Washington sentinel., 1900-04-21
The War Taxes.

hC " ~ A0AO9'
Is Congress, which at this
session has gone to hitherto un'
heard of lengths % please and graf
ify the trusts, going home without
the smallest attempt to do anything
for the psople7 1t is notorious and
admitted on all hands that the in
ternal revenue war taxes are no
longer necessary to the support ot
the Government, and that they are
producing a huge and embarras-
sing surplus in the Treasury. What
is the excuse tor continuing them7
Are we preparing for hostilities
with somebody or other that the
onerous war taxes are still exacted
from the American masses; or is
the idea only to begin contraction
of the currency by locking up as
much of it as possible in the form
oil surplus7
Congress is in a position to give
answer to these questions, in whole
or in part, and will do so in the
course it pursues relatively to the
demand Of the country that the war
taxes, being no longer necessary
or useful, shall be at once abol-
ished. There is not Republican
member of the House of Repre-
sentatives who, when he goes home.
will not have to explain why the
trusts in control Of the party insist
upon perpetuating this system
wkiSh has become one of senseless
and wicked extortion. Members
of Congress from the brewing CEN
tres will ieel the cold chill Of pclit-
ical animosity on tb part OF great
manufacturing interest which last
year was held up for millions and
millions of dollars to feed the
Treasury surplus. They may argue
that beer is a luxury and an ille-
gitimate one, and that il the juice
of the vat is taxed and lite made
hard for the producer OF beer, the
majority OF people will not care;
but that would be a mistake.
The extra dollar war tax on beer
is not merely a salutarY persecu-
tion OF the brewers and Of the con
sumers, in the interests OF the holy
cause OF prohibition, but it is also
direct blow at the farmer. When
the tax is low, it is possible to make
the beverage strictly out OF hops
and barley, and thus provide the
people with an article which is alb.
solutely pure and eminently whole
some; whatever may be said ofthe
awful sin Of drinking, or the noble
virtue of abstaining from it. when
the tax on bser is oppressivelY
high, the Lord only knows what
some Of it may be made Of. Here
and there, as in Washington, few
brewers may be found who keep
maintaining the standard of their
grades, even closely down to the
point Of loss, and hope for betteI
times to recoup themselves. But
the maj ority will make things ever
il the tax continues by reducing
their consumption OF costly raw
materials like barley and hops, anC
largely substitute drugs and chem
icals, or 60 out OF the business
This practice directly and hurtfully
affects the farmer, the hop gardner
and tends to slaughter the marke
for their productions.
We are aware that the Admins
tration, in spite Of Secretary CAGE
statement demonstrating the prac
ticability over and above all eN
penditures to reduce the tax, think
it has sufficient reason to forbit
remedial legislation on the subjec
until after the Presidential election
There are friendly conveniences o
a financial character involved i
having an extra idle seventy o
eighty millions on hand, which ca
be loaned free of charge and ear
good money for those who handl
it in the stock market; and if al
lowed to roll up, this congestin
surplus may encourage liberal ar
propriations in the future when
may be a party assumption that
great deal OF "river and harbor in
provements" will be necessary t
pay political debts in the bac
country. But there is quite al
other view the Washington Tim
takes of this matter and one whic
deserves the notice OF even thos