Washington sentinel., 1900-11-10
NO. Half Mea sure Wanted.
.wets' LoNlNaL, AZ York.

ByeWsyS' Journal, NszD FORK.
BY resolution adopted at the last ses.
sion OF Congress, the Committee on
Ways and Means OF the House Of Rep
resentatives was authorized oy that body
to hold sessions during the recess and
to prepare plan for the modification
OF the War Revenue Act. The resolu.
ton in question was adopted to stave off
an untoward discussion of the financial
policy OF the Administration, which was
at that juncture very undesirable from a
political point Of view, and the Journal
predicted at the time that no meeting
would be held under the authority thus
conferred until after the November
elections This prediction has been
verified. Evidence, however, is not
lacking that the urgent representa- tion
of the brewers and their organizations,
National, State and local, and personal
efforts OF individual members OF the
brewing and kindred trades, have had
some effect, at least, on those whose
political fortunes are, to a greater or less
extent, IN the hands OF constituencies
interested in the brewing and allied
industries, and they have been endeav-
oring, presumably with the advice and
consent OF the Administration, to
convey the impression that it is the
intention of the Government at an early
date (after the electionsl to take steps
for the repeal OF the oppressive and |
unjust war tax on malt liquors of one
dollar per barrel, imposed by the War
Revenue act of June 18th, 1898.
Whether this intimation, which would |
be no more than a tardy tulhlment Of |
the solemn promise made to the brewers |
through their representatives, the United /
States Brewers Association, by Hon.
Nelson R. Dingley, the late chairman
OF the Ways and Means Committee, will
be honOred by the Administration, is
hard to tell In all probability, majority
of the brewers are disposed, like the
Journal, to place but little reliance on
the ante election promises of politicians,
which, like "dicers' oaths," are made
to serve a purpose and afterwards
ignored. But the trade does place some
reliance and bases some hopes on the
statement of President Mckinley, in his
letter formally accepting a denomination
toithe Presidency, in the course Of which,
discussing the internal revenue, he said
'Unless something unforeseen occurs to
reduce our revenues or increase our
expenditures, the Congress, at its next
session, should reduce taxation very
BY virtue of the promises when it was {
imposed, and the Presidents later
and because ofthe exorbitant {
amount and destructive character OF
1njustlY maintained tax on their product c
he brewers are entitled, as a right, to
he benefit OF the first reduction made
n the war taxes, and 1t should be no
ialf measure. Willing as they have
always been to bear their full share Of
,urdens and responsibilities as tax {
layers, punctiliously honest in their /,
lealings with the Government in that
capacity, and supplying a product that ;
IS an article OF food, is indispensable TO .,
vast majority OF the population, they /
ire entitled to fair and honOrable-not v
o say liberal-treatment 1t remains =
o be seen whether the Government y
after the electioEsl will as honestly do 81
is plain duty towards this important -
Industry and free it from an oppressive
nd extortionate tax, the maintenance
4 which is unjust, dishonest aDd from
moral or temperance standpoint,
xceedingly unwise. 4