The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-11

aspect of the subject. We awe it to
frankly about the ultimate cost Of pro-
hibitlon IT Is estimated that the
taxes imposed in this bill on the sale
of bevera ees containing alcohol viii
produce revenue of 81 Csc. soc. 600. II
is obvious however. that If this source
of revenue were destroyed completely,
the loss would be considerably more
than $1,000. 900. 600. There would be
the income taxes from persons engaged
in the industry and the excess profits
taxes. both of which sources are esti-
mated TO produce 100000 600 more
Then there would be the loss OF reve-
nue. tn various states. which would
have to be made up by other taxes, SO
that instead Of the present bin being
s.. 0o0. 600 .000 it. would he very little
over $4,000, 600, aGo"
Sees Absolute Prohibition.
Mr.. Iongworth said the country
might well prepare itself now for the
coming of absolute prohibition and
begin TO study WAYS and means Of pro-
vIding the revenues which have to be
provided
Mr.. Longworth said in this opinion
there was no paragraph in the bin
which is more "apti-boche" in char
acter than that imposing an additional
ten per cent on all platinum jewelry.
I II e warned the house that the platinum
JrT eiers might try TO get this section
stricken from the bill and insisted
that this should not be done
T. pra@in ing a com parison bet tween the
six sons of the kaiser and the four
I Roosevelt boys. MIR, Iongworth said;
AN four sons Of former president
have been at the real front. three of
( them married men with children. upon
( whom there was no possible legal obli-
CATION one of them has persisted slo-
/ rioUsly upon the field Of battle. Two
/ have been wounded. one so seriously
that he has been invalided home; thu
( only one who has escaped injury has
, iantry in action. a son of the only
| other living ex~prestdent rs at the
! front"
Agrees With McAdoo.
! Mr. Hnll EXPRESSED his satisfaction
| with the excess profits feature of the
! hll. and in this he took the same posi-
ticn as Secretary McAdoo, W no believes
/ the rates are too high.
1 The senate finance committee today
I listened to "A discussion of the bill by
( Robert r. Reed. of New York. counsel
for the Bankers Investment associa-
1 tion. and 4. F. Thomas, of LynchburE.
: Va. Mr.. Reed told the committee that
\ the alternatiCe plan in the bill, givinC
Etha-treasury officials the discretion OF
choosing hetw cen the excess prof1ts and
! war profits taxes. is unconstitutional
Levy Mayer. Chicago attorney, rep
( resenting the organized dlstillers of
7 the country, told the finance commit
! tee Of the senate that under the pro-
! visions of the hill. as drawn. the tax
on distilled spirits will yield not more
! than $1,000 600. instead of the $500
! ooo0 expected by the trainers of
| tho measure,
! The basis for Mr.. Mayors stateme mt
/ was that the exceedingly high tax would
/ tend largely to curtail withdrawal of
! spirits from bond. while n lower and
more elastic provision would empty the
! bonded warehouses of spirits and give
/ the government the full henefit Of
I taxatIou on spirits already manufac=
! tured for beverage purposes.
! Several members of the committee
! seemed impressed with Mr.. Mayors ar
/ gument. but the committee as whole
/ was not convinced. The seed of doubt
was sown. however and the commit
! tee Will make a thorough study of the
| situation before approving the provi
/ sions of the bin because it is their
, purpose to get every cent possible out
/ of the taxes on intoxicating liquor
I before the country goes on bone dr.
/ basis.