Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-09-18
Fruit DistilIerfeS.

We are in receipt Of numerous letters from our
subscribers, making inquiry as to the amount OF
special Qicense) tax which the recent act of Con
gress imposes upon distillers of brandy from APP
pea and peaches. We will answer one and ali,
that the law, interpreted by the Internal Reve-
| nue. Bureau, makes no distinction between dis
tiers from fruit and distillers from grain, to
| the taxes to be paid. The second section of the
act authorizes the Commissioner of 1uternsl
| Revenue, with the approval Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury to exempt distlllers OF brandy from
apples, peaches and grapes from such of the pro-
visions of the act "relatipg to the manufacture
| of spirits as he may deem expedient but this,
! the Commissioner thinks, gives him no authority
over the matter of taxation.
The law, OF course, amounts to a suppression
of all legitimate disillatiOn of brandy from ap-
pies and peaches and will cause loss of millions
of revenue. 1t has been for generations the GUS
| tom in the Southern, and in some Of the North
States, for farmers to distl the fruit of their
own orchards. This was done in open air, or I'M
der temporary sheds, erected in the orchards !;
| and the average product OF each still was about
| ten or fifteen barrels of brandy in season. In
many-in fact, in most instances-the funds real
lied from the sale of this brandy were absou: ely
necessary to enable the small farmers to exc out
| scanty subsistence for their families. Their
wealth consisted in their orchards, planted by
their ancestors, and cultivated with a view to
distilling the fruit. In fact owing to the distance
| from market and the kind of fl uit raised, the
| only way of deriving any benefit from tho orch
| ards was by distilling the fruit.
This legislation of Congress has suppressed
| this branch OF industry-for farmer can gay
| four hundred dollars for the privilege of dsti-
ling FIVE ton or twenty barrels of peach or apple
brandy. And this was done deliberately; for the
attention of the Committee on Ways and Means
was called to the matter, and they were reminded
the law which they proposed to make for distil-
| lers of whiskey.
So the honest and industrious farmers in the
| fruit growing districts may thank Mr.. Schenck
and his committee for this legislation; and, if
they desire continuance of legislation in favor
of the rich and powerful and against the poor
| and weak, they had better vote for return of
| Schenck and his friends to Congress.
National I,aeaigencer.
We direct the attention of our farmers
to the above in answer to many inquiries
we have had upon this same subject While
in the Eastern and Middle portions of
North Carolina fruit distilling has never
been carried on as an extensive and i'm
portant branch of enterprise, there are
thousands of our farmers who distilled
their apple and peach crop to an extent at
least to meet their urgent necessities.
Frequently, when other crops failed, an
amount was realized from their orchards
to furnish subsistence for their families.
| Probably in no State in the Union was there
| more general distillation of fruit, and SO
many small distilleries for grain. At one
fell sweep is this entire business destroyed.
Illicit distillation may take place, but hon
est men are deprived of this means of sup
port.
This is all done in the interest of the
whiskey ring" Mr.. Schenck, the Chair
man of the Committee of Ways and Means,
through whose instrumentality this tax
was imposed, represents district in which
are some of the largest distilleries in the
United States. A tax of four hundred dol
lars is nothing for them to pay. These
large establishments found that distillation
by the farmers was interfering with their
business, and they desired it to be STOP
ped. For the benefit of those wealthy
manufacturers, therefore, the income of
thousands of poor and industrious farmers
must be injured.
| Such is Radicalism.