The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-18
DRUG MEMS KICK ON TAXES
theoretically Registered and Excites
Much sympathy.

Mucn Sy M dGny.
Washington, April 1.-THE ways and
means committee gave a hearing today
on the question of reducing the revenues
derived from proprietary medicines, etc,
under the war revenue act of 1888. Those
heard represented the drug interests,
who asked the repeal of schedule B of
the war revenue act, requiring a stamp
tax upon proprietary articles and prepa-
rations. The drug delegation was large,
including representatives of many state
pharmaceutical associations and mem
bers of the National Association of Re-
tail Druggists. Thomas U. Wooten, ma
tional secretary, spoke of what he term
ed the discrimination and injustice of
this tax and its unnecessary character in
view Of the surplus. George P. Engle-
hard of Chicago, president of the drug
association, stated that under the rul-
ings of the revenue bureau the act was
not restricted to patent medicines, as
originally designed. but to all medicines
save those issued under a physicians
certificate. Why not, ne asked, similarly
tax food AMI clothing, as this was dis
tinctly class legislation. The only
medicinal preparations receiving exemp-
ton, he stated, was the vast and fncreas-
ing product of foreign incorporated
chemicals, mainly from Germany. Rep
resentative Grosvenor questioned this
statement pointing out that If the for
eign remedies paid no internal revenue
tax they paid a heavy customs duty, six
~ far he init al
tax on domestic products. Chairman
Payne also brought out that such Ameri-
can products as were similar to the
German would have a like exemption
from the/ internal tax, although Mr.
Englehard said there were practically
none of these. Mr.. Grosvenor said he
was surprised to learn that such common
drugs as arnica and paregoric We're
taxed as patent medicines: that it had
never been the intention Of the trainers
Of the law to have it so construed and
that it should be resisted in the courts.
Charles Clark spoke for the manufac-
turers. He said some of those present
paid $4,000 and $4,000 annually Much
of the tax was on variety of articles
designed for suffering humanity. Many
VI TIE DdludSeS WHICH saved LH6 lives
of our soldiers had TO bear the revenue
stamps. With an sS2,OO0,0OO surplus, the
course of the government in taking $10,-
900 from manufacturer and storing it
away in the treasury amounted to a con-
fiscation and Mr.. Clark protested against
such action. Several of the members of
the committee suggested that if the sur
plus was cut down, other interests, par
ticularly the beer interest, would ask
that they share in the reduction.
Mr.. Payne stated that the increase of
revenue under the war revenue act was
about S102 100000, so that if the entire act
was wiped out there would be a con-
siderable deficiency.
Representative Boutelle Of Illinois said
that the enormous sums realized were a
surprise to its trainers and it excedeeded
the estimates. He said that the surplus
imposed a duty on the present congress
to reduce the tax burden at the earliest
moment. The reduction should be made
at the points of greatest friction, and
schedule B he regarded as one of the
first articles of repeal. Mr.. Boutelle's
statement was enthusiastically applaud
ed. This closed the hearing and the
committee adjourned.