Washington sentinel., 1900-12-22


and not crushed as IL Is crushed
The brewers are patriotic We arc
IalthIul citlzens' wiling 70 uphoII Lhe
Government and 10 pay tax Of 81 per
barrel or about 20 per cent on the market
| price of our product, which would amount
to about from $4,000 900 to SIOOOO,OOO a
year No industry can stand more than
| that percentage OF taxation and exist. We
have tried 1t for three years and know;
we who have stood this double tax so un-
cOmplalnngly ana patriotically from out
OK & ouE GlstresseS pray ana nope + Tor 6Tdt PcligI
now, and has been for three years. II Is
but fair, just and equitable that we have
a fair earning on our product, Of which we
are now deprived.
"We are here to petition Congress and
the Senate for relief, and hope for a sue
cessfu cOnsummatlOn Of our Efforts
Also the following from the pen of
Col. Louis Schade, the veteran editor
Of the Washington Sentinel, probably
the Oldest and most influential Demo-
cratic paper sent TO Congress, who
makes the following able argument
against the war tax in the last issue
of his paper:
Taxes collected beyond the needs Of the
Government are unnecessary, AMI unneCes-
sary taxation is unjust. Brewers point TO
the fact that receipts for this year are
$4,000, 900 In excess Of appropriations, and
they were assured that when this condition
lleved Of Its OnerOus burdens. Their case
should receive first attention, because the
old tax was IN itself a war tax, and thus
they are paying not merely war tax, but
q double war tax.
Brewers invite attention to the fact that
OF the S2lOOOO,OOO collected under the war
revenue bill, beer has paid $4,000 600, or
more than One-third Of the whole. IF any
further argument were needed To show that
their Industry has borne moro than It's
share Of the expense CntgllCd 10y the Span
lsh war; 1t is found In the fact that the
present beer tax represents two htthS "
the average selling price Of barrel "
beer. Appeals for reduction in behalf NJ
other articles affected by this bill are based
on the ground that the tax Us annoying ana
hurdensomc. Their appeals would be cnti-
tied to consideration did they show any
thing approaching this presentation Of the
what n howl would be raised II bottle
OF patent medicine retailing for a dollar
20 cents was assessed 10 cents, and other
things In the same proportion. A moments
comparison should be sufficient TO show any
unprejudiccd person that the levy on beer
Is annoying, Is burdcnsOme, Is costly, Is un-
just, and, what Is more important still IL
thrOttllng the Industry, hamperng Its
growth. and killing one Of the best revenue
producing articles on the Governments tax
How long can a business subslst under
such an lmpOst2 That this tax has been 4
milestone around Its neck Is proven by the
decrease Of 1000, 900 barrels I'm the con.
sumption OF beer during the past year, In
the large number OF suspensions I'm the
same time, In the passing Of dividends by
the larger concerns engaged In the trade,
and I'm many other ways.
In the hope that the cessation OF war
would bring relief I'm n short time, brew
ers made no attempt 20 collect the tax, or
any part OF IT, from their customers. This
was notably the case with the Washington
A continuation Of the measure Will make
change In this respect necessary. In al
other cases the people have had to pay the
tag. The people VIII have to pay this, too,
before long BY people is meant the work.
Ing classes. Is not the workingman taxed
brewers alone have voluntarily undertaken
so upon the strength OF promises made
them. When those promises are unfui-
filed &c Is not In human nature TO expect
that they viii continue 70 do so.
The Spanish war Is over The prolOuga-
ton II tie war tax, not for the object for
which It was leyled, but to provide means
TO carry out a shlp-subsidy bill or to build
good faith Of the Government. II Congress
ln its wisdom shall decree the passage Of
these measures, the first OF which Will en-
tail an estimated expenditure OF S9,OooOOO
a year for thirty years and the second
rlod OF years brewers viii not object.
They ask, however, that the war tax
shall be wiped out as the occasion which
And then, II money is required for the dc.
Tense OF our new possessions 70 extend
trade, or TO build up a merchant marine,
which are all matters foreign TO the span
ish war, let 1t be provided In new legisla-
tlOn, let there be a Encouragement Of our
sources Of revenue, placing the cost equlta-
bly, on all. 1t IL unfair that revenues
raised for war purposes should be cOntn-
ued after the war has ceased and used TO
furnish means to carry out projects not
contemplated when the extraordinary levy
was made. 1t Is not merely unfair, Il Is
Are they entitled 60 it2
Mr.. Dalzen, of Pennsylvania CRe-
publican), hereupon made a long
argument against the beer tax.
WAR REVENUE.
The committee resumed its session
in afternoon.
The CHAIRMAN. The hour having
arrived to close general debate, the
Clerk viii proceed with the reading
of the bill.
The Clerk read as follows:
That section 1 OF the act entitled "An
act TO provide ways and means TO meet
war expenditures, and for other purposes"
approved June l3, 1898 IS hereby amended
so TO read as follows:
THAT there shall be paid. In lieu Of the
tax Of 81 now imposed by law, a tax OF 50
on all beer, lager beer ale, porter. and
other similar fermented liquors. brewed OF
manufactured and sold, or stored I'm ware.
house, or removed for consumption or sale
within the United States, by whatever
name such liquors may be called Tor every
barrel containing not more than 81 gallons
and at Ike rate Tor any other quantity or
for the fractional parts Of barrel author.
lied and defined by law. And section 1899
Of the Revised Statutes Is hereby amended
accordingly: Provided, That a discount OF
20 per cent shall be allowed upon all sales
by collectors TO brewers OF the stamps pro.
y!ded for the payment Of said tax: Pro
vided further That the additional tax inn
posed In this section ON all fermeuted
liquors stored In warehouse TO which q
stamp had been affixed shall be assessed
and collected In the manner now provided
by law for the collection OF taxes not paid
by stamps"
Mr.. PAYNE. Mr.. Chairman, I offer
the following amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Strike out "s2' in line 8, page 1. after
lowing, $50" also strike out In line 5,
page 2 Provided, That a discount Of"
and the lines following down TO and In
Guiding said tax" In line S. also strike
out further In line s.
Mr.. PAYNE, Mr.. Chairman, this
amendment does not change the rate
from the bill, but makes a fiat tax
of SlGO a barrel instead OF So with
the . per cent discount.
Mr.. RICHARDSON of Tennessee.
VIII the gentleman state that again?
1 did not quite hear the effect of the
amendment.
Mr.. PAYNE. It strikes out So and
inserts i'm lieu of 10 SLIGO.
Mr.. RICHARDSON of Tennessee.
Do you strike out lines s, Q, 10, II, and
II? Do you strike out the second
proyiso?
Mr.. PAYNE We leave the second
proyiso in, but we strike out the
first proyiso, provided, That a dis
count" etc.
Mr.. RICHARDSON of Tennessee.
Oh, that is all.
Mr.. PAYNE. Now, Mr.. Chairman,
49, B. III L L.-I-h ~ -nL- u---- ~