New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-10
THE WAR TAX PROBLEM.

The Senate Finance Committee finds a good
MANY things which 1t wishes to alter in the War
Revenue and Loan bill passed by the House
This Is no new experience; for many years the
able members Of that committee have consid-
cred 1t essential TO rebuild measures of such
nature which have come from the Representa-
tives and while many Of It's changes have been
of small Importance and few, Ike the sugar
schedule Of the Senate, have been generally OPP
posed by public opinion 1t IS also true that some
lave been Of much value. Nor is It strange
The Republican financial leaders IN the Senate
have had longer experience In such work than
the members tn the House, and their training
in defending a measure against unlimited Grill
cism In a body always closely divided has made
their experience more valuable. For one thing.
1t las taught them to examine moro critically
for small defects, which, even II only Of punctu-
alton. sometimes prove to have large conse-
quences
Yet there IS such thing taking too much
time over details, and the habit Of minute criti-
cism Is liable to run into hypercrlticism. Espe-
cjaly when the situation demands prompt ana
vigorous action there may be so much attention
raid TO tr.fes that the "weightier matters OF the
Irw" and particularly the need Of acting with
out delay, may be too lightly regarded. 1he
Government needs, above all things, at ths
tuncture speedy assurance Of ample resources
for the prosecution Of the war. Every weeks
delay is risking the possibility that events may
so far modify public feeling as to leave neces-
sary provision for the future somewhat uncer-
tain or possibly TO render 1t much more cosby
Every months delay deprives the Government
Of the increased revenue which new taxes
would Weld. Little defects and even mistakes
of some consequence can be corrected by suose-
uuent action after the practical workings OF the
law have disclosed them but something is GER
tainly lost and much more is possibly risked by
taking too much time for perfection Of details.
The reported inteation or some members 10
raise the tax on tobacco to 20 cents pound,
whereas the House bill doubles the present tax,
raising it from to 10 cents, opens practical
question of some importance. 1t cannot be de-
tcrmned in advance how far heavy taxes may
be evaded or how far they may check consump-
ton Of articles so taxed The Democratic blum
der Of an increased tax on whiskey. beyond the
point at which the best results could be realized.
should not be repeated tax which goes be-
yond a rate deemed reasonable would be much
more easily eyaded. or by decreased consump-
ton of the particular article rendered less pro
duct!ve. than one or distilled spirits. During
the war the revenue from lODatCo Ndo idiS'"
mainly by a tax Of Is cents. After the war
tax of 40 cents was tried. but in It's last year.
with all the States paying did not reach a con-
sumption as large by Eve million pounds as the
lower tax had reached in 1864 with about two
thirds of the population paying With so cents
the principal rate IN some later years the con-
sumption gained a little. and more with reduc
ton to 20 cents, and still more with reduction
to 16 cents, while s cents afterward yielded
about an much revenue as had ever been real
he'd from az or 20 cents. II can hardly be ex-