Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-05
EAs TERN AFFAIRS.
A Boon for the Public
A BILL TO BE PRESENTED FOR
The Prevention of the Manufacture
of Spurious and Adulterated
Wines and Liquors.

Special to the Herald bvae associated Pres
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The bill pro
vided by the State Agricultural Com
mission of California and the Nationa
Vine Growers Association Of New Yorl
relating to spurious and adulterates
wines, together with the amendment
proposed by the Commissioner Of Inter
nal Revenue, was to-day presented Il
Representative Green, who is vine
grower in North Carolina, with the re
quest that he introduce il at the earliest
opportunity. The bill is quite elabc
rate, the following being an abstract Of
the different sections of the title bill de
fining pure wines and providing for
taxation OF certain compounded berer-
ages. Section describes all classes oi
liquors containing alcohol, and com
pounded fruit juices which are not
wholly produced in fruit intended for
use as beverages, or for compounding
with beverages and all compounds, same
with pure wines as subject to taxation
at the rate Of forty cents per gallon.
and in smaller quantities in like proper
tions, and describes the kinds of stamps
to be used, tax to be paid
and stamps offered before removal
from place Of manufacture, compound
ing or custody Of customs officers. The
following shall be exemptfrom such tax
Malt liquors, distilled spirits, cordials,
bitters and medicines aud known as such
under names which shall not cause them
to be recognized as wines and not used
as substitutes for limitations of wines.
Pure wines as defined by the bill
are also exempted. Compounded
spurious wines, not included within the
exemption, to be taxed in addition to
the tariff on the name and controlled
save as domestic compounds of like ma
ture.
Section 2 provides that producers and
dealers in pure wines, which are ex-
empt from tax. shall stamp brand or
label all packages with the words, sPre-
scribed by the Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue" indicating that they are pure
according to the United States standard.
All packages of liquors not so marked
to be deemed liable to taxation,
and all packages wrongfully marked
as exempt from tax to be for
feited to us. and any person will
fully marking packages as exempt
from tax which are legally subject to
tax to be guilty Of misdemeanor and
punishable by fine and imprisonment.
Collectors Of Internal Revenue to in
quire into the genuineness Of goods SO
marked and to have the right TO demand
explicit information as to the methods
Of production.
Section provides that large packages
Of taxed liquor may be changed into
smaller ones, stamps to be exchanged
for samller ones for such purpose, and all
packages Of whatever size to bear stamps,
bearing the name of the manufacturer,
compounder or importer, SO affixed as
to plainly identify the goods to the pur-
chaser, the word compounded" to be
on all such packages.
Section fixes the amount Of special
tax for compounders at one hundred
dollars per annum, and for Wholesale
dealers in such compounds at one hun
dred dollars, provided that compound.
ers who sell in original packages
shall not be required to pay
tax as wholesale dealers. Retail dealers
shall pay $40. Section requires whole
sale dealers and compounders Of taxed
liquors to keep books showing the orig
inaI disposition of such goods, spen to
the inspection of the revenue officers.
Section 6 provides for the appointment
of chemists at the office of the Commis-
sioner of Internal Revenue and for the
employment of chemists in contested
cases, the Commissioner being author
lied to determine for purposes Of taxa
ton what substances enter into such
liquors; also, as to whether they
contain any authorizations injurious
to the public health. Appeals as
to the deleterious character of adultera-
tons in contested cases are to be taken
to board composed of the Surgeon
General Of the Army, the Surgeon OF the
Navy and the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture.
Section 7 declares the forfeiture of all
liquors taxed by this law which are
not properly stamped; also of all
liquors containing adulterations deter
mined to be injurious to the public
health. and provides for the punishment
Of any person wilfully removing or de.
facing stamps and brands on taxable
goods by fine and imprisonment.
Other sections authorize the making
of regulations to enforce the law; repeal
section 1928 of the Revised Statutes.
which relates to the same subject, and
provide that the act shall 20 into effect
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