The evening times., 1899-01-30
REVENUE RECORD BROKEN.
IncyenIy Divided Treasury Re-
ceipts From Internal Taxes.
lFrcm the New York SUM-

From the New York SUM-
For ten years prior TO 1898 the Treasury
receipts from internal revenue taxes of all
kinds varied from $125-000. 900 to $3.50 000,-
600 a year. One hundred and forty-five
million dollars was the average and the
largest collections in one year were dur
ing the twelve months ending July /, 1898.
This years internal revenue taxes are es-
timated officially for the twelve months
ending July /, 1899, at 10000, ,000 a to-
tai far in excess of any previous year in
the history Of the Treasury Department.
with the exception of 1866. In that year.
following the close of the civil war, a num-
Der of former collections were credited 10
that years account. Last year the total
revenue collections of the United States.
including a portion Of the period follow
ing the war tax law of June 13 1885 were
$l70. 600, 600. They were $15 eco, 600 in ex-
cess OF the Treasury estimate made the
year before, and from present appearances
the conservative estimate of the Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue will be eX-
ceeded for 1899 by twice as much bring
ing up the total 10 the almost prodgioils
figures OF 100000 coo receipts from internal
revenue collections for one year. Inter
nal revenue collections are easily made.
The expenses of collection are compare
lively small, 2.29 per cent last year a
internal revenue collection in this coun-
try.
Internal revenue tax laws are enforced
under many advantages which enable the
Government to derive from them theSarg-
est benefits. They are uniform through
/ cut the United States; they are levied
chiefly al the point of production or man
! ufacture, and not, as is often the case
! with customs duties, on finished or part
] lY finished article ta
! grade or valuation are practically un-
! known. Evasion of internal revenue laws
! is very rare and duly perilous. The uni
/ form and universal respect of the power
and sovereignty of the United States Gov
! eminent is such that, despite the most
/ minute and positive regulations and de-
/ spite the large cost OF enforcement bv To-
/ cal authorities, it is found everywhere
I that the liquor tax laws. for instance. are
/ better and more fully enforced by Federal
/ than by State authorities In such States
I as New York. Pennsylvania Ohio and
/ Massachusetts, for instance. the number
of internal revenue certificates for retail
! liquor dealers has always been considera-
I bly, larger than the State or local certifi-
Gates or receipts. fer the reason that no
! attempt is made to eyade the authority
OF the United States. whereas the oblisa-
I lions Of State laws rest lightly upon many
4 individuals and the obligations of local
/ county. or municipal laws still more light
! ~.
/ government revenue of $500 600 O00 in
( year Tor nearly 5000 000, 000 for the ex-
( act volume OF it cannot he declared in ai-
/ vance, represents a government taxing
! power which, exercised without friction
! favoritism, oppression or injustice. is a
marvel among nations. The estimate
! budget OF Great Britain for the present
year includes, as usual. internal revenue
] or excise taxes in a very large amount
! The total estimate. however, is G27 75O.-
| coo, or an equivalent in dollars of about
/ SlSS. .0Oe, 900, considerably less than the
! normal average in the United States. and
| $50. .00GO0 less than the United States COL
! lections year ago. The British revenue rs
| from excise taxes last year were approx
! mately $50, 900, 900 from spirits, $50 OOO. .OO0
from beer, and the balance from misceua-
neous taxes, of which about 81. .000, 600 or
Its equivalent in pounds, were collected
from railways. France, which is a heavily
taxed country, collected last year So. 900
600 tits equivalent in francs) from spirits
$500 900 from beer and s15, 900, 900 from
minor retail excise taxes. a total of SIS
| 600 600
Though the total internal revenue taxes
! of the United States fall equitab'y on all
inhabitants. the fact that they are collect
at the point Of distribution makes the
business OF the collection Offices vary to a
/ great extent. Some States and some dis
/ tricts of States produce large revenues;
others. for no very clear reason. produce
little revenue
One of the peculiarities of Internal Rev
enue Office divisions is that their official
designations are misleading. For instance
I there are four collection districts in Illinois
FL,
ond. third and fourth, but as the first, fifth
eighth and thirteenth. Why? The answer
is this: Originally there were thirteen in
ternal revenue districts in Illinois at the
points following: Chicago, Aurora, Free
port. Quincy. Peoria. Joliet Danville
/ Springfield Avon, Winchester Centralia
Alton, and Cairo Since the close of the
civil war the various districts have beer
reduced in number by consolidation but
there has been no revision of numbers
The four districts which have been retained
are the first, Chicago; the fifth, Peoria; the
eighth, Springfield, and the thirteenth
, Cairo; the others exist no more. The Pc
oria internal revenue district is the banner
one of the United States. with receipts last
year of So, $50, 900. The Springfield district
showed receipts of $40, ,100, ,000 due in both
cases to the Illinois distilleries, which have
! considerably overshadowed the business
formerly done in Kentucky in this particu.
lar though the Kentucky internal revenue
receipts are still large, though not wholly
from whisky, tobacco entering largely into
the public revenues from this source. The
Louisville internal revenue district. tn,
fifth Kentucky, turned in $40, ,000, 600 Of
public revenue last year. The sixth, Al
Covington, turned in $500. 900; the sew.
enth, at Lexington, including the blue
grass region or most of it, 1000, ,000 ant
the eighth at Lancaster 50 600 600 On.
of the large internal revenue districts il
the country, in the point of the revenu,
collected, is the first Ohio district, at Gin.
cinnati, which turned in $13,0o0OOO las
year.