dozen bottles
of champagne for the delectation of his
friends pays $3.50 toward the arrears of pen
sions if the bottles are pints, and 81 if they
are quarts. If he contents himself with
still wines he pays only $1.60 dozen. If
homemade cigars are not good enough for
him he has to pay $3.50 pound, and % per
cent. dd ralorem more for the privilege Of
of smoking Cuban weeds"
The lady who does not find American
made silks, hosiery, laces, handkerchiefs,
s5elvets and ribbons suitable to her tastes
ID npay a duty of so per cent. of their
ed the fM value to get European goods.
as enue are 9scourse, many other articles on
Sc posed for the gdhich large amounts of rev.
be lection to our infse duties are not i'm
IL raised or lowered a cenfue, but for pro-
Oh ernment's need or non-need Giil not be
The taxes as they are now ret reehe Gov
rs generally satisfactory. They oppre.
ir one, they diminish no mans comforts f
is rob no poor mans table Or home. Yet I'll
4 produce every year many millions more tb
l. the Government has any use for. The m,
st liberal pension scheme advocated bv any .
VIII not in any year consume the whole
this surplus revenue.
= The matter therefore resolves itself in
!, whether we shall cheaper the rich ma,
: iuXuries, and whether we shall increase +
. enormous profits already made by those vi
/ make and sell liquors, or whether the Natl,
,, !, shall actthe part toward its preservers viii,
is dictated by justice and honor.
THE WIDOWS INCREASE RITZ
In response to several requests. we renr,
ISl the full fayf nf +ba