Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-20
WAR REVENUE TAX
ACT EXPIRES SOON
Congress Faces Task Of Providing
Additional Income for the Gov
eminent at Once.
MEDICINES AND CHEWING GUM
From a Staff Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 19.-
Especial. Beyond question con-
gress will have to provide some
means for raising additional revenue
during the coming session. But for
the change in bookkeeping. in the
daily statement OF available balances.
which makes a very good appearance
In the report Of the treasury depart
ment, this daily statement OF avail
able funds will be preceded by the
minus sign on the first Of January.
and on that date the war revenue
act goes ont Of existence by its own
terms. When this occurs, should
there be no re-enactment. of that law.
there will be CONSERVATION among
the producers OF sweet fortified
wines and patent medicines, for the
reason that brandy now used in these
industries is taxed only So cents a
gallon, or one-half Of the tax where
the product is used for direct con-
sumption. II the war revenue act
is not re-enacted, brandy used for
fortifying and medicinal purposes
will Immediately be subject to a tax
OF $1.10 per gallon, and already the
wine growers and patent medicine
manufacturers are industriously en-
gagged in attempting to prevent the
repeal, at least of that section Of
the law.
Tax on Medicine Proposed.
1t In likely that congress will consider
II advisable to impose a direct tax upon
all patent medicines as we'll as upon
denatured alchohol. A report recentl,
issued by the health department of the
state OF Indiana has received a great
deal Of attention In the treasury depart.
ment during the past few weeks because
II shows what an enormous profit there
Is IN many OF these patent medicines
The official publication Of the Indiana
state board Of health Is headed Medicine
Frauds' and Is the result of carefu,
analysis of the contents OF some hundred
or more proprietary articles and shows
not only the contents Of each but the
value OF the ingredients contained. and
tho retail prices received. A few figures
taken at random indicate how gullible
the public is. and how easy It might be
TO tax these preparations without impos.
ing any burden on the poor fools who
annually blow In millions Of dollars under
the belief that they will be benefited.
One remedy for the permanent cure o.
epilepsy shows. upon chemical analysis,
sixteen per cent Of sodium potassium
bromide and six per cent alchohol. and
trace OF ammonia valeriate. The cost
OF these ingredients Is shown TO be ten
cent. while the retail price of the cure
is u.B A conooction of sodium sulphate,
Giycerine and water costs the manufac-
turer two cents and retails for one dol
lar. "a reliable rewedy for the treat.
nent Of the liquor habit" for which
the victim is taxed 800, contains a
large quantity of sugar, a trace OF chlor-
ide OF gold and seventeen per cent OF
chloride OF ammonia, the combined value
OF which Is stated as three cents. A little
powdered alum which sells for 800 and
costs one cent is guaranteed 70 "abso-
lutely kill your rheumatism" One manu-
facturer actually sells one-half cent s
worth OF common salt under a mysterious
name, which probably induces the pur-
chaser to believe that he Is getting a
real remedy.
The treasury officials viii probably
recommend to congress that denatured al
cohol be taxed. largely because Of the
fact that It is used principally today in
the manufacture OF war materials and