Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-05
REVENUE LAW MAY
BRING SIX BILLIONS
Commissioner Roper's An
nuaI Report for First Year
Shows Estimates o. K.

Estimates of $4,000, 900, 900 as the
yield of the present revenue law for
the first twelve months of its opera
ton will be closely approached. if not
fully realized. Internal Revenue Com
missioner Roper said today in his an
nual report.
Payments of the first two INSTALL
ments, March Is and June Is, brought
into the Treasury total of S2,6OO,-
7S3. 900, Mr.. Roper said, while reports
already in hand of the third install
ment, payable September Is, fully sup
port the bureaus estimate.
Tobacco Big Source of Revenue.
Commissioner Roper said the to-
bacco industry had developed into one
of the greatest sources of federal rev.
enue, the total receipts from this
source alone for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1919. being S2O6.003.O00 an
increase of S4S, 100000 over those of
the preceding year.
An enormous increase in the number
of cigarettes manufactured was shown
by the reports, the total for the last
fiscal year being approximately eight
times larger than in 1910. In that year
$500, 900 900 cigarettes and S.000,O00,0O
cigars were manufactured, while in the
last fiscal year the manufacture of
cigarettes had increased to 45,500, 000,-
600, while the number of cigars re-
manned practically stationary.
Prohibition Discussed.
Discussing constitutional prohibit
ton, Mr.. Roper said that probably
50000,000 gallons of spurious liquors
would remain in bonded warehouses
when the constitutional amendment
becomes effective January 16.
During the year ended June 30 ap-
proXimately 100000 900 gallons of distilled
liquor were produced from materials
other than fruits, this figure represent
ing a decrease of nearly 10000 900 gall
Ions from the previous years produc-
ton.
' The effect of wartime prohibition has
presented a problem which is causing
revenue officials serious embarrass-
ment," Mr.. Roper said. Holders OF
heavy stocks of liquor in bond were
forced, under provisions of the last reve-
nue. act, to pay an additional tax Sep
TENDER Is. The law closing the saloons
for the period of the war has left those
interests with their products and with
out means of obtaining money to make
the tax payments, he said.
Under the law the discretion of the
bureau is limited to extending the time
for payment of these taxes seven
MONTHS Mr.. Roper explained. Serious
embarra ssment has resulted as to the
course of action which should be taken
in these cases to protect the interests or
the government without imposing undue
financial hardships on the taxpayers,
which presumably were not intended by
Congress-
Treats of Enforcement.
In reference to prohibition enforce
ment, task which Congress has placed
upon the bureau Of internal revenue,
the report says:
mot to enforce prohibition thorough
ly and effectively would reflect upon our
form OF government, and would bring
into disrepute the reputation of the
American people as law-abiding citizens
No law can be effectively enforced ex-
cept with the assistance and co-opera-
ton Of the law-abiding element The
bureau will accordingly put into opera
aion at once the necessary organization
to cooperate with the states and the
public in the rigid enforcement of the
prohibition law. and appeals to every
law-abiding citizen for support. This
contemplates and requires the closest
cooperation between the federal officers
and all other law-enforcing officers
state, county and municipal
Ddug Menace Revealed.
The report revealed a menace in lille
climate traffic in drugs between this
country and Canada and Mexico Mr.,
Roper urged that some temporary ar
be established which would
put stop to this smuggling.