Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1888 — CHEAP WHISKY. [ARTICLE]

CHEAP WHISKY.

[From the Chicago Times.] “The Auditorium platform does not demand cheap whisky and dear wool and other necessaries," say the organs of the Republican party. "It demands only free tobacco and free whisky for use in the arts. Those who say it demands more are Democratic the truth is not in them!” Avast there! Let us see in whom is the truth. The platform speaks for itself pretty distinctly, and here is what it says: “The Republican party would effect all needed reduction of the national revenue by repealing the taxes upon tobacco, which are an annoyance and burden to agriculture, and the tax upon spirits used in the arts and for mechanical purposes, and by such revision of the tariff laws as will tend to check imports of such articles as are produced by our people, the production of which gives employment to our labor, and release from import duties those articles of foreign production (except luxuries), the like of w hich can not be produced at home. If there shall still remain a larger revenue than is requisite for the wants of the government we favor the entire repeal of internal taxes rather than the surrender of any part of our protective system at the joint behest of the whisky ring and the agents of foreign manufacturers.” That would seem to be too plain to require elucidation. The Republican party would do these things: First, abolish all the taxes on tobacco. Second, abolish the taxes on spirits used in the arts and for mechanical purposes. Third, revise the tariff laws, so as to check imports of such articles as are produced by our people; that is, raise the tariff taxes on such articles still higher, for that is the only kind of revision that can check their importation. Fourth, tax no imported articles (except luxuries) the like of which cannot be produced at home. And fifth, “if there shall still remain a larger revenue than is requisite for the wants of- the Government, we favor the entire repeal of internal taxes rather than the surrender of any part of our protective system.” Now add this: “We condemn the proposition of the Democratic party to place wool on the free list, and we insist that the duties thereon shall be adjusted and maintained, so as to furnish full and adequate protection to that industry.” If all this does not mean cheap intoxicating drinks first and cheap clothing afterward, it must be because there are no internal taxes on intoxicating drinks. But everybody knows that these would be almost the only internal taxes left if the tobacco taxes were repealed, according to the Republican program. The following, compiled from the official statement of “internal revenue collections” for the last fiscal year, tells the story: Tobacco $30,108,067 Spirits $65,829,322 Fermented liquors 21,922,188 87,751,510 Oleomargarine 723,848 Banks aud bankers 4,288 Penalties, etc 220,205 Others 29,283 977,724

Total 8118,837,301 The “others” are collections from articles and occupations formerly taxed, but now exempt. It will be seen that if the tobacco taxes were abolished there would be left about $88,700,000 on the basis of last yeur’s collections, and of this less than $1,000,000 would be from all sources other than spirits and fermented liquors. It follows that after repealing the tobuceo taxes and the tax on spirits used in the arts and for mechanical purposes, according to the Kepublican programme, “the entire repeal of internal taxes" would be but little more than the repeul of taxes on intoxicating drinks. It would mean less than a million more than that according to the above official figures, and less than three millions more, taking into account the tax on bank circulation of less than two millions, which is not included among “internal-revenue collections,” because it is collected directly by the Treasurer of the United States, and not by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Just how much tax is collected on spirits used in the arts and for mechanical purposes is not known, but it is not generally estimated at more than $10,000,000. But calling it $11,000,000, the “entire repeal” clause of the Kepublican programme means a remission of about $77,000,000 of taxes on intoxicating drinks, and of less than $3,000,000 on all other articles. This programme of cheap drinks is to be carried out if the Republicans are in power “rather than surrender any part of our protective system.” One part of that system is the schedule taxes on wool and woolens. It is literally true, therefore, that the Republican programme is to give the people cheap beer and whisky and dear clothing. From the platform and the facts the people can see in whom is the truth.