TABLE D.-STATEMENT of the NET RECEIPTS and DISBURSEMENTS (by warrants) for the quarter ended September 30, 1881. PAPERS ACCOMPANYING REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Washington, November 25, 1881. SIR: The receipts of internal revenue for the fiscal year 1879 were $113,449,621.38; for the fiscal year 1880, $123,981,916.10; for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1881, $135,229,912.30, and the receipts for the first four months of the present fiscal year have been $50,876,970.11, being $7,061,722.85 in excess of the receipts for the corresponding months of the last fiscal year. If this increase should be maintained during the remaining eight months of the fiscal year, the receipts for 1882 will be fully $157,000,000. Following is a statement of the receipts of internal-revenue taxes from the various objects of taxation during the past two fiscal years: The quantities of spirits, cigars, cigarettes, snuff, tobacco, and beer upon which taxes were paid dur ing this period, were as follows: Spirits from fruit, 1880-1,005,781 gallons; 1881-1,701,206 gallons; increase, 695,425. Spirits from grain, &c., 1880-61,126,634 gallons; 1881-67,426,000 gallons; increase, 6,299,366. Number of cigarettes, 1880-408,708,366; 1881-567,395,983; increase, 158,687,617. Pounds of snuff, 1880-3,966,308; 1881-4, 307,394; increase, 341,086. Pounds of tobacco, 1880-132,309,526; 1881-142,706,011; increase, 10,396,485. REDUCTION OF INTERNAL TAXES. The large increase in the receipts of the government and the great reduction in the interest and principal of the public debt are causing discussion as to the propriety of reducing the income of the government by lowering some of the taxes and dropping others altogether. Attention is called to the recent action of the National Distillers' Association, in favor of applying to Congress for a reduction of the tax on distilled spirits. These tax-payers seem to think that the time has come when a portion of the tax from their productions can be taken off, that tax now amounting to 300 per cent. upon fine whiskies and 600 per cent. upon ordinary spirits. Whenever the wants of the government will allow a reduction of internal taxation, my opinion is that it will be wise to confine these taxes to distilled spirits, malt liquors, tobacco and its products, and to special taxes upon manufacturers and dealers in these articles, and to fix the taxes at such rates as will yield the amount of revenue necessary to be raised from these sources. AMOUNTS COLLECTED, BY DISTRICTS, AND COST OF COLLECTION. Immediately after the close of the past fiscal year an examination was made of the accounts of the collectors of internal revenue, and it was found that they had accounted for all the public moneys which came to their hands. I am gratified to be able to state that during the past five fiscal years 8602,310,797.30 have been collected, and that the entire amount has been paid into the Treasury without any loss to the government by defalcation. The cost of collection for the past fiscal year, distributed among the different items of appropriation, was as follows: For salaries and expenses of collectors, including pay of deputy collectors, clerks, &c ..... $1,898, 103 43 For stamps, paper, and dies..... For salaries and expenses of revenue agents, surveyors of distilleries, gaugers, storekeepers, and miscellaneous expenses.. For expenses of detecting and punishing violations of internal revenue laws. 2,365, 000 00 473,803 07 63,789 98 For salaries of officers, clerks, and employés in the office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue. 253,330 00 Total.... 5,054, 026 48 The entire expense for the past five years has been $21,979,002, being three and sixty-four one hundredths per cent. upon the amount collected; and in the disbursement of this money there has been no loss to the government. This satisfactory result is due to the intelligence, capacity, and fidelity of the officers and employés of the Internal Revenue Service, to whom I desire to convey my appreciation of their laudable efforts to reach and maintain the highest standard of excellence. Following is a statement showing the aggregate collections in each collection district during the fiscal year 1881, with the names of the several collectors: Names of collectors. Louis H. Mayer.. John F. Wildman. Lampson P. Sherman. Isaac H. Sturgeon Aggregate collections. $9,143 28 46,287 09 75,221 02 38,008 21 132,086 94 3. 277, 931 88 335,458 98 215, 051 06 283,8×3 46 295,806 56 48,603 66 311,066 76 254,889 51 266,405 74 97, 727 74 13,806 60 11,993 57 9,905, 157 69 247,243 89483,092 53 41,704 54 41,608 37 1,203, 221 51 11, 425, 131 77 67,884 77 1,407, 226 9CE 962,409 34 261,752 57 3,399, 731 14 1,094, 927 90 2,253,760 27 174,925 19 96, 156 41 167,240 11 88,090 39 281,317 63 168,046 93 219,081 92 239, 527 33 672, 159 61 2,277, 152 73 1,212, 519 39 2,064, 451 74 1, 120, 769 29 1,009,848 31 216, 681 51 145,579 63 760,618 92 82,457 03 2,334,864 22 25.011 83 123, 587 37 1,454,636 28 857.447 12 387.597 80 1,223, 504 44 249,175 12 137,251 82 177,343 89 116, 126 82 329, 913 51 96, 122 19 5,543, 333 70 G6, 451 05 388, 170 56 145,571 72 Names of collectors. Robert T. Van Horn' Moses D. Stivers.. William H. Wheeler George B. Everitt. John J. Mott Benjamin F. Coates.... Worthy S. Streator.. Aggregate collections. $286,623 16 40, 199 20 44, 81 67 962, 064 86 53,421 41 309, 720 94 288,810 32 326, 683 57 4, 258, 182 42 47, 465 89 2,959, 673 22 3,377, 659 78 5,757, 541 95 208, 236 50 545, 067 54 600, 482 13 294,733 58 326,846 08 494, 109 45 316, 088 22 974,838 32 1,377, 990 99 74,432 35 850, 967 45 1, 015, 329 53 36, 255 94 499, 455 08 12, 538, 346 58 1,806, 871 17 513, 582 86 352, 210 02 594, 593 31 1,089, 563 12 1,398, 257 92 195, 871 89 806, 538 82 85,004 14 2,678, 845 83 622, 634 45 1,278, 820 81 370, 256 14 212, 589 63 211,588 05 137, 259 54 94,909 77 1,408,472 82 653,836 95 209, 079 27 135, 907 16 110, 174 68 Fifth Virginia. Sixth Virginia Washington First West Virginia Second West Virginia William H. Sinclair. Benjamin C. Ludlow Edgar P. Snow Cash receipts from sale of adhesive stamps From salaries (repealed tax) Total receipts from all sources.... 29, 178 09 37,629 51 43, 116 79 53, 145 83 943, 416 96 2,076, 473 46 1,053, 260 58 1, 763, 176 49 226, 778 26 32, 763 73 340, 793 62 104, 597 00 7,205 71 2,373, 693 87 169,982 52 229,859 40 136,559 22 18,551 18 127, 851, 634 66 7,375,255 72 3, 021 92 135, 229, 912 30 |