The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-12-11

ruling party is tho creature of the
classes we have named, and now
boldly announces that it will carry
out their policies. If the radicals
think We have too much currency,
let them insist on the retirement of
the bank circulation. Times.
The whisky Ring.
[rrom the Boston Advertiser.]
No honest chronicler has yet sue
ceeded in stripping the veil from
that powerful combination known as
''the whisky ring" The most form
liable conspiracy that ever laid
siege to the national treasury,
is still known to the public only by
its results. Individuals here and
there arc detected; companies un-
lawfully engaged in the distillation
or sale have been taken in the act.
The government occasionally cxtorts
something from their fears. But
meanwhile the great fraud goes on.
and nobody is punished. The man
who succeeds in penetrating the dis
guise behind which the leading con-
spirators hide themselves, aud in
dragging them to the light, will do
the country service to be remem-
bered. The whisky fight, of which
the letters Of our correspondent have
given so minute and interesting an
account, has revealed the fact that
there are numerous combinations,
having the common purpose of de-
frauding the government, but con-
flicting interests in the matter Of
bene6tting themselves. Instead Of
bringing these competing combina-
tions face to face and compelling
them to destroy each other, the law
officers of the government present
tho extraordinary spectacle Of taking.
sides with them, and apparently
shielding them from the regular
course Of justice.
So harmless have prosecutions Of
this kind invariably proved, that of
fifty cases called at the opening Of
the November term Of the United
States District Court sitting in
Philadelphia this week, SO little did
the defendants care about what was
going on in the court against them,
that only three thought it worth
while to put in an appearance. The
new district attorney, to be sure,
took immediate measures to have
bench warrants issued to compel
their attendance; and the judge in-
formed the grand jnry that it woald
be their duty to inquire closely into
the causes Of the widespread viola
ton Of the revenue laws, and into
the conduct Of the revenue officers
within the jurisdiction of the court.
But good intentions and q we'll
meaning coart never yet reformed
an evil Of this magnitude without
making examples Of conspicuous Of
tenders, which is the point whore
the failure always occurs.
It is said that the Secretary Of
the Treasury will recommend in his
forthcoming report an increase oftax
on certain articles Of necessary con-
sumption. The imposition Of the
new tax will be q part Of the price
which honest men pay for the frauds
which take from the national treasu-
ry scarcely less than one hundred
millions Of dollars annually. They
concern to this extent not only the
manufacturer and merchant who en-
tcrtain something Of the old fashioned
respect for law, but every man who
has the common necessities Of .
household to supply. Yet it has
been as nearly impossible to attach
tho odium of personal disgrace to
these mon known to be criminally
engaged in tho violation of the rcvc,
nue. laws, as it has been to bring
tho courts to the point of pronoun-
cling judgment against them.
An old maxim is that religion