Washington sentinel., 1901-01-19

increased army and a new navy,
with all these costly projects
provided for-it is not even as
serted, by opponents Of war reVe-
nue. reduction. that these i'ems will
require the same income that Con-
gress in its wis dom saw at to levy
Tor the conduct of the war. If,
then, the tax on beer was not
needed IN time OF danger, why
should it be continued now, when
we have no war, when there are no
| prospt cts OF war, when the surplus
in the United States Treasury on
Dec. 81, 1900, had increased to
SI4o, 600 900, which is being added
to every day in spite ot heavy ex-
penditures in foreign operations,
and when that sum OF itself is suffi-
cient to meet the yearly outlay on
ship subsidy, canal, new navy and
rivers and harbors for two years
without resorting to a penny Of
revenue from the war tax bill2
The estimated yearly expendi-
lures on these items are as follows:
Ship Subsidy, S75oO, 900; Canal,
$4,000, 600; Navy, Sac, 900, 900;
Rivers and Harbors, Sa2. .ooo, 600
a total fS6I,soo, 900. The expen-
ditures Tor the army will be gov
erned by the amount OF increase
over present number, $4,000 men.
II conditions grow no worse than
they are at present the army should
remain stationary and thus obviate
the necessity OF spending anything
on that account. AT any rate this
surplus on hand now-St4o, 900, 900
plus the increase Tor the remaining
six months OF this fiscal year
should be sufficient to cover the
above items Tor the time named.
On this showing, and If newspap-
eTs which give these figures are re-
liable-and they ought to be for
they are known as Administration
organs--it would certainly appear
as if the condition Of the Treasury
could stand much larger decrease
than that fixed by the House.
These figures, it must be borne in
mind, take no account OF increased
revenues, which are reported everv
day.
This brings US back then to the
question OF the most deserving ob-
iects OF Government aid. Brewers
base their claim for relief, as we
showed IN a previous issue OF the
SENTINEL, on the ground
/. That the Spanish war tax ia
double tax, as their business had al
ready been paying a war tax of 81 per
barrel since 1862.
2. 1t exacted 10 per cent of the sell
ing price of their product-$2 out of
S5-a levy which made production a
matter Of loss from its imposition.
3. 1t has resulted, by closing and
consolidating establishments in the
endeavor to reduce expenses and keep
their heads above water, in the loss
Of employment and the consequent
1nea Of p, Il, -
ployees.
4. That a decreased consumption
has necessitated, Of course, decreased
production, and this means not only
loss to the brewer, but to the farmer
in markets for his products, to the
mechanic in employment, to those
who have money invested in the busi-
ness in interest and profit which
would eventually find an outlet and
give employment to idle thousands,
and to the Government in revenue.
5. Because it is unjust to saddle ad-
ditional burdens upon an industry
that has uninterruptedly and uncom-
plainingly borne the old war tax ever
since its first imposition (aiding the
Government in devising and main
tanning means for its prompt collec-
tiOn), while all other internal war
taxes have been totally abolished, ex-
copt as TO ardent spirits and tobacco,
i'm which latter instances the rates of
1865 have been considerably reduced.
6. Because when the war tax of 81
was imposed beer sold at S12 per bar
rel while to-day, the tax remaining
the same, less than one-half Of that
amount is the average price, wages
and the ordinary operating expenses
Of breweries and the capital required
in the bushes having vastly in
creased in the meantime.
z. Because when this tax was first
imposed the burdens borne by the
traffic in the shape Of local taxes or
license fees did not exceed in any
State the sum Of $500, while at the
present time in some States these To-
cal taxes range up to $4,000 for each
saloou-the total sum of such local
taxes and license fees throughout the
country amounting to probably $780,
100000, q disproportionately large
share Of which enormous sum must
be and is borne by beer, as may be
seen from a single example in point,
to wit; The State of New York.
where out Of total of over S11, ,OOO,-
900 derived from the traffic the beer
interests paid about $7,OOO,OOO. In the
present condition of the market the
brewer would be compelled to raise
the price Of his product, and the deal
er, on his part, in order to make up
the difference, would have TO reduce
the size of his npast1res