New-York tribune., 1896-11-19
PLANS FOR MORE REVENUE.
WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION MAY REC.
OMMEND TO CONGRESS.

AN INCREASE OF THE BEER TAX AND DUTY ON
COFFEE AND TEA PRoPosED-AMouNT
WHICH THESE MEASURES WOULD
PROBABLY YIELD
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE1
Washington. Nov. 1S-President Cleveland u
busy writing his annual message. and Secre-
tary Carlisle is equally busy with the prepa-
ration Of his annual report, which should be
laid before Congress on the first day Of the
sessi ion. An unusual degree of interest attaches
to Roth of these forthcoming documents q
number Of accounts. not least among which
are the probable recommendations of the Presi-
dent and his Secretary of the Treasury in re-
gard to revenue and monetary legislation. AS to
the latter. 1t is by n" means improbable that
the recommendations or last year will be re-
newed.
As to revenue legislation the case Is some
what different. Unless some men who usu-
ally well informed and are generally supposed
to enjoy the confidence OF Of the higher
officials Of the Administration IL not of Presi-
dent Cleveland himself. are at fault. the fc-
ton that the unsatisfactory condition Of the
National Treasury is not due even In part, 10
lack OF revenue. but wholly to other causes, is
to be discarded. and Congress is 10 be asked
10 take Immediate steps to provide more reve-
nue. That this recommendation will coincide
with the lines Of the Dingey Emergency Reve-
nue. bill, which passed the House Of Repre-
sentatives last winter and held up in
the Senate. is not to be expected The provi-
si0ns in that measure affecting wool and woollen
goods alone would probably have provoked a
veto If the bill had passed the Senate at the
last session. and may do If it should pass at
the coming session. 1t is possible that Senator
Morrill,. who In conference with both the
President and Secretary Carlisle to-day, OBJ
tained an inklirg OF what they will probably
recommend in the way of revenue legislation.
but If he did so he feels bound to keep the in
formation to himself at least for the present.
VIEWS OF CLEVELAND AND CARLISLE
From other trustworthy sources. however.
1t has been learned that both the President
and Secretary Carlisle strongly inclined at
this time in favor of an increase Of the interna!
tax on beer from ST. the existing rate to 80
barrel. 1t is also understood that the Secre-
tary is somewhat inclined to consider favorably
Assistant Secretary Hamns proposition to
impose a revenue duty tea and coffee ir,-
ported from foreign countries. At 81 barr -
the internal tax on fermented liquors amounts
in round figures to S32,0O0000 year On the
same output and consumption the tax at so a
barrel would amount of course. to S64.000,0W
year, and add So 100000 TO the total annual
revenues. 1t is contended however. by the
opponents Of the proposition to double the
tax that it would neither double nor greatly in
crease the revenue, especially in the first year
after it should become operative.
The mportations of coffee entered for con-
sumption during the fiscal year ended June
30. 1896. amounted TO 5S0.3991I0 pounds. OF
the total value of $S4.Sl3,340. and the total
importations Of 1 tea tea entered for consumption
amounted to G,S944OI pounds. Of the total
value of $126SS 139 on that volume of i'm
portations d specific duty Oh coffee OF cents
pound would yield about $29O00OoO year.
at 20 per cent ad valorem 1t would yield
about SlI.OUO.WW year, while specific duty
Of 10 cents pound on tea would yield S93s9OO0
a year. or an ad valorem duty # ~ per cent
would yield about 81 100000 year. In the one
case the annual increase of revenue from
coffee and tea might he reckoned at S3SOO0OO0
and In the other case at somewhat less than
X20OOOOUD
There is not much reason to believe that Con-
gress would consent at the coming session. to
increase internal taxation for a limited
period or 10 impose revenue duty on articles
not produced in the United States no matter
how strongly either or both propositions might
he recommended and advocated by the Presi-
dent and the Secretary Of the Treasury. al
though there are few Republican Repre-
sentatves who are inclined to favor the latter
plan In conversation with a Tribune
spondent to-day Mr. DalZell. Of Pennsylvania,
remarked that he had talked with one Republi-
can member OF the House of Representatives
yesterday who favored a duty on tea and coffee
on the ground that the removal of the duty on
those articles had not cheapened the cost TO
American consumers because Its effect had
been Immediately counteracted by corre-
spending increase Of export duties by the chief
producing countries IL is by no means prob
able that enough Republicans agree with the
one referred 10 by Mr.. Dalzell to turn the scale
/ in the House Of Representatives.
TALK OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
Mr. Dalzen. who is an influential member OF
! the Committee on Ways and Means does not re-
]
bill at the coming session promising and he
believes that a special session or the I.Vth Con-
gress will be necessary in order to deal with the
revenue question The new Congress-" he OBJ
served. Ought to be able to frame and pass a
tariff bill so that the new law could go into
/ operation within the next twelve months
year would then elapse before the country would
be called to pass Judgment upon it. which would
be time enough for fair test of the measure.
! The tariff law Of 1890 went into operation only
a month before the Congress elections of that
year. and the immediate effect upon the Repub-
lican party and ultimately upon the country
disastrous"
Representative Bingham of Pennsylvania. to-
day expressed the opinion that financial egisa-
: ton must go over until the LVth Congress He
said The attitude Of the members-eect is not
known They are for sound money but the de-
tails covering a change and revision Of laws are
without limit. The Republicans. coming into
control in the House in the LlNth Congress.
were compelled to recognize the deficiency in the
condition of the Treasury and to legislate at
once for a revenue that would cover the econ
omcal expenses and expenditures of the Govern
ment The Dingley Emergency bill. as a tenn
porary expedent was passed 1t is in the
Senate and IL is mere guesswork 10 proclaim its
disposition. The personnel of the Senate con-
TIMES the same for the approaching session.
faat and
the Dingley bill that will not be incorporated In
p distinctive Republican measure. and many