Washington sentinel., 1900-04-28
A Victory for the Sentinel.

The Brewers Association After
Reconsideration Determines to
Follow Our Advice ana not
give mp the Fight.
In our issue ofthe 1 7th OF March
we said we were surprised to read
in the various journals represent
ing the brewing industry, an Off
cial statement from the Secretary
of the United States Brewers AS
sociation from which we copy the
following extract:
AS a result of aIi these untiTing efforts,
your trustees and committees have
become convinced that at the present
session a reduction of the tax is abso'
lutely impossible; yet our labor has not
been IN vain, for it is perfectly safe TO
assert that the leading lawmakers now
recognize the injustice ard destructive
effect OF the war tax; and when the time
for readjusting tax burdens shall have
come, our appeal to Congress will not
be disregarded.
We said on that occasion: "We
would like to know why this is not
a propitious time to insist on abo-
lition OF this unjust tax7 Why
shall the brewers carry this heavy
burden another year2 Is the United
States Brewers Association going
to ignore the Levy bill now before
Congress, demanding a reduction
Of the taxi Are they not aware Of
the fact that this bill is now in the
hands of the Ways and Means
Committed"
We have kept up this hight, aided
by Hon James d. Richardson,
Senator VIM. Allen, Congressmen
SuIzer, Kleeberg. Terry, and
Levy, for reduction of the burden
some war taxes, and the ceaseless
efforts especially OF Congressman
Levy to secure favorable report
on his bill for the repeal of the tax,
caused the Republican side so
much trouble and inconvenience
that Congressman Payne, the
leader of the majority, was forced,
on account OF the pressure brought
on him by the SENTINEL's agitation,
to introduce a resolution which
requested the Secretary OF the
Treasury to send to the House a
statement relating to the revenues
and expenditures of the Govern
ment.
This important Information was
sent to the House. Upon the show
ing which Secretary Gage made,
the repeal of the war taxes in part
at least is practicable. Cages
figures show conclusivelY that
even with the enormous additional
expense entsiled by our imperial
istic policy the Government is COL
lecting more money than it needs.
On June 80, there will be surplus
OF $40, ,ooo, 900 in the Treasury for
which there is no necessity. TAX
ing all this into consideration
brewers everywhere must admit
that our policy Of continuing the
fight had good grounds behind it
and was the only one to pursue.
Ifthe Association had not thrown
up the sponge at a most inoppor-
tune time the work would have
progressed more rapidly. and due
credit would have been given them.
AS it stands now, the credit
for any favorable turn in the stu
alton and for whatever action may
be taken favorable to the brewers
belongs in large measure to the
Editor of the SENTINEL, because
OF his persistent and successful
efforts to keep the question of beer
tax reduction before Congress and
the people and not allow it to
be sidetracked, as at one time
seemed imminent from the apathy
Of the Brewers Association. They
lost heart too easily. If the work
is Immediately followed up and
carefully prosecuted, there is nc
reason why reduction should mol
be had even at this late stage ot
the proceedings.
We are pleased to learn from the
AmEYicaH ByeaOe,S' RsV5ezV that 4
determined effort will be made i'm
mediately by the Board of Trustee.
OF the United States Brewers AS
sociation to secure the abolition .
the war tax upon malt liquors. A
meeting OF the Board was held il
New York City the Isth inst. 10
the purpose Of considering tn,