The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-12-03
WAR TAX TO
MEET DEFICIT
SHORTAGE NOW $4,000 900,
WILL REACH $loo,ooo 900 BY
JUNE 80 NEXT.
President and Secretary of the Treas
ury Are Brought Into Con-
sultation.

A renewal OF special taxation is
considered essential by Republican
leaders in congress to meet deficits
and constantly growing expenditures,
and an internal revenue duty may
be again imposed on many, if not all,
articles SO taxed during the Spanish,
American war.
A deficit that today aggregated $40
100000, and by June 80 will total
Sl00,000,O00 has brought Representa-
tive Tawney. chairman OF the house
appropriations committee, and others
charged with formulating tle great
money measures to Washington in
advance OF the assembling of con-
gress to consider the situation.
Messrs. Cannon, Tawney and
Payne have conferred on the sub
ject. Mr. Tawney has talked the mat
ted over with President Roosevelt
and Secretary Cortelyou He has &c
quested Mr. Corteiyou to prepare
some data indicating the revenues de-
rived from articles subjected 70 the
war revenue tax and 70 indicate 9th
ers that may eventually be placed on
rhe list
Ii has become, evident NJ the lead
ers tina. a revision OF the tariff will
not materially ircr ase the revenues
While lower duties may bring larger
IMPORTS ir some instances, in others
there will be falling off on importa-
tions, and thus the books will about
balance.
Secretary Corteiyou has given no
animation as TO what lis suggestions
will be, but they are certain TO in
clude tax on coffee Three cents a
pound is the figure mentioned This
was the rate imposed up to 1882,
when il was placed on the free list.
IL is also the almast unanimous SEN
;iment chat the tax on beer should be
doubled, making II 50 a barrel. L.
is already virtually serled that there
dafl be no d'minution OF the rae on
sugar, as II is the best revenue pro-
d1icer the government has.
A renewal OF the war revenue act
would almost exactly offse, the dehc
it, II brought into the treasury a
trihe more than 500, 100000 year
In four years s46,oOO,OoO were col
lectei on legacies. or an average OF
81 / ,oO0,0 per annum. Beer was the
big money bringer of the war revenue
law The added dollar a barrel really
ed 100000 year The tax of 10
cents pound on tea was the next
ITEM in importance, bringing in $1O,-
100000 a year
1t is desired to avoid, if possible,
all the numerous stamp taxes, not be-
cause OF rneir expensiveness, but be-
cause Of their inconvenience
A two-cent stamp was required on
all bank checks and one cent on te1e-
grams and telephone messages Life
insurance policies were taxed sin
cents for every 500 OF value. Chew
ing gum was assessed four cents for
every dollars worth. One cent was
collected for each palace or parlor car
seat sold or berth occupied Railroad
and steamship tickets were taxed
from 81 to SO. Bonds, certificates OF
stock, proprietary medicines. notes,
bEs of exchange, bucket-sale, agree
ments, drafts, express receipts, bills
Of fading, leases, protests, almost
every Norm of legal document were
compelled 20 bear a tax stamp.
National banks with capital stock
of $4,000 paid $50. and SO for each
additional thousand dollars of capital
Brokers and pswnbrokers were
taxed $50 and $50 respectively Thea
ters, concert halls and museums paid
500 A circus paid 800. All other
shows contributed $40 each. Each
billiard table or bowling alley was
taxed IS.
The tax on tobacco and snuff was
doubled, being raised from six cents
to ~ cents pound. The tobacco
dealers were taxed from Sc to $24, &C
cording to volume of business The
tax on cigarettes was pr oportionately
Increased.