The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-04

The Census Bureau reports eolI2Ssl gallons foS
ss year ending June 1890 Including thas manu-
From comparison Of similar reports OF other pTodue-
tons with returns made 70 our local ofcsn am in
cned TO believe this amount too large. There often
times wide difference between returns which may
simply affect ones enterprise and financial ability and
those made Is basis OF taxation.
The special revenue commission made an exhaustive
eAamnsQn OF this subject last year prosecuting their
making due allowance for he entire dsuse q bafnina
na,a ana tho employment OF substitutes in vsrnish,
r,n.g. medicine. aud generally In manufactures and
Pn.tmAcy, In concluding is report, says
Ater careful consideration OF the facts above pre-
senied and after conferences with many Of the principal
dealers and manufacturers from all sections Of tho
country ths commission OF opinion that with the
manIenance o. the present tax Of two dollars per gallon
BE- produced and rendered subject 10 Tor
the Immediate future will be from forty Two 70 foryAva
In arriving this conclusion In their report the COM
mission does not refer 10 the amount Of stock on hand
and y quite imp:acticaole 70 determine how much Of
paid the tar OF years preceding, or was manufactured
before any was imposed. - is OF course know how
much reached the market through fraud.
FRAUDS, HOW THEY ARE PKRPErRArRp
We know the amount Of tar received upon spirits
this amount and The estimated actual consumption the
very low price Of spirits the market ana ne frequent
detection o. offences We argue extensive and alarming
Under the law and the regulations or the Department
al dslers required to make daily record and tn
monthly report 10 assessors OF all materials used and The
number Of gallons distilled and placed IN waSohouse,
and sold from Warehouse with the and place OF
must, under the law, DO wArchoused Il II obvious
that II correct report OF production y made
ledge Of responsible revenue ofncsrs. Every With
drAwa OF spirits whether for consumption, transports
0S Tsc.e.s,Sn ssdi';laUn o. expert l'.y.. y
70 the proper collector and must accounted fer BY
him In tax received at withdrawal for consumption or
By bonds or other evidences Of removal for the several
purposes above named authorized by stature These
bonds have occasionally been insufficient and In some
but they s in existence and the amouns q sprits
covered BY them Is easily ascertanable II II au6cent
With The quantity which has reached he market Hroush
other avenues Of fraud. II possible, Of course, for
81 evidence Of removal from warehouse 70 BE- dsst!oyee
Wholesale and monstrous combinations Of asssssoIs and
collectors and their assistants that cannot and do not
contemplate u % an actual existence The bonded sys-
class Of frauds - every additional genuine coin in
bsr Of countsrfss lie permits and brands have been
imitated but bills Of lading have bssn substituted
for permits. % that the duplicate and trplicats
shipments which may have sometimes bssn made usdes
the lassr are avoided, while brands for bonded pack
Ssn FOR the e Or sc %
The occasional discovery Of attempts 1t expectation Of
water In lieu Of alcohol has Induced many TO believe
that frequent and extensive frauds Of this Character have
been communicated; bat while It Is quite probable that
these attempts have been sometimes snccessful ID
other countries although absolutely large 10 really Of
small magnitude whom compared 70 the full amount
Wnicn AVOIDS TAXATION Az NO aWbAck u allowed
spirits exported frauds can occur only in alleged ship
mons In bond, water other articles OF little vaue
being substituted for spirits which are thrown upon the
market for consumption free OF tax such fraud In.
wolves the bribery OF custom house officers whose duty
II e TO carefully inspect all goods exported in bond
well a. the OF false certificates OF the land
ing OF the spirits abroad for tho cancellation Of the
bonds against reandng in this country. which flied
In the custom house Of the district from which tho
portaon Is made. There s, OF course actual export
trade OF very considerable importance, but the actual
and fraudulent shipments combined only reach l05k sl0
IL
than for several years Immediately preceding the last
but not as largo as in 1851 when tax existed, in
either OF the TWO years following Much OF tho increase
may well be accounted for BY the low price OF paid
spirits hcr and the necessity Of seeking othor markets
without the payment Of two dollars per gallon
believe most of the Illicit spirits Ia the market 10 tho
product of those establishments whose propretors report
smaller amount is from hidden aud unrccogn,zed dsti-
eries This Illicit whiskay Is conveyed unbranded 10
vss Where Z CAN never sn ). dsned or
shipped IN barrels corrupy or falsely branded BY the
propnetors themselves or our own officers in cousion
with them. II 10 exceedingly difficult for superior
officers TO detect such couson the part OF their sub
ordinates II can rarely be done except upon the dis
that hardly DO expected when all are equally guilty
and equally liable TO punishment
These extensive frauds have not only robbed tho
national treasury but have driven from thor accus
toned business many mon OF acknowledged integrity
Others have taken their places tor the special and sole
purpose Of acquiring fortune through fraud. Men OF
cpl blu. but Nth. w.hou. conscience have some
o; have put e ss mont for n bribery "n .n
perjury and tho perls OF detection These have often
boon without reputation lose and with no local bsbta.
ton to aid In their whom their frauds dscov-
cred II all the various means resorted to BY many
modern dstilers for the nccomp shment Of their de-
signs upon tho and officers could be truth
fully written. the very safety OF Institutions might
well be questioned. Tho decrease OF the receipts OBJ
70 tho causes elsewhere stated but 10 the general
fer Of the business Of dsng into the hands Of corrupt
adventurers, who IN turn In various ways corruptsd
revenue officers. Tho slight improvement which has
Since been made 10 the result not Of radical Of
the evil but OF the vigorous efforts OF those ocsrs
20 whom the Department Is most indebted and who have
been the more stimulated TO duty the necessities OF
the government became gr ater. Il 10 much due 70
the honest producers who have suffered In reputation
and estate by reason OF these practcss u 70 the
public that this monsrous wrong be corrected and that
featuring and grain producing sections Of tho country
shall be thoroughly protected by the law while e
measuraby relieves the entire people from their present
taxation. T. A. ROLLINS, Commissioner.