New-York tribune., 1906-05-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THE TAX ON DENATURED ALCOHOL.
What Action by Congress VIII Best Serve
Public Interests

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: II would seem that The Tribune's Washing
ton correspondent has fallen in with the Idea that
| the removal Of the internal revenue tax on de-
natured alcohol is something that must be rushed
! through Congress. why? II there is the smallest
delay. he implies. the farmers will be mad IL there
is great delay. he infers. the Standard OH COM
pany VIII profit. Both OF these propositions are
ridiculous as measured against an orderly proceed
/ ing in the matter. II tho truth were known. the
whiskey Trust. represented by an able Dody OF
slick and constituencies manipulators woud ptoOa-
bly, be found urging this unseemly haste froin
behind the mask At any rate. they are the fore-
most parties in interest. Rushed through without
consideration this hair trigger legislation WOulo
open the door a whskey fraud on the revenue
more enormous than anything since the days OF the
old Whskey Ring Of the cos. / submit how
ever. that it IS not the question OF whlch "tsI
will benefit, but what course will serve the pubic
interests without demOralzlng the revenue service.
This calls for some deliberation, in spite Of the
uncailed for fling by The Tribune correspondent
that Senatorial hearing means sitting.
In order TO meet the vastly increased bureau force
that such a change OF the law would call for, some
internal revenue tax should be retained on the
denatured alcohol. The spirit can be made from SO
many things that stills will multiply all over the
country. and it will call for the most minute over
duced without paying any duty at all II will be all
the more necessary TO provide this constant E
such food of alcohol may easily engendeT. In
that its manufacture from the ''blackstrap,' mo-
lasses is no longer possible BeIore tne "T AZ cha
This is not revenue measure in the view OF tne
discouraging popular degeneracy by the videspres1d
Of dirt-cheap rum law roded Gah Oe anS re
duced tax decided on that viii give us denatured
TeTenne a systeminclGd the tariand without
creating great incentive to fraud and endanE @ Srls @
the moral well being OF our rural fnllAOHS ny III
creasing the ranks Of the drunksrds ,D,y1rr
New York. April S. 1905 FESIANA LEM E.
T"Eestina Iente" errs in saying that '"The Trib-
a.01 Coll IN
with the idea that the removal OF the internal
revenue tax on denatured alcohol is something
that must be rushed through Congress" The
T,rghUne's washington correspondent merely
chronicIed the fact that mo little concern is
felt nv Republican leaders in Congress over the
prospect that action on the Free Alcohol Dill
win be deferred until next year" The dispatch
referred 20 expressed no opinion on the subject
whatsoever, but simply reported the views ex-
nressed bv Republican leaders in Congress"
and by 'those VINO look on things from poiiti-
cal point of view" The facts so chronicled are
indisputable.
Those Republican leaders VINO would REGARD
as unfortunate a postponement of Senate action
on the Free Alcohol bill until next year are not
disposed TO regard action this year as hair
trigger LEGISLATION" in view Of the fact that the
Ways and Means Committee Of the House held
extensive hearings on the bill and Chairman
PAYNE presented 20 the House an exhaustive re-
port upon it-a report which resulted in the
Houses adoption of the bill by a very large
majority These leaders doubt If Senate hear
ings would throw any more light on the sub
ject than has already been thrown by the House
hearings.
The Tribunes dispatch made no "uncalled for
! fling" at Senatorial hearings" The truth Of
the assertion that hearings have so frequently
been used as a means to defer action rather than
to acquire information" is so obvious 20 every
one familiar with Congressional procedure as to
require no argument. and that they have so
| often been so used as to make 1t difficult to
satisfy the general public that delay is not their
chief object especially after the House has con-
Quoted extensive hearings on the same subject.
Is equally obvious to those acquainted with the
methods of the national legislature and the
public view Of them. And finally "Festina
Lente" should take to task the Republican lead
whose opinions The Tribunes dispatch re-
cords, and not complain because the correspond
ent states facts which he has no power TO alter.
A deliberate and careful statement by Senator
Lodge which was sent out last week by The
Associated Press, may indicate to 'Festina
Lente" something of the character OF the men
whose views The Tribune's dispatch reported.
If ''Festina Lente' will read Representative
Payne's report on the Free Alcohol bill he may
learn why the Republican leaders do not enter
tain the same views himself-Edl