Evening star., 1900-10-11
CUTTING DOWN.WAR TAXES
1T Is RELIEVED THAT BREWING
INTERESTS WILL FIND RELIEF.
Outlining the Republican Program
for the Next Session of Congress-
Annoying Requirement. ofsStamps.

A reduction Of the beer tax will prob
ably be part of the republican program at
the next session of Congress- The ways
and means committee was authorized at the
last session to sit during the recess and
recommend the modification of the war
revenue law. The republican leaders on
the committee tacitly agreed that nothing
should be done until after the election. when
they will probably meet In Washington and
determine upon a report to the House. 1t
is generally understood. however, that the
beer men, who have been paying about $780,
100000 per year toward the cost of the
Spanish war and its consequences, in addi-
ton to their old rate of payment, will get
some concessions in the new legislation.
They have not been taking sides actively in
the presidential fight and many who were
formerly democrats are not contributing to
the Bryan campaign fund. The democratic
managers were given solemn warning by
Representative Rupert of New York, him
self brewer, that II free coinage at 16 to
/ not dropped from the democratic
pls tform. the brewers would not tie their
fortunes to the sinking ship of Bryanism.
Mr.. Rupert was ready, however, to work
hard to raise democratic campaign funds II
the Kansas City convention had dropped
free silver. The action OF the republicans
in Congress may not be Influenced by the
attitude of the beer men in the campaign.
but the comparative quiet of the latter will
not damage their chances with the ways
and means committee. The tax on beer
actually collected by the treasury was $751;
67:3:}O1 In the fiscal year 1899, and si2.762-
O70 in the fiscal year ending June 10, 1900,
without taking special taxes Into account.
The brewers have been protesting all along
that this was an excessive amount to take
frCm one industry, and they are likely TO
get some relief this winter.
1t is not probable that the entire increase
in tax made by the war revenue act. Wh1ch
,Ix-,,,, ,nl hn r0f
1885, when allowance Is made for the 10
cents rebate, will be wiped out. Such
change as is made will probably be In the
form of increasing the rebate. Ii the re.
bate, for instance. were made 80 per cent OF
the tax instead of ~ per cent. the net tax
would fall to 40 per barrel. The number
of barrels which tax was paid last year
was 39.330,s49 At the rate of S1.4o per
barrel the revenue would amount to about
So 600 O0O and the brewers would be re-
lieved of sl7.500.000 of the taxes paid last
year.
mend the abolition of all the war revenue
taxes nor even of all those outside of beer
The stamp taxes on proprietary articles
have proved a source OF conslderaple an
noyance and have not yielded much rese,
nue. The receipts under schedule leu
from S52l97 737 in 1859 to A.3iS2S' In E~o
A determined effort by the druggists ana
others interested throughout the country
might secure the repeal or TINS ehtire
schedule The chances are not quite SO
favorable for the repeal of the other stamp
taxes The subject was before the Amerl-
cau Rankars' Association at Richmond last
week and there was evidently STRONG
feeling in favor of wiping out all the trou-
blesome stamp charges on bills or exchahse
and stock exchange transactions as wen a.
the two-cent tax on checks 1t IS 1oupIlul u,
if the latter can be gotten rla ol. + t n,,s
n movement to reduce the amount 10 one
cenf would be more likely TO succeed IMAM
the demand for complete repeal.