Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-06-19
The Whisky Tax.

the acts and provisions of acts relat-
ing to Internal Revenue. This is an
arduous task, but one that should not
be postponed. The Government is
Systematically defrauded of not less
than one hundred millions of Internal
Revenue honestly due it AMI needed
by it. That amount, vigorously ap-
piled to the purchase and extinction
of our Public debt, would enable the
Treasury to commence forthwith the
funding of our Five-Twenties on which
the right of redemption has already
accrued into Ten Forties, thereby saw
ing at least the difference between five
and six per cent interest. Before the
ten years shall have expired, these
Ten-Forties may easily be funded
again in four per cent. Zone per
cent interest, or SO on each $1,000
bond, payable at the expiration of each
successive quarter.) The saving of
interest thus effected would of itself
soon pay off the entire debt. But we
cannot begin to reduce the rate of in
terest till we shall have demonstrated,
L. InaG we VIII uOneoLIy pay what
we honestly owe; 2. That we will
pay it promptly and certainly; 8
That we will steadily reduce the prin-
cipal of our debt. The moment it
shall have been conclusively settled
that some two to five millions of prin-
cipal of our debt will henceforth be
redeemed and Cancelled each month,
our bonds will appreciate in the mar
ket. The certainty that they are to
grow scarcer and scarcer will impel a
general scramble to clutch and hold
them in expectation of al advance in
price. Nothing but the constant null
duplication Of Five-Twenties through
the redemption therein Of our Seven
Thirties has kept down the price Of
the former, which ought to be worth
gold par on every exchange to-day
/ Our loan acts pledge US to pay annu
ally not only the interest but at least
one per cent of the principal of oul
funded debt in coin. Let US do better
than this, until no obligation of the
United States drawing five per cent
gold interest is worth less than It's
face in coin.
But what of the Whisky Tax?
Gen. Schenck's speech seems to i'll
fer from the fact that it has neve
been fully collected, and is now almos
wholly evaded, that it cannot be col
lected unless reduced below one dol
lar per gallon. The inference seem
to US unwarranted. If the presen
+ Commissioner cannot collect it, W
think he should give way to one VIII
could. We firmly believe that il
+ Gen. Butler (for example) were tC
| morrow made Commissioner, an
, should agree to accept the place, e
! ther that tax would be paid, or viii
ky would cease to be manufactured
And we do not believe he would r,
Quire or need any power which tn
Y =. oeOIo laws uo not give.
We are not at all tenacious as t
the retention of the present tax. W
> believe 81 originally quite too hig
and was adopted under the manipul
/ ton of well-known spectators in ley
, islation and lobbying who had bougI
! up most of the liquor in market an
I expected to realize vast gains fro
= the enhancement of price certain
follow an increase Of the duty fro
: 20 cents to 81 per gallon. But fo
these SPECTATORS power over Co
gress, we are confident that the re
sonable and moderate proposal tn
" fifty cents per gallon should be aSse
-" sed on the whisky in existence wht
y the 81 was imposed would have pr
: vailed. The Government was in de
lo perate need the whisky on hand W
- enhanced in price at least 81 per gt
i lon by the 81 tax; then why shou
not the Treasury have had its ia
share of the gain? Why, but becau
n \ the Whisky Ring then formed was t
u strong for justice and the public wea
~ If the whisky tax must be reduce
y, we suggest 81 as the proper rat
~ and then let there be no mistake as
VI its rigorous collection. 1t CAN
Ut collected; if A. cannot do the Job,
y us try B. if he also fails, then resC
~ to G. "Augers that won't bore" N
NC still be useful in some capacity,
~, not as augers. We suggest clar
in the new Revenue act stipulati
~ that, whenever the price of whisky
III this market shall fall below the r;
u of duty, with at least 25 cents 7
20 gallon added as The lowest possiI
d cost of production, tie Commission
I'D shall resign-the same rule to apl
at months end to his successor.
Rely on it, such a clause would SC
of bring to hand an augcr that 400
by bore; and thenceforth the buying
~ Senators by Whisky Rings would
RS come one of the Lost Arts.-Iriba
he ---.s.-
IN. ISLAND PoND.-Rev. j. W. Il. Bak
,ut having measurably recovered h
al health, has resigned his position as
90 spector of customs, and gone to No
wv Waterford, Me-, to become acting I
of tor of the Congregational church
I'VE that place.
me Mr.. j. W. Dexter, formerly of B
gor, Maine, and recently of Nor
Mills, has gone into partnership v
or Mr.. A. II. Bonett of this place in
:. hardware Observation-Disclosures
OF LIGHTNING IN REHABILITATION