The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-04-07
REVENUE FROM WAR TAX.
The People pay the Piper While the
Hanna syndicates Dance Their
Imper rial Jig.


The treasury bureau Of statistics re-
ports that the receipts from the war
revenue act from June 49, 1895, 10 the
end OF the year. or for little more
than 6H months. amounted TO S5i.3G2.-
1890. This is exclusive Of S763 1896
additional taxes collected on articles
relating 10 tobacco manufactured
imported ard removed from factory or
custom house, act Of June ~, ls9s,' and
OF additional collections on fermented
liquors stored In warehouse amount
ing 10 SlCl .524.C0. II is also exclusive
Of the duty on tea imposed by the war
revenue act, (which probably produced
not far from 100000.
About $50 100000 may be stated as
The total yield properly daic to the law
for the period named. This is al the
rate Of 100000 per month, or Sos.
100000 year in round figures. This
Is a Coodly sum, yet Mr.. Cannon has
warned his party associates that il will
not suffice and he has given the figures
which 90 10 show that in spite Of this
large increase Of revenue there will be
deficit Of fully 500. 900 COO during the
fiscal year beginning with next July,
and that as soon as the proceeds Of the
war loan are exhausted il viii 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-
dicted before congress met last De-
cember and when people were taking
for granted that taxes were going TO
be reduced and telling their represent
atiyes what taxes they would prefer
TO have abolished first.
Documentary and proprietary stamps
are the principal source Of revenue un-
der the act Of June ~. 1soS. the receipts
from this source having been about
500 2l1oo0 during the 6is months.
The extra barrel tax on beer comes
next as a revenue yicldor. having pro-
duccd about SIS 100000. From these
two sources came Sl0.45O. 900 Of the in
crease s5f3Ce.0C0 from internal taxes,
or over ~ per cent. Of the whole. The
additional taxes on tobacco in its vari-
Gus forms came next as revenue pro-
ducers. having yielded nearly 5000
000 Special taxes follow. with yield
OF 81 100000.
The tax on legacies was hardly worth
collecting, having produced only sl3i.-
s99.63. The only tax that yielded less
was that on mixed four-$5 1895.
But that tax was not intended 10 pro-
duce revenue. It was intended 70 pro-
tect the American stomach by prevent
ing the adulteration 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
4 PLY the money with which to pay the
big bills for war. Tor conquest. for the
Z enrichment OF few syndicates at
home or in lot OF conquered prov
inccs 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
l lic--the great mass of the people. in
1 GLIDING almost every man who works
I 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 Sfl5.-
I 437.3s. 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 and the
generals and admirals engage in a
scramble for glory and promotion
which is anything but a pleasing spec
tacle 10 set before the nations Of the
/ earth-Chicapo Chronicle