The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-13

a question that has greatly agisated .
as wen as eitizens all over the country.
since the iralDlns OF the war revenue bill
b. WHO - going . pay the war tax ON
oeer-the consumer. the brewer or the
retailerr The question was put yesser-
day to E F. Sweeney, president OF the
Bay View Brewing Company.
Why. the consumer. Of course. replied
Mr.. Sweeney. Perhaps indirectly. but he
win pay itsjust the same. The brewers
will simply add another dollar to the price
OF barrel: not because they are unwilling
to share In the tax, but because they can
not shoulder another cent OF the burden.
When the brewer adds another dollar 10
the cost OF barrel. the retailer is going
10 get that dollar back some way or other.
The saloon keeper cannot AFFORD sc IN
crease the price Of glass of beer hut he
can reduce the quantity that he dispenses
50 rs to eQualise the cost TO himself. IL
the purchaser gets . thimhleful or so less
he can afE0rd TO pay the same price as
before. as Il then becomes an act OF patri-
otism. The tax Is for good cause"
Several saloon keepers. when asked who
viii pay the war tax on beer. said, Why.
we will or words to that effect, and then
they went on to cay that their customers
wsl not stand to have the quantity re-
duced drop. This attitude Of the retail
liquor men makes heroes. patriots AMI
philanthropists OF them. The millions OF
dollars that the tax j. expected to bring
win be borne by the saloon keepers In up
holding national honor. and the great pub
lie Win not be allowed to share. because
~N.~v
beer Tor it. 1--WE cents than II does at pres
emit. eve are not Kicking" said one well
known saloon keeper, yesterday. 1--WE are
UP against Il and win have 20 stand for II.
VIII We cut down on the Quantitye Ger
tain places may where the patrons GO for
quality and the surroundings. but the ma
jority OF the saloons will serve just az
much beer under the additional dollar tax
as they have In the past. =
The information that the saloon keepers
win shoulder the tax will be highly graft
flying to many who have regarded them
as monopolists and corporation kings. 1t
has ground sorely upon the sailor men
who have come around from the Fast that
they have only been able to get fair
sized glass OF beer for nickel. when they
remembe: that boot legs and schooners
60 up ane down the Atlantic seaboard for
three cents and In some places as low as
two cents.
Then II, the matter OF the can, the rusher
always considers that he Is getting the
worst OF IL when he pays ten cents for
some beer. Beer In cans II not sold by
measure: It Ii weighed, the scales being
the fingers Of the bartender. who Tits the
pail up and down until he thinks that 1t
feels heavy enough TO be ten cents worth.
The water front purchaser looks Ia II care
fully, says something about high collars
and goes out grumblIng. It Is to protect
these men that the saloon keepers have
decided to pay Ill Of the tax on beer SO
that there will not be any more kicking
than there Ii now. Any additional burden
on the man who rushes the can would re-
suit in a riot. worse than any bread riot
ever known in Spain. The very salvation
OF q large section OF Seattse's population
living between Smith cove and Black
river is not to have the quantity OF beer
sold for five cents In glass or ten cents
In pail any less than It Is now. Once in
a while liberal minded bartender Ia
found who does not care what the beer
costs the proprietor. and he makes himself
popular by dealing out liberal measure
sometimes he does this to save a heated
argument on the subject OF quantity. II
q d question OF vital Importance that the
quantity be not reduced. Beer is one
thing and a tar on beer Is another" said
4 consumer yesterday. THE poor man has
small enough chance as II Is