Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-29
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Receipts and Expenditures as Reported by
the Commissioner.
Food and Drug Adulteration as Prac-
ticcd I'm the Distrfct-NO Pro-
vision for Income Tax.

Commissioner Joseph s. Miller has made
a very full report to the Secretary Of the
Treasury Of the operations of the internal
revenue service during the last fiscal year.
The total collections from all sources were
$147, 16S, 1870, being 81 s31 5000 less than
the estimate. The decrease Ia attributed
to the financial depression during the year.
The commissioner estimates the total re-
ceipts for the current fiscal year at $171.-
100000. and the total expenses for the
coming fiscal year at $4.S59, SO. No esti-
mate is made for the expense of collecting
the income tax, nor does the report con-
tain any direct reference to that subject.
The commissioner renews several recon-
mendations made by him last year for
needed amendments to the law governing
the collection of tax on oleomargarine He
also suggests the propriety of a reduction Of
the special taxes imposed upon wholesale
dealers from $3.50 to $40. and on retail
dealers from $4S to So per year. He re-
CARDS the present rate of taxation as ex-
orbitant compared with special taxes i'm
posed upon other occupations, and ex-
presses the opinion that the proposed re-
duction would not cause any loss Of rev.
enue.
Under the provisions Of the act Of August
%, 1894, the tax on distilled spirits was in
creased from 80 cents to s1.10 per gallon.
and the bonded period was extended from
act did not become a law until August %.
1T was evident at least as early as June,
1894. that the tax on distilled spirits would
be increased. This fact. the commissioners
says, explains the great Increase In the
tax-paid Withdrawals Of distilled spirits
during July and August, 1894, the heavy
Withdrawals made during June, July and
August, 1894. and the decrease Of such
Withdrawals during September. 1894. The
heavy Withdrawals made during June. July
and August, 1894, had the effect of over
stocking the market with tax-paid spirits.
causing falling Off in the tax-paid with
drawals during October and November,
1894. These known facts. the commissioner
says, indicate that. although the rate Of tax
on distilled spirits was materially increased
by the tariff act, there may be no special
Increase from that source during the pres
ent fiscal year.
Food and Drugs.
In regard to the adulteration of food and
drugs in the District of Columbia, Commits
sioner Miller says:
1.-The act of October IL, 1888. to pre-
vent the manufacture or sale Of adulter-
ated food or drugs in the District Of Co
lumbta, imposes upon this office the duty
Of analysing all samples submitted for de-
cisor as to their character. No provis-
ion has been made. since the first year Of
its passage, for increasing the force or
equipment Of this division, In connection
with the execution of the law, and hereto
no effort has been made to enforce 1t,
consequently few samples have been pre-
sented. In consequence Of a more active
supervision of the milk supply in Washing
ton by the local health authorities, how
ever, a number of samples Of milk were
presented to this office during August and
September, 1898, for decisions as to their
adulteration under the provisions Of this
law. AS the time required for the analysis
of these samples and for the rendering of
expert testimony thereon in court threaten
ed to interfere seriously with the regular
work of the division, revised regulations
were issued providing for the analysis Of
all such samples by the chemist of the
health Office of the District of Columbia,
under the control and supervision of this
office.
Reports were accordingly received. from
this officer from September, 1893, up to
the close of the fiscal year, OF the analysis
of seventeen samples-ffteen Of milk, one
Of butter, and one of granulated sugar
all of which were decided to be adulter-
ated and SO certified to the district at
torney for the District of Columbia.
would suggest. in this connection, that
Congress be asked to either provide the
facilities necessary for the analysis of all
samples In the laboratory of this office. or
to so amend the law as to relieve me en-
tirely from any connection with its exc
cution."