Chicago eagle., 1898-12-03
LARGEST
WEEKLY CIRCULATION
IN CHICAGO.
REPEAL I'VE war TAX ON BEER!

Chicago brewers have actively
Joined the movement to secure the re-
peal of the war tax ON beer. At a
meeting held by the Chicago una Nil.
waukeee Brewers Association at It's
headquarters in the Schiller Building
the members expressed themselves
unanimously as Of the opinion that the
interests of the business demanded
the immediate removal of the tax. \
committee of twenty was then ap-
pointed 30 attend national meeting
u brewers In New York Dec. Z.
The New York meeting was called
by the officers of the United States
Brewers Association. and will he at
tended by representatives Of state and
local associations as we'll as by many
Individual brewers Of prominence.
Strong resolutions urging Congress to
take the heavy tax load from beer Will
undoubtedly De passed. and a commit
teee will Re appointed to argue the
brewers case before the House Com
mittee on Ways ana Means as soon aS
Il can be- conveniently heard.
Taken together with the resolutions
passed by state associations ana by
such joint meetings as that held at In
dianapolis last Friday. and with the
direct local work to convince Congress
men OF the injustice of the tax, the
work to be done by the New York meet.
Ing bids fair, the brewers think. 20
bring them relief before the winter Ia
over
The delegation to the New York
meeting from Chicago will include
Theodore Oehne. Rudolph Brand.
Joseph Theurer. Charles J. VOpdcka,
+. II. Rice, John II. Weiss, William
Birk, William Rehm. Lee Ernst,
Charles II. Wacker, Charles Copper,
II. G. Plautz, Carl Dewes. Thomas i.
Kee.y, +. ]. Nerney, l.. tindskopf
Ernst Fecker, Jr.
The necessity for the immediate re-
duc,lOn OF the tax Il said by brewers
10 be very great, and they freely predict
that. IL the tax IL retained either the
price Of beer will have to be raised to
consumers or the wages OF labor will
have to be reduced. In Chicago the lat,
ter alternative seems to be the only
the price OF beer proved failure here.
Soon after the war revenue law went
into effect the Chicago brewers raised
the price of their product from s. to xG
a barrel, this raise just covering the ad-
dltional 81 of tax imposed. II was soon
found that the saloon trade was In too
precarlous condition in this city 10
stand the higher price, and many Of
the smaller saloons began TO close their
doors. After few weeks Of hesitation
and uncertainty the price was reduced
to the old figure.
"Slnce then" says Theodore Ochne
the President of the Chicago and Mil
waukec Brewers Association, "cvery
brewery in Cook County has been Oper
ated AT q loss. The consumption OF
beer has much decreased and the out
look for the business Is very dark. I'm
less the high tax il reduced the busines'
will become completely demorallzed.'
Not only from a business basis bu
also as a matter OF justice, the brewers
argue the reduction Of the tax. Con
tinulng, Mr.. Oehne said: "The old taA
of 81 a barrel was a war tax. Time
and time again we had been promised
the reduction Of the tax, but the prom
Use was never kept. On top of IL al
came last July the doubling Of the tax
I think that never before In the history
Of taxation was tax like this increa ,ed
100 per cent at one stroke OF the pen
The measure was outrageous and has
revOlutionlzed the brewing business all
over the United States. Such an exer'
else OF the taxing power Will permit
Congress 10 ruin any industry Offhand.
what We now want to do Is clearly
20 demonstrate to the public that the
brewers are not satisfied with the con.
ditiOn. The impression seems to have
gone abroad that everything was salts
factory, and II 10 working TO our disad.