Washington sentinel., 1900-05-19
WIN Con gress sAct?--ShAil "A the Beer
Tax be Reduced?

WIN Con gress Aot?-shAII the Beer
Tax be Reduced?
The closer the daY of adjourn
ment draws near, the more glaring
becomes the bad faith of Congress
in its dealings with the brewers.
AT the outbreak of the war with
Spain, the tax which the brewing
industry had been paying without
grumbling since the Civil War was
doubled, to provide sans for the
Government to conduct its opera
tions for the liberation of Cuba
from Spanish control, with the
promise indirectly if not directly
given that 1t should be imposed
only so long as the war with Spain
lasted. Has this promise been
kept2
AT the time this tax was imposed
the brewing industry was in none
too prosperous a condition. Down
ward for years the price OF beer had
fallen from sra to an average Of
S. per barrel, while the cost Of
production had steadily increased.
In every way possible, except by
reduction Of wages, expenses had
been curtailed in order to leave
living margin between receipts and
expenditures. Consolidation Of
plants to reduce running expenses,
by which the smaller establish
meuts were closed and their busi-
ness distributed among the larger
ones, provided a temporary rem
edY, but too frequently at the cost
of deserving men who found them
selves in consequence out of en-
ployment. This makeshiit failed of
its purpose, for many OF these syn
dicate breweries are making reg
ular practice OF passing dividends,
to the loss in this case OF retailers
who are often holders OF the COM
mon stock.
This is the situation at present
a condition brought about by the
failure OF the Government to keep
its solemn promises. The war with
Spain ended months ago, the sur
plus in the Treasury is piIing up
beyond the ability of an extrava-
CANT Congress to spend 1t, and no
steps are yet taken to redeem the
pledge made to the brewers, no at
tempt is honestly made by those IN
control OF the Government to save
from bankruptcy the industry that
is the backbone Of the Treasury,
that gives employment to thou
sands OF men, that spends millions
of dollars with the farmers Of the
country and contributes so largely
to the employment OF labor in
every branch Of trade.
When members OF Congress say
it would be unwIse to reduce
the beer tax because such ac-
'tion would open the way to gen.
eral repeal Of all war taxes, they
should remember that no industry
has paid so large a share of the
public expenditures as the brew
ing, and no industry is so little
able to continue the burden
this one. No industry can afford
to pay 40 per cent of the average
selling price Of its product, and all
other expenses. as beer is made to
do, and yet live. This is daily
demonstrated by the number OF
breweries forced into bankruptcy,
every one OF which so driven 20 the
wall decreases the Governments
sources OF revenue and adds to
labor's long list of unemployed.
Is it wise to continue this policy7
Ofall branches OF business In the
United States none has been so lib
eral towards its army OF employees.
Good wages, short hours and kind
treatment have ever marked the
relations existing between the en-
ployer and employe in this calling.
Nowhere have strikes been OF rarer
occurrence than in the ranks OF
brewery workmen, and whenever
disputes have arisen they have
been quickly settled IN the spirit
OF "Live and Let Live" How
long can this spirit continue-no
matter how anxious the wish to
have it so-when failure to keep
its pledged word toward ITS tax
payers bv this Government makes
it impossible for the employer to
deal as he would wish by his en-
PloyeP Is it wise to do aught that