Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-19
The WhIskJ PhObIa.

A-ny Of the members Of the Legislature and some OF
the newspapers Of the STATE, to DO III eted With
dreadful apprehersons Of the scarcity Of food be
brought about by the excessive consumption OF grain By
disileres. The motives by which these parties in
ausnesd are, doubtless patriotic and laudabe. ItuOuld
certainly be great calamity to have deArh Of food
u the midst OF our struggle for freedom. But il Is
matter Of grave doub., whether the means proposed
VII not rather defeat than advance the enc In view.
ls seems be assumed by those gentlemen, that the
grain distilled is much distracted from the great az
grsgAts Of nulriivs matter Blu this is BY no meAns
true. is estimated that the process OF dslAiiOn di,
niulsass the rurtve guilty of grain OILY about
a'een per cen The resi- iuum, after dslaHon, there
iors, vii g almost far in supporting stock, as the
gain 10 ia natural STATE Every who has visited a
dstIory mus, have observed tsa.S large hOgpsn Is
Necessary adiunsL Each bushsl CT grain distilled will
support four Eve hogs Will di4lcries there,
tore diminish hs amour: Of bread they largely Increase
the aggregate meat and keep up the proper balance
between them. Bacon essential the support Ct
our armies as bread. Il ue we're 20 stop the disul
eres there ore shile would augment The supply Of
grain, would, in corresponding degree, dinini
the amount Of pork. Would this be wise'
Again if desire to increase the supply Of corn in
the county, the b-s. mcaaI Of stimulating produeC
Is 70 hold the farmer the inducrment Of high
price. Whatever Is pro6 able will be cultivated and it
HARDLY b. doubled that II large demand for ain
created, the supply will keep pace With il. Corn is
lot like other grain 10 this that il Is not liable to SO
many dsAsers and the quantity be increased al.
most Indefinitely. II hold ou, to the farmers the
prosPse. OF good price, they will strain every nerve to
pas 10 a much arger crop. But If We say TO them in
advance your toll IS to With but slender reward
they will a. once r,hI their efforts and the crops will
be materially lessened
Bu; Why should legislation be aimed at the distiIlcr.
less Whisky is not a necessity-it is a luxury. Blu;
Slothng i iniispensabe necessity. Why them does
no, the Legislature address Itself to the great object Of
cheap elothiags Why not prohibit the killing Of sheer
60 a. to insure larger supply of ~oof And why not il
h.0i: the prcp1s,Os Of WOOlsn factories from charging
- per yssd for olJth worth g 5OS
Il nav be a very eonvenient thing to stock feeders
70 dsprss the p5.o1 Of corn 80 that they may make
larger pro6s on tleir fat cattle bat may be doubted
w6shsr the public interests would be promoted by the
OPERATION Beef merchants may also b, pleased TO see
the quantity Of reduced because would enhance
the pres Of beet but their gain would be At TIE
expense Of the army ard the public.
All these iniesfereuees Sith the business pursuits o.
men are of fashionable eIpedsHcy. Individual inter
eat aud the gent las Of trade are the best regulators
these matters Tle Legislature may fad that in Altem pit
log 10 remedy supposed evil Is ia but opening the dOO
q greater In this case by attempting to cheaper
bread l. would raise he price Of meat snd the expert
usas would, old saying, ZOOS. more than il
CONS to-"
have eonspired more than eli Others rais
the price Of grain These a'e hs the udicous system
OF impressmsat Of wagons and teams which prevented
the farmers in the heavy grain growing disrc,s, from
patiag in mere than bali crop, land even that VA
pa, in late do little gOOd) anAsecOnd, the ia
jaiieou' purchase BY government Ssedbf lSRge herd
VI cattle. which we're driven into the neghborhOOd Of
tbs armies to be fed. Instead Of permitting them to
main until needed a. remote points, from which grair
could lot be transported they have been driven to thu
very points from which army supplies are to be drawn
AID thus the mArd for grain doubled and Of corn
the price enhanced.
lt Il said that some seYen eight thousand Govern
uent cattle have been bought in Western counties
and drivaa into the Valley to be fed These cattle con
sumo frOm 1900 to 2OOO bushels Of corn daily Such
heavy drain on the country which supplies the army
sih breAd5tuhJ must Of course, create scarcity be
tore IOnR-and when that comes the Of traDspor
ton must be sdlsd 70 The cost Of the grain bought