The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-19
LIQUOR ISSUE IS UP
N CONGRESS; CAN'T
ESCAPE LEGISLATION
Tax is Advocated for Con-
servation OF FooI and Increas-
ing War Revenues.
SOME ACTION AT WASHINGTON
TO BE TAKEN is PROBABILITY
Finance Committee of Senate Has
Agreed on Certain Tax Provisions.
Senator Gore Offers Number of
Amendments.

Some sort OF action along restric-
tive, prohibitive or revenue lines, or
combination of all OF these lines prob
ably will he taken by the United
States congress ere the readers eyes
fall on this page. 1t is felt at Wash
ington that the issue cannot long be
evaded. A number of bills dealing
with the liquor traffic have been in
troduced. Naturally. they range from
loose restriction which the liquor
interests themselves favor. to COM
plete and absolute prohibition. from
prohibitive tax to legislate abolition.
= number of amendments to the
war tax bill have been introduced
by Senator Gore. One proposes to in
crease the present retail internal rev.
enue license from s25 year to $4,000,
making the lawful sale of liquor prac
tically prohibitory, but. at the same
time recognizing the tax idea.
Another Gore amendment would
authorize the president to com
mandeer distilled spirits now in bond
for the manufacture of munitions and
for military purposes. A third would
tax distilled spirits in bond less than
five years IS a gallon. with an extra
tax of 81 a ganon for each additional
year.
A fourth amendment would put the
tax upon grain, cereals and other
foodstuffs used in manufacturing dis
titled spirits at so cents per 100
pounds. Taxes on beer and other
malt liquors also would be increased
under another amendment by s1.25 a
barrel on products containing less
than i-2 per cent alcohol and IS a
barrel in excess. rate regarded as
prohibitory.
Have Been Agreed Upon.
Prohibitiye taxes on spirits with a
ban on their Importation have been
agreen to by the senate finance com
mittee. Taxes fixed by the house on
beer and wines have been left un-
changed. but have not been approved
In addition to the present tax Of s2.20
gallon on distilled spirits a tax Of
$40 a hushel. equivalent to from IS
to 50 a gallon, has been written into
the -evenue bill. Chairman Simmons
says the purpose of the proposed in
creases is dual, namely. to prevent
waste of food materials and to in
crease governmental revenues
The so-called profibitive taxes, Levi
Cooke, counsel for the national dis
filling interests, said, will result in
virtually complete cessation of dis
tiilation for beverage purposes. II is
said by liquor men that should high
increases in tax charges prevail. lilo =
uor consumers would be compelled
either to store enormous quantities OF
beverages in advance OF the evil day,
or pay exceedingly high prices for
their drinks.
No action will be taken by con-
gress without a strenuous effort on
the part of those favorable to prohi-
bition to get an enactment which will
stop the manufacture and sale OF liq-
uor Another thing the drys will fight
for is that beer and wine be treated,
exactly as distilled spirits are treated.
and that no favoritism be shown the
so-called lighter liquors.
Something is sure to come out of
congressional action that will not be
approved by the liquor interests. In
the meantime. friends OF prohibition
should wire their congressman and
senators to get busy and see that the
liquor interests are as hard hit as pos
sible.