New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-16
EFFECT OF WAR TAXES HERE
INQUIRIES AT THE INTERNAL REVE-
NUE. OFFICES.
SUGGESTION THAT GAS COMPANIES MAY nr'
rAxED-rHE BEER PROBLEM IN

TAxED-rHE BEER PROBLEM IN
THE BowERY
Although n large number OF people called through
out the day at the Offices Of the Internal revenue
collectors OF this city in search OF enigh'ehinen'
on some detail or other concerning the workng
Of the new revenue measure the hui"oei
not nearly so great as might have peeii eN-
pected Manufacturers OF and dealers in tobacco
who are affected by the bill seem TO have acquainted
themselves with its provisions, and 50 far no mis-
understandings have arisen between them anu IN
collectors. David s Wendell. the chief deputy Of
the I'd Distric.. said yesterday that the opera
ton OF the new law had brought with II as yet
no trouble or difficulty and that the business OF
/ levying the taxes was working smoothly anu
expedtiously.
The only part OF the new law. In fact. which II
likely 10 prove troublesome IS the retroactive clause
affecting dealers So iar the manufacturers are
concerned everything Is plain sailing. Beginning
with Tuesday. the day the measure went Into oper-
ation the manufacturers must pay on their prod
ucts at the new rate. and for this purpose nave
/ their goods restamped until the new issue or stamps
Is ready. The Old VIII be used with the WORDS
Series Of 1885, imprinted upon them in red But
the law Is not so easy OF fuhlmen In that part or
where II is provided that dealers stocks in hand
stamped after April IA shall he taxed to the
amount OF one-half OF the full rate which went into
force Tuesday. Inventories must be taken OF
these stocks. but some confusion seems 10 prevail
as to whether these inventories must be made by
tho dealers themselves or by the authorities HOW
ever. the revenue officers have not given much
attention TO this matter and before any active step
is taken they Will wait until the schedule of regu-
! lations together with the blank forms upon which
the inventories must be made. Is received from
| Washington.
POSSIBILITY OF EVASION
Reference has been made TO the fact that this
/ section offers opportunity for evading payment
OF taxes. Small dealers are exempted from the re-
troactve clause II touches only the dealers whose
stocks for sale in Of ono thousand pounds
/ Of manufactured tobacco and twenty thousand
cigars and packages Of cigarettes. Many large
dealers. It Is limited. may endeavor TO bring them
selves within the exempted class by consigning
part Of their goods the smaller storekecpers
who arc In the habit az purchasing from them. II
has been charged also that the brewers have by
similar process sought 10 escape taxes. During
the few-rjays before the new law became operative
brewers. 81 is. said supplied their customers
with unusually large quantities or beer in order TO
decrease the quantity IN storage. upon which other
wise additional assessment would have been
made Mr. Wendell said Yesterday that he was
dsincllned 10 pace any credence in these reports
for the all-suficient reason that the demand for
stamps NJ no time before the new revenue measure
was passed had been more than normal.
BY some people IL was contended Yesterday that
the bill contained a provision whereby the rich gas
companies would Doe compelled 20 contribute 20 the
cost Of ,he'war. In Section q is found the follow
Ing clause: THAT every person. firm or corpora
ton or company carrying doing the
| business OF refining petroleum. refining
sugar. or owning or controlling any pipe
| line for Transporting OIL other products.
whose gross rental receipts exceed $4,000 shall be
subject TO pay annually special excise equiv
alent "a one-quarter OF per centun on the gross
amount Of all receipts Of all such persons firms
corporations and companies in their respective bus
inesses In excess OF the said sum NJ S200cco"
no gIgc xThf fe hot tod Il
whether the words "or other products" draw tho
gas companies within tho scope of this section
Commenting upon the matter yesterday. NJ. Wen
/ dell said
MY opinion IA that tho section does apply 20
the gas companies nor that there any
Intention that o. should Probably there may be
conflicting Interpretations Of the clause but the
aHe IT, @e l9r '4s soecto5 %, M
npe Inc n .t@n,s harty proper 10 nf~r tbai
any company which owns or controls set OF pipes
owns or controls a pipe line The two terms would
cult 70 make n distinction between them"
BEER PROBLEM IN THE ROwERY
The tax upon beer has placed the saoank.epers
In most difficult position They feel that they
have to make the public pay the tax somehow. but
they cannot decide how this is 10 be done. They
can charge D cent more FOR each glass. they
reduce the size Of the glasses but each % these
tho former way out ~ the dihculty he chosen the
be more than ono cent. This would necessiiate
keeping IN stock reserve OF copper coins. which
would not tend 10 facilitate business on the
other hand If the size OF the glass were reduced
81 is moro than probable that the customers would
complain. As the proprietor OF one OF the cstah-
llshnonis in tho Bowcry which guarantee the
largest schooner on carth. nye cents" observed
yesterday. "De mugs II Kick anyway. Dey pays
der nickel and dey wants der schooners an n
de stun amt right dcrll be trouble"
Ia thcs" distressing circumstances there seems
but thing FOR the sal0onkeepers- AZ least those
Of the hig schooner variety-io do. The price must
not be increased and glasses VIII certainly cost
money. II they do not lead TO a minor revolution
in addition. But water is cheap. and the palate Of
the ordinary Bowcry customer Is not a particularly
But II the beer problem IS momentous ono I'm
the Rowery In other parts OF the city IT seems as
gether unexpected cause. large number OF New
Workers have latterly given up beer and taken In
stead to butermk. Jus, what has caused this
Niebclungenlied and the poets of the Mermaid Tav
ern for the idylc innocence Of buttermilk II is
hard 10 tell Maybe INC Byron revival has affected
New-Y York. and people have neen reading "Beppo"
lately
Oh, Mirth and nnocencel oh md water
Ye happy mixtures Of more happy days
Perhaps knowing that tho Army authorities have
determined TO make II felony to drink small beer"
in camp the friends OF the volunteers have de-
cldod 10 forego their fiyOritc liquor out Of sym
ia thy for those at the front. Whatever the cause
there IL no doubt that there has been an enormous
looms In one saloon I'm Thrd-ave. II was said yes
tcrday that several gallons had been consumed
every day since the hot weather began The de
mand has not. however. as yet increased 10 the
exclusion OF beer 10 such an extent that the Gov
eminent will find II necessary TO lax
Of beer.
RECRUITING FOR THE REGIMENT.
FOR THE EIGHTH REGIMENT GO