The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-05
I WO VITAL POINTS
IN MARSHALL |. BILL
Effect on Federal Revenues and
Use Of Alcohol as Bever-
age Involved.
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Nv w. w. Jernane.

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Feb. 5.-When the ways
and means committee of the house OF
begin its hearings on the Marshall bill,
providing for the removal of the inter
nal revenue tax on alcohol, denaturized,
for use in the arts and Industries, it will
confine itself, for the most part, to Sc
curing answers to two questions, Cd
will the passage of the bill materially
reduce federal revenues9 and (2l will it
be possible to recover the denaturalized
product and SO use it as a 'beverage9
Upon the answers made to these ques-
tions will depend the fate of the Mar
shall bill.
The former question will be answered
by Secretary Shaw and Mr.. Yerkes,
commissioner Of internal revenue, who
will produce statistics to show that the
effect of the bill, if enacted, would per-
haps be to decrease the revenues from
$150,000 to $250,000 a year, an incon-
siderable sum. If these are the out
side figures, there can be no revenue OBJ
lection to the proposed legislation.
The second question will be answered
by Secretary Wilson of the agricultural
department, and by DIR. Wiley. chief
government chemist, who will show that
while denaturized alcohol can be recov-
cred, the cost of such recovery will be
several times the cost of original dis
tlllatlon, so there would be no danger
OF the Marshall bill increasing the Use
of alcohol as beverage.
Tawney's Objection.
In recent letter to S. M. Owen. edi-
tor OF FARM. Stock and Home, pub
James A. Tawney Of Minneaot Esea aaid.
"Thus far, the best efforts of con.
gressmen and even scientists have not
been able to discover how alcohol can
be denaturized to avoid it's being again
converted into potable alcohol, and fhus
defeating the collection of the tax. -
The question Of course is pertinent.
Tor upon its answer will depend wheth,
ere the Marshall bill involves anv
moral issue. The hearings are ex-
Pected to demonstrate that alcohol can
pc oenaturlzed so as thoroly to prevent
us subsequent use as beverage, and
II this IS the case, the only question in
volved in the bill is one Of commerce
and industry.
Answered by Wiley.
DR.. H. w. Wiley, chief of the chem
lstry bureau of the agricultural depart
ment, writes as follows to prominent
110ulUST OIL Gu0 mouse:
1T is true that it is very difficult
SO to denaturize alcohol that the skilled
chemist cannot by patience and labor
| secure at least PARTON Of the alcohol
in a potable state The cost Of purify
ing the alcohol, however, in such cases
must necessarily be greater than the
tax which is now levied upon it, There
fore, there can be no danger of any
practical method which could escape
the notice of the internal revenue of
restoring denatured alcohol, since it
can only be done by distillation. -
An exhaustive report on the subject
OF alcohol in the manufactures and arts
was made by joint committee of con.
gress, Dec. II, 1898. Senator Platt of
| Connecticut was the chairman of this
special committee. Here is quota
ton from its report: -
~ Proof from Old World.
"We have. also given much attention
has been, thus methylated can be re
stored to it's original condition by any
process known to chemistry. Some con
tend that it can be and some that i
cannot. We believe that denaturizine
Iagents could be used which would make
its restoration to a potable condition
practically impossible. If methylatiol
in this country We're, as in England
Germany and other countries, under thu
control Of the government, its use coult
be freely permitted without danger o.
restoration Of the alcohol to it's norma
state so it could be sold for beverage
purposes. Again, if the extraction o
agent from the methylated compound i
at all possible, it could not be done ex
cept with such expensive and EXTENSIVE
apparatus as would render detection
easy. It by no means follows that if b,
a fractional distillation or other treat
ment Of a small quantity. of methylate
alcohol the article can be restored t.
; be done to any extent necessary to max
, such operation commercially profitable
, No Effect on Revenues.
"Admitting for the sake of the argr
? ment that such result might theoretical
: be attained, it is only by the treatmen
Of large quantities. and in a column sti
: ume to have any perceptible effect upo
, the revenues. If it could be done at a
!. It could not be done in secret. The SUI
r posed analogy between a business ca
r ried on to extract denaturizlng agen
a from so-called methlated alcohol ar
"We firmly believe that the Unite
g States government would be able to d
Il tect and prevent frauds in the matte
+ Of the restoration. Of methylated ale
hol to it's original beverage condition {
England, Germany. or any other matte
is, and have no hesitation in saying tn;
under proper regulations and restri
tions the use of methylated alcoh
= without tax, for all purposes for viii.
y it is adapted, could be safely permi
ted. -
Prevention of Fraud.
The question as to whether the go
s. eminent would be able to supervise tt
Is free use of alcohol in the arts al
e manufactures so as to prevent fra,
N may be somewhat simplifed and ill
e mined when it is understood what su
r cess the government has had along tn
line under existing legislation. Spea
X ing on this point, Representative Nj
ip shall of North Dakota, the author
the bill, says:
b. ssIt is probably not generally know
er but it is fact, that under the existi
is laws, the use Of pure grain or ethyl
10 cohol is permitted for the fortifcati
n Of sweet wines, free from tax, und
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