The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-07
AGAINST MALT TAX
DRUGGISTS CLASS TAX ON MALTs
AS AN INJUSTICE.
MALTS ARE NOT INToXICANTS
AND PERCENTAGE ALCOHOL con-
TANNED is BELOW REVENUE
STANDARD.

Took Its Rise From an Attempt Ia
Strike at Spurious MaIts which
where Being Put on Market.
MaIts Are Among Best Nutrttive
Medicines known-Lnw Will Kill
Small Dealers and Thus Appeasc
the PubIic-Layv Not Class Legisla-
ton.
There is general opposition through
out the state to the collection OF the
$500 tax imposed on the sale of all eX-
tracts of malt by the Georgia druggists
and the feeling against paying 1t IS
very strong.
The druggists of Atlanta are prepar-
ing to fight the collection of the tax by
injunction and a hearing in the case
will be given Sept, 49, Savannah
druggists may also take action. The
outcome of the case will be watched
with interest by every Georgia drug
Rist as the decision will influence any
action that may be taken and will
also determine, in a great measure any
further steps against the law
The tax of 5000 was imposed on the
ground that the extracts of malt, large
quantities of which we're being sold by
druggists throughout the state were
intoxicants, pure and simple, and that
they were sold under the name Of ex-
tracts Of malt simply to avoid the pay
ment of revenue and the taking out Of
a license. The claim that is advanced
by the pharmacists and druggists, on
the contrary, is that the true malts
are not intoxicants and that they do
not contain any great amount of al
cohol their percentage of that sub
stance being less than the standard
required by the United States revenue
laws There have been some COM
pounds placed on the market under
the name of extracts of malt and sold
as such by various druggists which
were tntoxicants and it was these
spurious malts that gave the law its
start.
Bill to Relieve Tax Now Pending.
There is a bill before the Legislature
to relieve druggists of the tax, but
there was not sufficient time at the
last session of the Legislature to have
action taken on the bill. The bill may
come up at the next session, though
there is understood to be a move on
foot to withdraw this bill and subSti-
tute another which covers the case III
hand more fully. Just what action
will be taken has not yet been deter
mined upon by the various druggists
associations, but concerted action
seems probable from all that can be
learned.
There is an opinion prevailing, at
least among the Savannah druggists,
to the effect that the bill can not be
passed and that unless there is some
legal way TO offset the results of the
present tax bill that the 5000 will have
to be paid, for the present at least,
or else the various druggists cease
selling malt, a medicine whose use and
benefits are everywhere being recog-
nized. The general opinion is that
the law was the outgrowth Of mass
legislation and that until the public
is satisfied that there is no longer any
grievance in this regard. the law can
not be changed. The case is not re-
garded as absolutely hopeless, and a
determined opposition will be shown
to the tax, which is universally re-
garded by druggists, as unjust and
unnecessary.
Local Druggists Talk.
Several of the local druggists and
pharmacists were asked by a represen-
tative of the Morning News for their
opinion concerning the tax and its just
ness or unjustneSs. One and all were
firm in their opposition to the tax and
stamped 1t as unjust and a mere play
to public opinion, an opinion which is
comparatively ignorant of just what
the extracts of malt do contain. Mr.
w. A. Pigman. when asked about the
law, said, among other things:
The law should undoubtedly be re-
pealed or a counteracting law passed
The real basis of the law and the fact
in which il no doubt found it's foun.
dation. is that there was for a time
and probably is still, spurious malts
on the market which were made VI
largely of alcohol and which were in
toxicating. We had one offer from ar
Atlanta firm, stating that they would
sell us 100 bottles of a malt at cent:
per bottle. These bottles would have
easily retailed for Is cents or two fol-
rs cents, and our profits would have
been large, but we declined TO TAXI
them as malts.
"Other similar 'malts,' which are lit
tie less than beer, are probably or
the market, and it was against thes'
that the bill was leveled. The rea
malts are not intoXicants, the percent
age of alcohol they contain being very
small. Malts are extracts of hops anC
are among the best of all the nutritivt
and strengthening medicines. Thu
vast majority OF them contain scarce
~ any alcohol and none of them have
more than the standard set down b!
the United States revenue laws, every
one of the recognized malts coming
below that figure"
The E,wxs NnR CyoaS I,RxfsIatfnn.
When asked regarding the law itself
Mr.. Pigman said:
1.-THE law is not class legislation. Had
the classes been ruling no such Law
would have passed. The law is simpl,
the result of the masses taking holC
and taxing that which they believe
was produced purely in an attempt t.
avoid the revenue laws. They knew
little or nothing about the alcohol tina
was contained in malts or they woulC
certainly not have branded them as in
toxicants.
The little ones must suffer. TIL,
big firms which were putting out thes,
intoxicants under the names of ex
tracts Of malt go practically free. The!
are too big and too rich for the Law
to get after without almost immeasur
able inconvenience. The public mus
be appeased, and so the law come
down and spills the blood of the littl
fellow. the fellow who will be MISE,
the least, and then the masses, think
ing that justice has been done, are sat
isied.
Il hope the newspapers generally vii
take UP the fight against the law ant