Washington sentinel., 1900-06-09
Brewers Meet,


Representative brewers from all
over the United States, represent
ing millions OF dollars directly, and
millions more indirectly, through
the various tributary commercial
channels fed BY the brewers, atten-
ded this week the fortieth annual
convention OF the United States
Brewers Association, at Atlantic
City.
Every brewer in the United
States appreciates that this is a
most critical time in the history of
the Asso citation, brought about by
the utter decentralization and Grip
pling OF their Industry which has
followed the continuance Of the
Spanish. American war tax, eight
cen months after the treaty OF
peace had been signed. 1t was
this fact which gives to this con-
vention such national and wide
spread importance.
The action oil the Government in
keeping on the extra Spanish
American var tax, nearly two
years after the signing OF the dec
laration Of peace, on an industry
already heavily taxed locally and
nationally, has actually resulted in
a decreased output in 1899 of
10000 barrelsl This has had
the effect OF affecting directly and
indirectly not only unnumbered
multitudes OF human beings all over
the United States but hundreds Of
important American industries
which are fed, and ted handsomely,
by the brewing industry. Partic-
ular reference is paid to the bot
thing industry, the cork industry,
the lumber industry, to the barley
growers, to the farmers, to the
horse industry, ETC., ETC., and to the
dozens oftributary auxiliary lines.
The striking fact was brought
out at the convention that there is
not today a single European coun-
try where an attempt to impose a
comparatively higher tax upon
beer and light wines than upon
ardent spirits would not be consid-
cred an unpardonable mistake. In
Belgium, in the Netherlands, in all
the Scandinavian countries, in
France, and in Russia, the law
makers earnestly strive to mini
mize the evils OF intemperance by
reducing the taxes upon malt
liquors to a minimum. Switzer-
land has its Governmental alcohol
monopoly, supplemented by very
high spirit tax, but malt liquors are
scarcely taxed at all. The Scan
dinavian countries have their Goth
enburg system, with its restrictions
as to the sale Of spirits, but this
system does not apply to malt
liquors. In France and Belgium
and in the Meth erlands the tax
lever is freely used to increase the
consumption OF malt liquors and to
decrease the use OF spirits.
In 1885 Gladstone was driven
out Of Office on account Of his prop
osition to increase the beer tax, and
his opponents. supported by the
British people, dwelt with particu-
lar force and emphasis upon the
effect the proposed tax increase
would have had upon the cause Of
temperance and the comfort and
well-being OF the workmen. TWAS
argued that beer and ale were the
drinks OF the common people and
that the Ministerial bill proposed
to put on them the expenses Of the
Egyptian war. That was quite
sufficient to give Gladstone's office
to the Marquis OF Salisbury and to
change the political complexion Of
the Government. Great Britain is
at present engaged in a war re-
quiring a much greater amount
of money than we expended in the
Spanish. American war, yet the tax
upon malt liquors, infinitely lower
than our beer tax. was increased
by lew pennies only; while on the
other hand the British spirit tax
exceeds the American spirit tax by
SL4o.
The exaction OF the extra tax
had the effect OF reducing the pro-
duetion OF maltlIquors by one mill
lion barrels within the past year.
In the same period, insolvencies,