New-York tribune., 1867-09-17
THE GREAT FRAUDS.

Ioool machinery alone can sift for us the exact
comnlexion of the truth. But that there have
been gross frauds perpetrated on the WHISKY
rovenue both here and elsewhere, is matter
sufficient to startle us. Now would seem 10 De
the time to urge once more the cure ol 'io uo
bauched system Of petty administrator Wl"TD
they undoubtedly represent. IheSe irau"'
grow all the more shameful while there ID any
reason at all to suspect that those VINO ''A1
tbe nav of the Government are elaborately anu
;noenionsly concerned in swindling it. WHISKY
inspectors, it would appear, know now 10 pun
on enemy in their mouth to steal away their
morals as well as brains; and IN special III
stances revenue is as inebria ting as WHISKY
Finance has its intoxications no less disgrace
full than rum itself, for once In while COL
lector evidently loses his head.
Our sprituous revenue has this one great
trouble that the temptations to defraud 1t,
iudging by the extent of the frauds, are appa-
rently so great. Here is a source OF revenue
which ought to absorb the far greater part OF
orr burden of taxation At present it yields up
ward of 800, 900 900, the very minimum OF coIec-
ton; at least calculation it should yield as much
more; but we have heard grave assertions that
three
rived by thorough inspection. Certainly WHISKY
does not pay us one half of its just dues; ana
the nation is of course, sufferer III all It's
needs and interests to the extent OF the two
hundred millions, more or less, OF which 1t roDs
us. In other specialties we manage
to collect our taxes with tolerable ease and
satisfaction. even where the burden bears irk-
somely on the manufacturer; but whisky and
its familiar spirits elude our scrutiny Ike so
many pernicOus rils running underground lhe
nation is pilfered from in various ways, ana
must pay roundly for the rampant stupidity
which it sets up in high places. Pickwicklan
policies in finance are n polite but heavy
charge upon us. The President costs us some
thing, and may be placed i'll order at the head
of our taxes. But rum is gigantic roDDer'
1t is the goblin of our revenue; Its gorge ana
thirst are illimitabe.
We think this subject ought to be made one
of severest inquisition. A country taxed UNI
| versally TO pay a colossal debt cannot afford
| the wanton, stupendous loss of a sum sufficient
to pay the interest upon its debt. Congress
has chosen to retain the tax of 81 per gallon
unon whisky. and to cut off the usual induce
ments to informers. We would have been sat
IL
of easier and more general collection, and less
likely to tempt fraudulent distllers. Were our
detectives allowed to share in the reward given
to officers of revenue, we should soon have
ferretting out of this rattery-like business OF
! illicit making. The law as it stands un-
doubtedly throws considerable labor and re-
sponsibility OH the Revenue Board and
those under them; they might safely
be allowed to take all the help they can get.
But whether the tax itself or tho means OF It's
collection be inefficient as compared to the
net sum which whisky owes us, it is very GER
tain that, even under our present system OF
revenue and collection, faithful enforcement
| Of the laws would render us double the amount
we obtain. The fact fhnt collectors of varinns
degrees of official l0oseness wink at or connive
in the frauds of relatives and friends bears its
| own comment. Even Judges and lawyers in
Office are supposed to be interested in the
| fraudulent manufacture of the article which
| supplies them the greater part of their cases,
! and thus contributes TO the support of bench
and bar which on so many occasions Is
oyerruled by rum, and upheld by the
prostitution of the law. Doubtless we
owe the debauchcry of our revenue sys-
| TEN to general administration which
is as lax in all respects as our whisky collec-
ton. 1t is nothing for IN indulgent President
! to act upon a grand scale and throw away, as
it were, one hundred millions of the nations
money on whisky. This is virtually one of the
costs of the system of How to do-it, of a
policy of Executive appointment multiplying alike
| to revenue and reconstruction. The reflection
that the hundreds of millions which we lose 10y
non-collection is so much paid by the nations
morals to its immortality is not comforting
one. These millions are kept from re-
lief of the virtuous needs of the people in
order that whisky may dstill us cheap mis-
chief. Who does not know this e-who does
not understand that the luXurics or vices
of n people should always be made TO
bleed freely, rather than that any of our ne
cessties should be made dear to the poor
Were the tax on spirits fully collected, who
can doubt that ncedful articles could soon be
made cheaper in proportonf Whisky is in
fact, n terrible creditor, pernicious lawgiver,
which neither makes good laws nor obeys
them, and does not pay us its debt by half.
The President might have saved us some mil
lions by attending to the revenue and forget.
ting to obstruct reconstruction. The nation,
however, has sorrOwfully begun to understand
that the President himself is a tax, and his
administration fraud.
Tho Democratic Stotp Convention of WiScon-