Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-04
WANTS 10 TAX BEER.
Proposes That she Brewers Make
w the Deficiency.

Washington, Jan. 3--secretary Car
Isle. 1t is now said will ask congress
TO provide for additional revenue by
Imposing an increased tax of 81 a bar
rel upon beer and other malt liquors.
The general balance OF the treasury is
still IN the nelEhborho01 OF $50 900, 900,
but the gold reserve Is nearly So 900 600
below the limit required by law, and 1t
Is steadily decreasing The statement
givn out yesterday regarding the re-
celpts and expenditures for the past
six months IS fairly satisfactory, but
the fact remains that the expenditures
have exceeded the receipts by s2s,-
100000, The outlook for the next six
months would be reasonably encourage
ing II the treasury officials could be
assured OF definite and early returns
from the income tax. Provisions for as
sesslng and collecting It have not been
made, and congress manlfests a dispo-
sitiOn to be slow about making the
necessary appropriation.
As set forah IN ynsterday's statement.
the revenue from the sugar duty Is
practically nothing, and little money
from this source may be expected for
7'me time, Under these circumstances,
the present deficit IS likely to Increase,
and the treasury ohiclals are casting
about for some method Of raising ad-
ditonal revenue. 1t is believed that
no further issues Of bonds win be wise,
and " possible that necessity will he
avoided, II now transplrcs that several
conferences between treasury officials
ana democratic leaders in congress
have recently been held 10 consider the
eVigencies OF the situation and as a
result Of these meetings 1t has been
decided 70 increase the tax on beer, 1t
will be remembered that Secretary Car
Isle favored this plan OF raising rove
nuc year ago when the tariff bill
was under consideration. but the brew
ers had sufficient influence with the
ways and means committee and with
the finance committee to prevent Its
adoption.
The present tax upon beer. ale and
porter in bottles or jugs Ia 30 cents a
gallon, and upon these malt liquors In
casks or barrels. IS cents n gallon. This
Is a slight reduction from the rates i'm
posed by the Mckinley law that was
repealed, hut II Secretary Carlsle's sug-
gcstion Ia adopted the additional tax
OF 81 a barrel viii raise the rate slight
ly above the old law II Is calculated
that the increased tax would bring In
revenue Of S3l 100000 year. No
doubt the proposition win meet with
resistance from the brewers, and they
may be expected to exert their influence
upon the members Of the house and
senate to prevent the adoption OF the
additional tax, The treasury officials
now argue that beer tax would not
only be easily collected, but that It
would help the government TO bridge
over the uncertainty In the receipts
from the new tariff law from other
sources and provide against doubt as
to revenue " the income tax Is alto
gether lost.
How TO geo eaT,y and prompt action
upon the proposed measure is a ques-
ton Of Importance. II has been sug-
gested that n Joint resolution making
the necessary change in the law would
he subject, perhnps, to less delay aud
debate than a bill. One of the argu-
ments used last session against an in
creased tax on beer was that beer Ia
the poor mans drink and that the pro-
posed tax would necessarily raise the
price. This argument win doubtless be
used again, but I, IL claimed that the
tax OF 81 a barrel would be so small
upon a single glass OF beer that no
difference In tho retail price could be
consistently made. The brewer would
have TO stand ,Ee loss by accepting
smaller profits