Iron County register., 1899-03-30
THE WAR REVENUE.
The People Pay the Piper While the
Hanna Syndicates Dance Their
Imperial jig.

The treasury bureau of statistics re-
ports that the receipts from the war
revenue act from June IS, 1898, to the
end of the year, or for little more
than 6h months, amounted TO S54. 4.362.-
122.39. This is exclusive of $763, 1896
additional taxes collected on articles
relating to tobacco manufactured,
Imported and removed from factory or
custom house, act of June IS, 1885, and
OF additional collections on fermented
liquors stored in warehouse amount
ing TO $161,524.60. 1t is also exclusive
of the duty on tea imposed by the war
revenue act. which probably produced
not far from $450O,00O.
About $59,000.O00 NAV be stated as
the total yield properly due TO the law
for the period named. This is at the
rate of $9,000.00O per month. or $10s.-
o00.000 a yeSr. in round figures. This
is goodly sum, yet Mr.. Cannon has
warned his party associates that it will
not suffice and he has given the figures
which &c to show that in spite of this
large increase of revenue there will be
a deficit of fully 100000. coo during the
fiscal year beginning with next July,
anu mat as SODIl us the DEDceedS or II6
war loan are exhausted ii Will be neces-
sary either to borrow money or to in
crease the taxes again to cover the de-
felt. This is what the Chronicle pre-
dlcted before congress met last De-
cember and when people were taking
for granted that taxes were going to
be reduced and telling their represent
ativss what taxes they would prefer
to ha>e abolished first
Documentary and proprietary stamps
are The principal source Of revenue un-
der the act of June 13. 1898. the receipts
from this source having been about
$22, 100000 during the 61s months.
The extra barrel tax on beer comes
next as a revenue yielder. having pre-
duced about SIS. 100000. From these
two sources came S4O.45O. 900 Of the in
crease $54.360.OOO from internal taxes
or over II per cent. of the whole. The
additional taxes on tobacco in its vari-
Gus forms came next as revenue pro-
ducers. having yielded nearly $4,000
coo. Special taxes follow. with yield
of $4.50O.O0O.
The tax on legacies was hardly worth
collecting. having produced only $134,-
S99.63. The only tax that yielded less
was that on mixed 1our-$5. 1895.
But that tax was not intended to pro-
duce revenue. 1t was intended to pro-
tect the American stomach by prevent
ing the aduIteration of -four To Judge
from some of the developments in the
beef inquiry it would seem that the
American stomach needs protection
and better protection than iS afforded
by existing inspection laws.
Such Of the figures as relate strictly
to revenue taxes teach the same old les
son. that the masses of the people sup
ply the money with which to pay the
big bills for war, for conquest. for the
enrichment CT Il few syndicares at
home or in a lot of conquered prov
inces. The stamp taxes are paid by the
great business public and the beer. to-
bacco and ''special'' taxes and the tea
duty are paid by the still broader pub
lic-the great mass of the people. in
cluding almost every man who works
for wages. And the taxes which in
some special manner fall upon wealth
the taxes on gross receipts and leg
acies-amount to no more than $415.-
1878. or much less than one per cent
of the total. The returns show who
pays the piper while the Hanna syndi- |
Gates dance their imperial jig ard the
generals and admirals engage in
scramble for glory and promotion |
which is anything but pleasing spec
tacle to set before the nations of the |
Chronicle.