The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-28
TILE TAX on BEER.

There has been much anxious consul
tation together by the leading brewers
OF the East over the prospect that the
next congress may levy an additional
tax on beer as a means of raising the
revenue rendered necessary by the de-
clsion against the income tax. and the
failure of the present revenue law to re-
alize anything like the income necessary
to meet the expenses OF the Federal gov
eminent.
1t Is hardly likely that the next con-
gress will, except as a last resort, at
tempt 10 increase any portion OF the in
ternal taxes. The lower house, in which
all revenue bills must originate, Is Re-
publican by a handsome majority. and
its members are committed to the tried
and proven policy Of collecting the
moneys to meet the expenses Of govern
ment by taxes on imports. especially i'm
ports OF the class which compete in our
markets with like goods OF home manu-
facture.
Should IL prove impossible TO properly
revise the laws establishing duties on
imports. as may well happen in view Of
the fact that in the upper house there
is no single party which commands
ma jority, and the executive veto is alsQ
figured on, 1t may then become necessary
10 provide additional revenue from some
other source. for the money must be
raised. No Republican congress will
ever permit the country to mortgage the
been done under Democratic rule.
Should further internal duties become
necessary. owing 10 the fact that the
machinery OF legislation is not altogether
in Republican hands. there certainly
seems no good reason why an additional
Tax should not be laid on beer as well
or rather better than on anything else
The talk about the poor mans beer" Is
all nonsense. The great breweries OF the
country are to great extent controlled
by large syndicates. and have been pay
ing enormous dividends on heavily wa
tered stock. The popular superstition is
that beer Is made from barley malt and
hops, and brewers generally encourage
this belief. II it be true, the brewing
business is amply able 10 stand an ad-
dit.onal tax OF 81 a barrel on beer. Bar
ley Is only worth about 30 per cent. as
much as 1t was three years ago. and
hops are worth less than one-tenth of
what they have sold for I'm certain years
and probably not over one-quarter Of
what was an average price for long
term OF years prior 10 the recent de-
preston.
Stil there has been ne decrease in the
retail price OF beer. nor any marked in
crease in the size OF the poor mans
schooner" There must OF necessity
have been much larger margin OF proht
20 tho brewer from the cheapness OF his
raw material AS he has felt no neces-
slty 20 lower the price OF his beer during
the period Of cheap raw material, 1t IS
quite likely that he would not feel I'm
PEELED 20 increase The price should ne be
mulcted with an additional tax.
At the best. beer IS luxury, which
the poor man or the rich man. for that
matter. IS as we'll or better or without.
II. as intgmated. some SSoeooeo0 in add
tional revenue could DE obtained by put
ting an extra dollar a barrel tax on beer.
there are very few people outside OF the
brewing interest. who would mad mach
reason 10 complain.