The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-06
WAR TAX ON BEER
ANDWINES CERTAIN
Soft Drinks Also, and Whiskcy
May Bear an Additional
Burden.
MAGAZINES CONSIDERED
Baseball and Theatre Tickets
: VIII Probably Be Affected
by Legislation.

WAsHfSoroN, Sept. 5--A decision that
the tax on beer shall he Increased from
81 To $3.50 or $3.50 a barrel and that a
tax shall be levied on wines and soft
drinks, besides possibly an advance In the
rate on whlskey. was the principal de-
velopment Of the conference OF the Dema-
cratic members OF the Ways and Means
Committee to-day on the proposed bill to
raise 100000. 900 for the needs OF the
Government
The conference lasted throughout tho
day and was a spirited one from start to
finish. Vigorous protests were made
against the proposal Of Representative
tnderw ODD that tax OF per cent
should he ASSESSED on railway tickets
and that there be a small tax on gasolcne
II Is apparent that II these items are
placed In the bill they will provoke a
bitter hght.
Estimates in the conference placed the
PROPOSED revenue from beer, wines, soft
drinks and few other articles, not speci-
fed. AT SIS. 100000. As the committee
Is required to prepare a bill that will
bring In sl00.000.O0O. there yet remain
several articles or utilities to he selected
for purposes Of taxation.
Protests from various sections of tho
country Indicate that whatever may be
the conclusions OF the committee the reve-
nue. bill will have . rocky road in both
houses OF Coneress and that IL will be
necessary to invoke caucus rule to nut the
bill through the House.
In seeking articles TO tax the com
mittee considered magazines as Legitimate
prey They also discussed the ACCESSIBILITY
or IeNylng tax on the magazines that ac-
company many Sunday newspapers 4
Democratic. leader said tonight that a
purely uoininal tax on the periodical
press would yield an enoruou revenue
Moving picture films may also he taxed
II was sussested that AN assessment OF 81
u thousand feet on Aims would be produc-
! tive of a considerable sum
That tickets issued TO baseball games
theatres and other places Of Amusement,
Will Ike taxed is virtually assured, al.
though hnal conclusion on this has no,
been reached
the committee in favor OF a small advance
in the rate Of whiskey and rectiiied spir.
, IT'S. Whiskey now pays sl.l0 a gallon. II
the rate on this product is increased /,
VIII not be beyond sl.25 or $3.50 The
argument IL made that the trainers OF the
law would be put in an embarra ssins pc.
sition n they increased the rate on beer
levied tax on wines and soft drinks
and let whIskey go free. SO the chances
are that for political reasons "A slight ad-
vance in the rate on whiskey will he
/ authorized
The big nght In the committee is being
waged over the suggestion that n tax
shall he levied on railroad tickets
, This tax would yield approximately
$4,000, 900 II appeals TO the committee
men because II would he collected easily
and certain In It's results. II is admitted
nv Democrats that the tax would bA
unpopular and that II might have n serl.
OTIS effect In tho forthcoming elections An
alternative proposal IL that tax OF
per cent should be levied on freight
This also has been attacked
Another suggestion was made that an
excise tax might be levied on the manu-
faciure Of automobiles, based either upon
value or horse mower. or that a license
tax should he laid on the use Of auto.
mobiles,
The committee appears 10 ne almost
unanimous IN its opposition 10 the adop.
.tion ~ any plan involving the use OF
regarded as vexatlous and as tending "a
, !rri'ate the voters 'us, before election
No serious consideration has heen giver
IN 10 date to any proposal for taxes on
, "hecks or other forms NJ negotiable
paper. Increases IN the rates on the IN
come tax law and tho levy NJ an nherl-
trnce tax have been suggested but they
have received little or no sunport
The committee will resume its delihera
I lions Tuesday morning They hone 70
"Nnplcte the bill by the latter rart ~ tho
I wee1t