Washington sentinel., 1898-05-28
p ACE IN VIEW.
NO NECESSITY FOR DOUBLING
BEER TAX.
Our Dem ocratic Friends i'm the SEN
nIn ~ MnTk

Our Dem ocratic Friends In the SEN
ate at work.
Span is caving in, She is Will
ing to give up Cuba, but wants to
retain Porto Rico and the Philip
pines. The Internal Revenue bill
is held back on that account by
the Democratic Senators. They
are unwilling to give the Admin
isJration hundreds Of millions
when there is no necessity for
it. Senator Jones, Of Arkansas,
the other day, made fine speech
on this subject, part OF which we
republished in our last issue.
No such speech could you hear
from any Republican Senator.
They all wantthe beer tax doubled.
Senator White, OF California, an
other member Of the Finance Com
mittee, the other day, made sim
liar excellent speech in favor Of let
ting the present tax stand. We
have either letters or personal as
suIances from all the Democratic
Senators Of the Finance Commit.
tee that they will do everything to
defeat this outrageous bill and
offer some amendment by which
the rich corporations and trusts
shall pay, at least a little, to help
the Government. But the Repub-
licans bitterly oppose taxing the
rich It's said that no move by the
army will be made into Cuba be-
tore the Revenue bill is passed.
The Administration wants enor-
nous amo"nts'of money on hand
for the next Presidential election.
Hanna is the master ofceremonies.
He directs Congress and the Ad-
ministration.
But he does not control the
Democratic Senators! They will
do what they did last year-deieat
the increase OF taxation on the
poor mans beverage" 1t will
be remembered that last year the
Republican Senators Of the
Finance Committee unanimously
recommended the beer tax in
crease Of A. cents per barrel.
Knowing that only Democrats
could prevent the passage Of this
amendment, we saw our honored
friend, Senator German, and beg
ged him in The interest OF Democ.
racy, to defeat that Republican at
tempt to increase the beer tax.
He had alre ady carefully watched
the movement and few DAYS after
wards he called a Democratic
caucus, made a very fine speech
against over-taxing the poor mans
beverage, and the caucus uNazi-
n0HSiY resolved to oppose the in
crease. The question became
thereby a political party issue.
That was bad for Western Repub.
lican Senators, such as Nelson,
the Wisconsin and Illinois Sena-
tors, and for none more so than for
Hanna, who had to 20 before the
people Of Ohio for reelection a few
months later. The passage Of the
amendment would surely have de-
ieated him. Had he voted against
the beer tax increase the numerous
prohibitionists in his State would
have gone against him; on the
other hand, had he voted for the
tax increase, the Ohio beer interest
and every friend OF personal lib
erty, and the laboring classes,
would have buried him. What
was to be done? The Republican
Senators Of the Finance Commit
tee, without allowing the amend
ment come to a vote, slyly with
drew it, and thus the Republican
attempt to increase the beer tax
last year failed
IF our Democratic friends stand
firm in their opposition to the new
attempt OF the Republicans to in
crease the beer tax, they will sue
ceed once more.
The next campaign will present
Mckinley and his party as the ad-
vocates Of over-taxing the poor
man and leaving the millionaiTes
untouched; oftaxing consumption
Of the most necessary articles Of
the people and letting capital and
property go free.
That alone will be sufficient to
carry the next Democratic candi-
date triumphantlY into the White
House.
Ragn.g.gntIv G.,h..,rtv.t