The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-04-02
The Whiskey Tax.

The Whiskey Tax.
The present law levying two dol
lars per gallon on whiskey, was prod
icated upon the well established fact
from official returns in the hands of
the trainers Of the law, that at that
time there vas manufactured and
consumed for various purposes one
hundred million OF gallons per an
mum. There is not a particle of doubt
but that fully that amt is made now
annually, moiety Of which only is
used for manufacturing purposes,
while the volume of this sea Of ruin,
goes gurgling, and flashing, like a
torch light procession, down the
parched outlets of the victims of in
temperance
The largest amount that Mr.. Com
missioner Rollins has been able to
squeeze out Of his army of thieves,
facetiously called Revenue Collectors
was for 1867, when he reports S29-
482,07s, as the total amount that the
manufacturers and distillers were
willing should 60 into Uncle Sans
pockets, leaving on the above basis,
the tritiing SUM of sl70,5l7, 1922 to go
into the capacious maws of the col
leetors, assessors. distillers ct ed oa'ne
genus, who go to make up what is
called the ~Whiskey Ring In
view Of this appalling corruption, it
is contendcd by very many that the
tax should he reduced to say fifty
cents on the gallon, thus doing away
with this large corruption fund, and
the consequent temptation for steal.
ing by rogues of high and low do
gree. The Chicago Tribune is a
Jealous advocate Of this policy, as
we'll as special Commissioner Wells
while very strenuous arguments have
recently been made before the conf
mittee Of Ways and Means, to in,
duce them to make the reduction
The arguments in favor Of the abate
ment are aimed nj \ correction Of
the law, which is not at fault. and
strangely omits the officers, whose
duty il is to enforce that law, who
are in fact solely responsible fol
this disgrsceful state Of affairs, The
consumer pays the tax on this srti'
Gle more chceifnlly than on any 9th.
er, and tho prices charged for it at
both wholesale and retail, arc based
on the cost of it's manufacture and
the government tax added thereto
If this law was faithfully executed
we should derive means enough from
it annually TO pay the interest on the
pnblic debt at the lowest estimate,
bnt we see no probability of this be-
ing done, until there is an entire new
deal in public officers, from Andrew
johnson down to his humblest bung
hole inspector. We are quite certain
that the Ways and Means Commit
tee have acted in accordance with
the public sentiment Of the country
in deciding TO retain the TWO dollar
provision.
When General Grant il elected
president and he brings to bear OF
this question, that most extraordina
ry knowledge Of men which enables
him to select invariably the RICH
man for the right place. that render
him in this respect the equal Of Ma
poleon, then, and perhaps not til
then, may we hope to see this gis an
tic robbery abated.
In the mean time we see no more
reason for the repeal of this law be-
cause through the corruption Of off
GERS il is violated, than that the Law
furnishing murder should be repealed
because murder continues to be com
mitted by vicious men. The Ring
wants to be broken. instead of tn.
law.