Washington sentinel., 1900-12-15
THE BEER

THE BEER growing stronger
mAv every day tor
@@%@A' more sweeping
reduction in the war taxes than is
provided Tor in the plan Of the
Ways and Means Committee or
was suggested in the Presidents s
message. 1t now develops that
more than one Republican candi.
date for Congress during the re
cent election virtually pledged the
Republican party to cut the beer
tax down to the old figure of 81.
Representative Bartholdt. who
represents the great brewing dis
trict in St. Louis, voiced the posi-
ton of many Republicans when
he said:
told my people during the campaign
that the Repu olican party would make
important reductions in all the war taxes
and the beer tax would be cut dowD.
There was no doubt that it was thought
the extra dollar war tax on beer would
be taken off during this session, l was
OF that opinion, and said that would
urge the party leaders 10 do so. The
brewery interests generally supported
the Republican ticket this year, believ.
ing that whichever way the election
went they would be taken care OF at the
current session, 1t was known that all
the legislative machinery would remain
in the hands of the Republicans until
March a next at any rate, and that bill
could easily be passed restoring the old
beer rate Of taxation. The country is
prosperous enough, and the revenues
are sufficiently large to permit the party
pledges to be safely redeemed at this
time, 1t was certainly the understanding
that the extra tax would be taken of at
the end OF the war, and it is time to 20
back to the old figures.
It was not only the understand
ing, it was the positive promise OF
Speaker Henderson, in a speech
at Milwaukee during the campaign
just closed, that in case OF Mr.. Nc
Kinley's reelection the beer tax
would be repealed-not reduced.
Republican Congressman had
good authority, therefore, for max
ing the promises they did.
The important question is, Will
those members who. like Mr.. Bar
tholdt, have pledged their word to
their constituents for a repeal OF
the beer tax stand for the fulfilmeDt
Of their promises or will they yield
to the command Of party and sac.
ri6ce their friends7 II the former.
the combined Democratic and dis
satisfied Republican vote can force
a higher concession. The union
need jar no mans political feel
ings. Republicans can enter it in
iul6lment of their party pledges;
Democrats likewise, because their
party is the natural opponent of
such taxes.
There is no reason why politics
should enter into the decision Of
this matter at all, although various
journals in different parts OF the
country are carrying their opposi-
tion to brewers so far as to see in
this question only a means for the
Republicans to pay their campaign
debts. So far from being a cam
paign debt it is the fulfilling OF
solemn promise, Implied If not ex
pressed, to which Democrats as
well as Republicans subscribed
and in the fulfilment of which Re-
Publieans as well as Democrats
can join hands. Among the Jour
mails which insist that the repeal OF
the beer tax is partisan measure
we might name the Chicago Rec
ord, the Philadelphia LsdRs, and
the Brooklyn Eagle.
There is also another side from
which this question should be
Viewed-the material.
The beer tax is a valuable re-
so~- &c for the Treasury in an ex-
igencY. Twice already this has
been proven. But willing horse
may be driven too hard. When
taxes are so laid that they cannot
bs distributed the tax amounts to