Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-28
COMMISSIONER MAsox's REPORT.
Increased Collections From Spirits and
Tobacco-Sugar Bounty.

\
The report of the Hon. John W. Ma
son. commissioner of internal revenue,
upon the operations of that service dur
ing the past fiscal year has been submit
ted TO the Secretary OF the Treasury.
The total collections for the year were
SAP. SOL. COG, or Sill, 200, 262 more than
the collections during the previous iiS-
cal year. The total cost of collection
was =, O95,lll, being S90,6lS less than
the cost for the preceding year. The
percentage of cost of collection was
/ :. - per cent, decrease of IS per cent.
as compared with the previous year.
The following is 4 statement in brief
of the operations of the service for the
| fiscal year 1890 as compared with the
operations of the year 1889:
Gallons of spirits produced, lll,lOl,-
73S. an increase of 1896, lSS gallons;
receipts from tobacco, cigars, snuff,
cigarettes. etc. S33, 9JS, 99l, an increase
OF =, O92, 1870; barrels of beer produced,
-, sol, 944, an increase Of 2,332,O9l bar
relS; receipts from Oleomargarine, $780,
agI, a decrease of SlO7. 956; number OF
gallons of spirits gagged, 324, l75, 20S, an
Increase of 35,257,7i1 gallons; cost of
gauging. S752, 65i. a decrease OF SlS,2O1.
Number of diStillerieS operated, CPL,
an increase of l,sG2 distillerieS; pay Of
storekeeperS, Sl,iS4, 442, decrease OF
S3G,Ol5; amount paid for salaries and
expenses of collectors, deputies and
clerks in collectors Offices, Sl.723, 597,
decrease OF S23,76
Commissioner Mason estimates that
the receipts from all sources of internal
revenue for the current fiscal year Will
aggregate Sl45.OOO, 600. In making this
estimate he says he has carefully kept
| in view the reduction made in the tax
on tobacco and snuff and the repeal of
the law imposing special taxes on deal
ers in tobacco, manufacturers of tobacco
and cigars and pcddlerS OF tobacco.
/ This reduction he estimates at $685.
3S3, of which Sl,5l5,43l is in special
taxes.
The further reduction Of Sij0,000
may be expected under the operation OF
those provisions under the act of Octo-
/ Der /, 1890, which authorize the fOrtih-
cation OF wines with grape brandy free
/ of tax. 1t is estimated that about
:, 900. 600 gallons of wine will be fortified
and that about Onc-iifth of this bulk in
grape brandy, say 100000 gallons, will
be required in the process. the tax on
which would be Si50.0C0. This would
make the total estimated reduction in
receipts for the fiscal year ending June
/ 30, 1891, aggregate 81, 34S, 3s2.72.
| The estimated expenses OF the service
| for the fiscal year ending June so, 1892,
are 81, 90, 900, principally for salaries.
] m - l. la1 81
,-..--.. 80 ...,,hv even an approximate
estimate of the expenses necessary to
carry into effect the provisions Of the
new tariff act relating to bounties on
sugar production in the United States.
ON this subject he says:
1T IS believed, however, that it will
require very considerable sum OF
money to enable this bureau to ascer-
| tain upon what sugars this bounty shall
be paid and the rate of bounty to which
claimants for same may be entitled.
Congress also enacted a law author
| ling the makers of sweet wines TO use
grape brandy free of tax for the forti-
| tication of their wines, and have not
vet been able to make estimates of what
additional sums will be required to car
~ into effect the provisions OF this law.
The aSccrtaining OF the amount of
bounty to be paid to the producers of
sugar i an entirely new feature in the
l internal revenue system. This bureau
has none of the machinery required to
execute the law. Ii is simply 4 collec-
ton office. 1t will be necessary to make
chemical analysis in all eases where
bounty is claimed.
1T is not deemed practical to have
samples sent TO this office for analysis
and rely upon the tests made here As TO
I the entire production. The law re-
0uireS that the test shall be made by
I the polariScOpe, and this will require the
services of large number Of chemists
l Of considerable experience. Only one
chemist ana one microscopic are now
employed in this bureau. | am inform
ed that the Department of Agriculture
now employs 4 number of chemists, and
I that this department gives more atten-
I tiOn 10 the culture OF Sugar-producing
plants and the methods of manufacture
I ing sugar.
''In view of these facts | beg to Sug-
geSt that Congress be recommended to
amend the law to require this bounty
U 10 bt u>ttl tdlASu anu pdiu " th' RN'A'-
tary of Agriculture.
If, however, it shall be decided that
this bureau shall remain charged with
the duty of aScertaining and paying the
bounty upon sugar, am compelled to
ask the privilege of being allowed to
make a supplemental report upon these
two subjects, aud ask for such addition
/ al appropriations as may be necessary
to give these laws full force and effect,
and to fully protect the interests of the
government in their execution"
The report shows the following num-
/ Der OF special taxpayers for West Nir-
ginia: RectiiierS, Is: retail liquor
dealers, OBS; wholesale liquor dealers,
| IL: manufacturers Of cigars, l05; dealers
/ in leaf tobacco, 81, dealers in manufac-
tured tobacco, Q; brewers, :; retail
dealers in malt liquors, 81; wholesale
dealers in malt liquors, Q; retail dealers
/ in oleomargarine, As; wholesale dealers
| in oleomargarine, >. Total, l,256.
/ The total collections for West Nir-
glnia during the year were 1901, Gd9.97.