The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-25
The WhISky seizures-A Recent Decision
OF the Department..

Se1ZuEe6-A Recent DOcIRtOn
OF the Department..
From the ". 7. Times.
In the course of the discussions elected by
the recent seizures of whisky in this city and
elsewhere for alleged violations of the Internal
Revenue law, and by the prosecution Of the
parties arrested for completely in those viola
tions, two points appear to have been esta-
blished by common consent; first, that the
great bulk of distilled spirits finds its way
into the general market, and into the con-
sumption Of the country, without paying tho
tax of 81 per gallon; and, second, that the
system Of fraud and deception by which the
tax is evaded is far more effective and success
ful than the administration of the law which
imposes it. From these premises it has been
assumed, to q great extent, that as every
fresh effort to detect and punish the frauds Of
the distillers and their acoomplices only serves
to expose the inadequacy of the internal
revenue system, the constant violation of the
law and the flooding Of the market with illicit
spirits is a necessary evil for which Con-
gress is primarily responsible, and which no
amount Of vigilance or energy on the part
Of individual revenue officers can successfully
resist. .a H..- -.
It is under cover of last such vague and
superficial views of the law and its violation,
that the rOgues who live by fraud and evasion
contrive to give justice the slip. Let it be
once conceded that the law is powerless to
punish them, and they will take all the other
risks of criminality. 1t is doubtless very
gratifying to the parties whose operations in
spirits have been so summarily interrupted,
to gain an ally in public sentiment which,
while il brands them as cheats and impostors,
opens a wide door for their escape. But even
if the notion that the defects in the existing
revenue system would accomplish a general
Jail delivery of all the eulprits involved in the
pending arrests and prosecutions-a notion
which we will presently show TO be without
any lust foundation-Were true, most substan-
tial and beneficial results have already been
attained by the efforts put forth for the en-
fOrcement of the law.
First of all, the complicated network and
machinery of fraud by which the traffic in
| illicit spirits is maintained have been un-
covered and plainly shown. There is no longer
| any doubt that fraud is the badge Of a very
large portion of the entire trade, and irrespec-
tive of any question of punishment or redress,
there is an immense gain in the knowledge Of
the evil and OF the methods of its operation.
| Honest men are warned not TO participate In
| the business; capitalists and money lenders
| who were before ready to make advances on
| whisky and spirit in bond or in transit, are
| now very cautious how they part with their
| funds on the security of a suspicious cOI1-
modify. Loans on whisky have been called
in, and the capital of the country, to large
extent ceases to aid the operators in an arti lie
which TO so great degree promised profit
only by illegal transactions. Dishonest men
are driven out of business which has become
incOnveniently liable TO the inspection and
scrutiny of public officers. Let the landlords
Of whisky dealers, whose rent is in arrear, and
who We're told last quarter-day, by their
| tenants, as sufficient excuse for their default
that their business was ruined, give us some
information ON this subject, and disclose what
percentage they will accept in full of all de-
mands and to cancel their outstanding leases.