The Mena weekly star., 1897-05-19
THE BEER TAX.
The Brewers of the United States Ov-
 ganizing for the Coming Battle.
TO PUSH DAIRY INTERESTS
Secretary Wilson Looking After the Inca- dental Products of the Farm-Pe Petitions for Cuban Intervention Being
 Signed by Business Men.

WASHINGTON, May 1s-Probably the most interesting fight which will be made on any of the schedules of the tariff bill will be that which will be directed against the increase in the beer tax. The brewers of the United States are already organizing for bat tie. Their influence is undoubtedly great but the fight they have against them is to be the hardest in which they have ever engaged. Ehe present tax on beer is S1 barrel. There is, however, q rebate of 715 cents which makes the real tax 02k cents barrel
 The senate bill proposes tax of S1.44 straight, or an increase of 511 cents a barrel. The increase means aquestion of millions year to the brewers and naturally they are much agitated over the prospect. An increase in the tax on beer has been often before sug- gested but the influences against it have been, up to the framing of the present bill powerful enough to stifle it in committee. Now that it is in the bill and the arguments for and against 1t will have to stand the test of public opinion, both sides are fortifying themselves with arguments for the bitter contest which is sure to be waged great incentive on the side of the government to make beer bear an additional burden is that the tax can be so easily collected Excepting the amount necessary for new stamp plates, there will be no increase in the expense of the internal revenue office.
 To Push Dairy Interests.
 WASHINGTON, May IS. The agricul- tural department is engaged in some practical experiments with d view to extending our butter market abroad. The development of the dairy interests in the United States is one of the favor ite schemes of Secretary Wilson who believes that the farmers of the coun- try can be greatly benefited by the sale of the incidental products of the farm. Our foreign cheese market has declined steadily for the past 20 years and in recent years has suffered im- mense damage from the shipment of filled cheese" and other inferior cheese. Now that all our filled cheese must be branded we may regain some of this trade but at the agricultural department Maj. Alvord, the chief of the dairy division, says it will require time and circumstances to re-establish the reputation of our cheese and win back the trade we have lost. In the matter of butter it is thought that there is much better opportunity for pushing our products at this time. Our exports of butter have been com paratively small in the past and tho butter shipped abroad has been almost entirely, until last year, of inferior quality This was due to the fact that the choicest grades commanded a higher price in this country than could be obtained for them abroad. But last year there was d surplus of good but ter produced in the United States.
 Petitions for Cuban Intervention.
 WASHINGTON, May 15.-The latest and most promising feature of the campaign for the interference of the United States to bring the Cuban war to conclusion Is the action being taken by the business men of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Pe- titions are being circulated asking for intervention and arc receiving q great number of signatures The intention is to start the movement in all the other large cities of the country, and when the petitions are filled to present them to the president. It is expected that all the large business houses of the United States having business inter- ests in Cuba will be included among the signers. St Louis, having large commercial interests in Cuba, will, it is expected, follow the lead of the cities If the cast within a fex days