The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-03-08
REVENUE REFORM IN EARNEST.

| REVENUE REFORM IN EARNEST.
1t begins to look as if Congress we're
really awake. Here we have been
hoping and longing for Internal Rev
enue legislation while Congress was
enjoying itself placing bills on the cal
endar, and having fourth-of- July
speeches printed in the Congressional
Record. At last something has been
done, but only by the Democrats.
They have taken a decisive step and
shown to the people that they will do
their best to reduce the tariff and
abolish the internal revenue.
democrats drew the bill Ga synopsis
of which appears on the first pas of
The SENTINEL this week. now re-
ported by the Committee on Ways and
Means, abolishing the. customs tax
which has all the while kept cotton
ties, cotton bagging and other material
used by the farmers so high in price
and, last Tuesday, when motion
was made before the Committee to
| abolish the tobacco tax and to reduce
the special license taxes by s5,000,00O
| every Democrat on the Committee
voted for it.
This Internal Revenue bill provides
that on and after the first day Of meet
July, all tares on manufactured ehe,U-
ing tobacco, smoking tobacco, and sna!f,
all special ta1es upon manufacturers Of
and dealers IN said articles and all
taxes upon aUholesdle and retail dealers
IN leaf tobacco shall be repealed.
There is provision for rebate, or
refunding of the tax on all unbroken
packages held by manufacturers on
July LIST, provided claim is made be-
fore Sept. LIST,
Manufacturers of cigars. will be re-
quired to pay special tax of So,
and dealers tax of ST., annually,
but no person manufacturing his own
products and selling them at the place
of manufacture will be liable even to
this tax.
Every man can sell his own leaf
anywhere he chooses, and all restrie-
tions on the sale of leaf are to be abol-
ished.
No arrests can be made, except on
the affidavit of collector or deputy
collector and no fees are to be paid,
except in cases of conviction or unless
the prosecution is approved by the ..
S. district attorney.
When arrests are made, the warrants
shall be returnable before some judicial
officer in the county where arrest was
made, and the Circuit and District
Courts shall have power to appoint
such officers as are necessary and re
move them at will.
The Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue. has authority granted to compro-
mise any civil or criminal caseand to
remit any fine, penalty, forfeiture or
assessment, under the laws.
Where a person fails to return
property taxable under. the law, any
deputy collector may enter the prem
ises, make report and the Commits
sioner will assess the tax.
The Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue, with the approval of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, may exempt dis
tillers of brandy made exclusively
from apples, peaches. grapes or other
fruits, from any provision relating to
the manufacture of spirits, except as
to the tax thereon, when in his judg-
ment it may seem expedient to do so.
Of course there ara provisions for
furnishing fraud in the distillation or
handling of brandy and to establish
warehouses, with storekeepers.
In case of seizure for violation of
law all property is to be sold, but
none is to be mutilated or destroyed.
IA very good provision.]
Distilleries using less than 25 bush
els of grain per day are to pay tax on
their capacity, but are to be run with
out storekeepers or gaugers. Ware
houses are to be established for the
products, which are to be taxed, as
usual
Where it appears that prisoner,
sentenced to term OF a year, or less,
is suffering in health, the judge having
jurisdiction is empowered to make pro-
vision for his comfort and we'll being.
ALI laws imposing special tax on
makers of stills and retail liquor deal
ers are to be repealed.
The above is synopsis of a bill to go
into effect July IS, '88, if the Repub-
lican Senate does not defeat it. 1t is
the bill which our Democratic Con-
gressmen have been promising the
people, and which they will do their
utmost 10 pass. 1t is one which meets
all the wants of the people. The
Dax,,oorotc a "a for II -noxu &c II - do