Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-04-04

the town agents can be better and cheaper sup
piled if they can have the whole run and compe-
uilon OF the trade In reply, it must be consid;
cred that these dealers carry on their business in
violation of the law, and that they could not sup
ply the town agents in TIE required quantities
without violation of the law
As to the cheapness of the supply, the State
agent charges a commission of five per cent, and
Il any one supposes that the dealers in spirits sell
for that, or anything approaching that per cent
profit, we can assure him that he is under great
mistake Mr.. Williams would confess, doubt
not that five per cent. is but small fraction of
the ordinary profits of the liquor traffic. It is no.
toTous that the profits in that trade are very great
The amount sold by each dealer is moderate; and
with the great authorizations which are known to
be produced, the small trade is carried on at
large profit. This is not probably true of several
large importing houses, who do their business on
commission, sell in original packages, and the
quality of whose liquors can be relied upon to be
as pure as when imported; but we believe it to be
strictly true of the ordinary iobbing trade.
As to the quality of the article, l think the
facts will bear me out in saying, that there is no
trade of any considerable magnitude, where such
frauds and receptions are practised / think the
authorizations practised in the trade, are such as
to exclude almost entirely the pure article
suppose there are several houses who can be re.
lied upon to furnish article as pure as it was
imported, but presume that number is very
small. Adulteration | believe to be almost the
universal practice. Mr.. Williams mas spoken OF
one of his neighbor dealers, as one of the largest
and most respectable in the trade. Twill not call
the name, but it so happens that hold in my
hand the business circular of that house, which,
as l am informed, they are accustomed to send
over New England generally, inviting dealers in
the country to purchase of them. And the in
ducements they offer are, that
"We have been more extensively engaged in
supplying agencies of cities and towns in the sew
eral States that have adopted the Maine Law
than any firm incur business. We import direct
all foreign liquors and wnes-and are also extern
sve dealers in domestic liquors, which are fur
nished by our best distllers They say ''believ-
ing from past experience that your State will be
overrun by agents of irresponsible houses engaged
in our business, seeking trade from the agents
appointed under the law, we thought you might be
better pleased to procure your supplies from some
firm IN whom you can place implicit confidence"
Under this they give list of over one hundred
and sixty towns and cities in New England, the
agents of which they supply. Well, gentlemen,
think the Legislature of last winter did well to
establish the State Agency, and thus prevent the
city and town agencies from being deceived by
these numerous irresponsible houses" against
which this circular warns them, the agents of
which, they say, overun the States. But wheth-
er they will fare much better at the larger and
better class of dealers of which Mr. Williams
speaks, may well be doubted l hold in nv hand
bill of sale of liquors by the house which is
this circular. The items of the sale read
thus =