Washington sentinel., 1900-09-15
Ginlep
allo the
J5reWer5.

"''0 wv Monday Presi
y6rewers. dent Mckinley
says:
Unless something Unforeseen occurs
to reduce our revenues or increase ou
expenditures, the Congress at its mex
session should reduce taxation very
materially,
The reduction oi taxes is the one
point in which brewers are inter
ested, and very much so, and it is
unfortunate, to say the least, tha'
Mr.. Mckinley did not make
more explicit declaration in the
premises. There are taxes and
taxes, but the tax in which the
brewers are most concerned is that
which doubles the rate upon a
barrel of beer, which compels them
to pay So, less III per cent, on
every barrel oil beer they brew and
sell. This IS known as the internal
revenue tax. There are besides
what are known as documentary
taxes, taxes on checks, on express
packages, on kilograms, on medic
inal preparations and other things,
to all of which brewers contribute.
Some cause a slight expense, as
the stamp tax on checks, others
are annoying rather than burden
some. But the one which embod-
les all the burdens as well as the
inconvenience OF the war revenue
legislation is that which imposes
an addition of s. on every barrel
OF beer. This is the one Of which
brewers complain; this is the one
which they have sought most ear
nestly to have removed; and this
is the one to which Mr.. Mckinley
most religiously avoids referring
or making any promises in regard
10.
There are reasons why the Pres
ident should wish to avoid COM
mitting himself on this point. The
war in the Philippines is still on,
and as long as it continues the
beer tax will remain. Should Se
declare explicitly for a reduction
Of this tax and aiterward find that
something unforeseen" occurs to
increase or continue our war ex-
penditures, as, for instance, failure
OF the Filipinos to remain subdued
or fresh complications in China, he
would be unable to carry out his
promise, and he we'll knows that
the Unforeseen" is likely to occur,
in fact is ordained to occur, unless
the outcome of the Presidential
struggle unmistakablY places the
stamp of popular disapproval on
further continuance of his criminal
war by the election of Mr.. Bryan,
when taxes will be reduced in spite
Of Mr.. Mckinley and contrary to
his calculations. There is method
in Mr.. McKinIey's failure to en-
Tighten us specifically on the beer
tax. His present intentions IN re-
gard to the Philippines forbid any
such action.
Again, this is Presidential year
and Mckinley needs all the votes
he can get. ProhibitionIsts have
votes and prohibtionists are Re-
publicans. Should he declare
himself tor a reduction OF the beer
tax the Unforeseen" or the Gun
desired" may happen too soon.
His prohibition brethren may de.
clare a vote Of want OF confidence
in Brother Mckinley and may de-
eide to throw the weight OF their
ballots for their own candidates to
the loss Of the Republican party.
His failure to override the decision
OF his Attorney General on the
canteen question has caused them
to wAver slightly in their allie
glance to him, and any further
concession to the beer element, as
they term it, in the direction Of
tightening the burdens of that class
would be construed as an act OF
hostility to prohibition and would
be resented accor dinghy. Now
Mr.. Mckinley is a shrewd politi-
clan and he don't propose to risk
the loss Of any part OF those mil
lion prohibition votes. Therefore
he will not specifically declare
himself on the question Of beer tax
reduction, as the Democrats did