Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-11-30
THE INTERNAL REVENUE.
Report of the Commissioner for the
Fiscal Year Ended Last June.


Commissioner OF internal Revenue Ma
son, in reporting the operations OF the in
ternal revenue service for the fiscal wear
ended June 80, 1889, says:
The aggregate receipts for the last fiscal
year were $3.50, 1874, 434, or Sc, 567 ,95S
more than the receipts for the previous
year. The only object of taxation showing
a decrease during the first quarter OF the
present year is oleomargarine. 1t dropped
from $14S, 623 in 1883 to $124, 730 in
1889. The total cost Of collection during
the past fiscal year was 81, lS5, I29,
fraction less than 80 per cent OF the
amount collected.
The commissioner says that owing to
the great number OF dIstilleries in opera
ton during the last fiscal year and the in
creased quantities OF spirits produced, re-
sulting in an increase OF the taxes collected
from that source as compared with there
ceipts OF the previous year, OF more than
$4,000, 900, the expenditures for salaries
exceeded the amount estimated by the APP
preparation. The commissioner regards
the general condition OF the service through
out the country as satisfactory. One thou
sand two hundred and fifty three violations
of internal revenue law have been reported
by revenue agents during the year. COS
persons have been arrested on their in
formation, property to the value OF $137,-
404 has been reported by them for seizure
and $94, COG for assessments for unpaid
taxes and penalties. The
NUMBER ON STILLS SEIZED
was 456, resulting in the arrest OF 23G per
SONS, and the death OF one and the wound
ing of two OF the officers of the service.
High tribute TO the revenue agents is paid
for efficiency and fidelity, but he says he
does not regard the present force as suffi-
Gent for the important work entrusted to
them. He therefore, recommends that the
force be increased from twenty to thirty,
and that their allowance for travelling ex-
penses he increased. The total expenses
for the service for the next fiscal year is
estimated at 81, 26G, $50. The increase in
the quantity OF tobacco and snuff, and in
the number of cigars and Cigaretts
for the last fiscal year over
those taxed during the previous fiscal
wear was: Manufactured tobacco, l |, 535,-
636 pounds; snuff, G26, OBJ pounds; cigars,
~, 65S, $50; cigarettes, 2SS, 1S9, 2GO. The
export account shows an increase In man
ufactured tobacco of lis, 1873 pounds. an
increase in the number OF cigars exported
OF 266, 700, and an increase in the number
OF cigarettes exported 60, 900, $50. The
number of cigars imported during the year
was 90 0S7, 407, and the value OF the man.
ufactured tobacco imported was S70,353. |
The total number of special taxpayers is |
given as $50, 1874, OF whom 500. Ol3 are |
dealers IN manufactured tobacco. The |
whole number OF
GRAIN DIsTILLERs REGISTERED
during tie year was 1,44O, of which num-
Der 1867 were operated, an increase OF
40 in the number registered and of 23S |
in the number operated, as compared with |
the previous year. In the class OF large |
distileries there was an increase OF two in
the number registered, but there was an in
crease of sixty-eight in the number oper-
ated. There were 3, 1875 fruit distilleries
registered and 3,O72 operated an increase
of 442 in the number registered and OF 4G5
in the number operated during the fiscal
year. The total number of grain, molas-
ses and fruit distilleries registered
and operated during the year are
4 $40 and 4,349 September so.
The number of gallons OF spirits pro.
duced from grain during the year (S7, $751;
456 gallons) shows an increase of 10, 49,
296 gallons over the product (6S, 1873, 100
gallons) OF the previous year, and is 4, > 61-
$50 gallons more than the average pro
duced (S3, 1876 BOG gallons) for the last
ten years. The quantity OF rum distilled
from molasses during the year Q,471, o54
gallons) shows o decrease OF 420,192 gal
Ions from the product OF the previous year
Il, S91, 246 gallons) and us 4 Ii, 8 10 gallons
less than the average product II, SS7, 564 |
gallons) for the last ter years. The com
missioner renews the recommendation of |
his predecessor in regard to the expediency |
of taxing all
FRACTIONS OF a GALLON |
OF distilled spirits, and expresses the hope |
IL. 10 no -, agfa
remove all opportunity for evasions OF ex-
listing laws on this subject. The increase
in the production OF Bourbon whisky is
14,497,175 gallons; rye whisky, 2,S70,O7S;
gin, 1876, 97S; high wines, IS, O59; pure, neu-
trail or cologne spirits, 963, AL; miscellan-
eous, l, 1876, 069; totalincrease, $685., 800
gallons. In regard to the use OF alcohol in
the industrial arts the commissioner says
that in view OF the fact that the special
temptation to demethylatiOni is to secure a
chea D alcoholic beverage, the Importance
of separating methylated spirits from all
stocks of such beverages is very great. 1t
is equally important ha says, to keep
methylated spirits out OF the hands OF dis
tillers aud rectitiers who use stills, rs it is
impossible to demethylate spirits without
the use Of stills. He estimates the guam
tity OF alcohol annually used in
the arts and manufactures at $1,000,
600 gallons. The quantity OF
fruit brandy OF all kinds withdrawn
from dIstilleries during the year to be de-
posted in special bonded warehouses was
99l, S32 gallons. The quantity .of distill-
ed spirits in the United States except what
may be in custo N bonded warehouses, on
Oct. L, 1889, was 1O2, 65O,9S2 gallons.
The average monthly production OF oleo-
margarine during the fiscal year was
1872, 002 pounds.