The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-01-25
OUR LICENSE LAWS.

tial taxation, which bears the euphu-
istic title of our 'Internal Revenue
SYSTEM" is borne by our people with 9
docility and patience which must some.
times astonish themselves, and which
cannot fail to render our representatives
in Congress utterly Indifferent about
change or amelioration. So long as
the people do not assemble tumultu-
ously together to demonstrate, or be-
take themselves to open defiance of the
law, so long viii our wise statesmen
assume it for granted that not merely
is there no just cause for complaint, but
that the satisfaction is universal. Take
for example, the internal tax on do
nestle spirits, which by the law is fix
ed at two dollars a gallon. Commits
sioner Wells, who has carefully exam
ined the subject, declares in his report
to the Secretary of the Treasury, that
less than two gallons in five pay the
tax, the rest finding its way to market
free, in defiance of the law, and of the
officers. 1t has been scarcely possible
to take up city paper without reading
of an arrest for the violation of the in
ternal revenue laws relating to domes-
tic spirits. And Notwithstanding the
frequency Of these arrests a conviction
is rarely had, owing alike to the clum-
siness of the law and the adroitnesS of
its violators. In abundant proof of the
ease and impunity with which the law
is set at defiance, is the fact which any
reader may verify for himself, that
common domestic whisky is quoted in
the open market at less than two dol
lars, the tax due before gallon can be
legally sold! While, by reason of this
enormous tax, the contraband traffic is
increasing on every hand, the danger
of detection and conviction being con-
sidered slight compared with the op-
pOrtunity to make rapid fortunes, the
law and the consequences of its viola
tions alike operate with peculiar hard
ship on the manufacturers of whisky
and the grain producers of Pennsylva-
mia. The honest distiller after paying
two dollars per gallon tax, besides his
license, and five dollars a day to an idle
inspector, finds his whisky in competi-
tion with that which never was seen
by revenue officer, and which after be-
ing undersold two dollars gallon, still
produces considerable profits. 1t is
easy to predict what must be the effect
of this legislation, and the argument
might be expected to reach any one but
a member of Congress. The regular
distiller will soon be compelled to aban-
don the field to the contrabandist and
the manufacturer of unrectified decoc-
tions that never knew the bloom of the
rye. Pure whisky, such as that which
gladdened the hearts Of our ancestors,
will be known no longer, and we will
swallow poisons, while laboring under
the pleasing delusion that we are con-.
tributing to the revenues of the gov
ernment. In return for the fidelity of
Pennsylvania, she finds an important
branch of her business almost DESTROYED
and the consumption of a cereal di-
minished to which her soil and climate
are adapted, by piece of legislation,
which is obstinately persisted in after
its injustice and impolicy are clearly
shown. ,of tl1u 4 .s..et
We have said that when the regular
distiller has been compelled to with
draw, the contraband dealer in whisky
will take his. place. In every dell of
Pennsylvania, where it is possible to
elude the vigilance of the revenue Off
Ger, the smoke of a still will rise. The
law will be set at utter defiance. and no
man will be found guilty of what he
deems the baseness Of acting the part of
a spy or informer on his neighbor, for
law which all regard as un-
just and oppressive. 1t will be in vain
for therevenue officer to execute the law
in a community united to defeat him.
A condition of fittings similar to that in
Ierland and Scotland under heavy excise
laws, will arise, which finds illustra-
ton in the following incident. A rev.
enue officer pursuing his vocation a. 4
nong the mountains of Donegal came
lpon hut upa hollow with contra