Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-17
THE WHISKY TRUST AND TAXES.

The recent attempt to burn the Shu-
feldt distillery in Chicago, which at
tempt was only one of a series of SINH
lar character in the past year, per-
suaded the owners of it that, powerful
as they were, they must join the whisky
trust in order to avoid destruction. The
Shufeld5 concern is one OF the largest
and strongest whisky establishments
in the country. 1t was able to stand
against the whisky trust in Legitimate
warfare and conduct an Independent
business as it had done for years. But
legitimate warfare was not what the
trust wanted. Competition is the deadly
foe of trusts, that must take to its heels
when they enter the lists. Seeing that
it could not freeze out the Shufeldt con-
Germ, the trust-as has been charged
by the press and in law courts-thOught
to make it SO hot for the enemy that
he must come to terms, whether or no.
Fire after fire broke out in the estab-
now arraigned for conspiring to blow
it up with dynamite. Since the dyna-
mite episode of several weeks ago, a
fire destroyed portion of the man.
moth concern recently, Immediately
after which it was announced that the
house had capitulated and joined the
trust. This puts an end to the barbar->
Gus warfare between the trust and
itself, and enables the former to fix the
price of whisky at whatever figure
pleases it.
In view of this fact Western Re-
publican organ suggests the propriety
of raising the tax on whisky from 80
cents to 81 a gallon. To do so
will add about 81, 100000 year to the
revenue derived from the production of
whisky. This amount is estimated on
the basis of the whisky production dur
ing the last fiscal year, which was 109,-
275,0 900 gallons. OF course the increase
of 10 cents gallon in the whisky tax
won't injure the trust particle, for the
old soaks who swallow the tanglefoot
will pay the increased tax Just as they
do now. But that is not the object. The
end desired is the addition of 81 ,000,-
600 to the national revenue. More
money must be had to meet the de-
mands of the billion dollar congress.
Virtually, there is a deficit in the
treasury now. The United States
treasurer reported So, 900,0 as the re-
balance in the treasury less
than week ago. On the same date,
if all the pensions due were paid as
usual, there would not be dollar in
the treasury, and the deficit would
reach S2,500,000. But over $4,000, 900
in pensions were held up, in order that
Foster may not by driven,
three months after congress adjourned,
to declare that the surplus was all
gone, and deficit existed.
The only question involved in an in
crease of the whisky tax, is the one of
prudence. Atwhat figure can the tax be
placed to yield the largest revenue
without mourning the risk OF fraud and
evasion of the internal revenue laws?
When the tax was 81 a gallon under
Grants administration we all know
how the whisky ring defrauded the
government out of millions. 1t bribed |
government officials from Private Sec
rotary Babcock down to government
gaugers and storekeepers, to shut their
eyes to the wholesale frauds on the rev.
enue laws. Since the tax was lowered |
to the present figure, which was deemed |
the safest that could be hit on, there |
have been no further attempts, except |
through moonshining, to swindle the |
government. The next congress will, |
perhaps, bring the expenses of the gov
within its receipts and remove |
The need for further taxation