The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-01
The Relative Merits Of Cincinnati anC
Louisville Whisky.
The Relation of Revenue Rs.ising II
General Governmental a fairs.
Those Most Interested Oppose Inflat-
ing the Currency and Favor a
Return to a Specie Basis Of
Business.
Whisky and Tobacco Are Assessed
to the Amount Of Paying Half
the Expenses OF the General
Government.

IONOL
THE LEADING DISTILLERS AND To-
BACCO MANUFACTURERS OF THE
NORTHWEST INTERVIEWED.
THE VIEWS OF REPRESENTATIVE MEN EN-
GAGGED IN THE MANUFACTURES OF WHISKY
AND TOBACCO IN NTERRE HAUTE, EVANSVILLE,
LOUISVILLE AND CINCINNATI, AS SECURED
BY A SENTINEL ESPECIAL ON THE SPOT"
Some people may be startled by the
announcement that half of the revenue
raised for the support of the government
under whose mInistration we live and
prosper as people comes from those much
abused articles. whisky and tobacco. This
vast sum is paid by the manufacturers in
monthly payments. 1t will therefore be
readily conceded, by all fair minded people,
that gentlemen engaged in these two
branches of business should be consulted,
and their claims carefully considered in gov
ernmental affairs. To give them hearing
bsfore the people of the Northwest, who
make law makers, and thus indirectly make
the laws under which we live, Sentinel re-
porter was recently detailed to visit repre-
sentative manufacturers, and ascertain theil
views upon the effect OF the revenue laws
upon them in particular and the business
interests of the cOuDtTy n general; and also
to gather such Other information as would
be of general interest. A trip OF two or
three hours brought the reporter
TO TERRE HAUTE,
FACE TO FACE WITH Mr.. HUFFMAN,
of Terre Haute, one of the leading distillers
of the northwest and also head of one of the
leading grocery establishments of the coun-
try, that of Huffman & Cox, all of Terre
Haute. Mr.. Huffman received the reporter
cordially and in answer to irterrogations.
said he was now running his distillery to
the extent of fixteen hundred bushels of
grain per day, which yielded on an average
fifty-five hundred gallons per dav, and
yet he was not running the establishment to
its fullest capacity Dy many hundred. Like
all other manufacturers, he pays seventy
cents per gallon to the government under
the provisions of the internal revenue law,
amounting to $3.50 per day each week day
in the year. Mr.. Hulman is a strict Sabba-
tartan and don't operate his mandatory on
the seventh day.
Reporter-How would it effect your busi-
ness if this oppressive tax was removed from
whisky.
Mr.. Hulman-It would facilitate our bust
ness a great deal and reduce the risk Now
If distiller don't make up his full quota be
is in danger of incurring the payment of
deficiency tax, too, and then he is liable to
lOS0 on b1o iDN6ebu0Hl. A QlStlil6r runs a
great risk all the time of having deficiency
occur in some way or other. If the tax
were taken off il would not only facilitate
the manufacture but exports as we'll In
deed it would be
A GREAT ADVANTAGE TO THE TRADE
to take the tax off. OF course as it is. the
loss in transit, the shrinkage in transit
to the sea board, is charged up against
the distiller and is not only loss to him but
to the export trade. Alcohol alone is ex-
ported. 1t is gauged here, sent to the seaboard
and there inspected and all shrinkage in
transit is charged to the manufacturer.
Reporter-If repudation would nav the
public debt and remove this tax do you |
think the government would be iustifie1 in !
repudiationf AS manufactures would Won |
justify the government in an act OF that |
character?
Mr.. Hulman-It don't look like il.
R.-But you are a hard money man and |
hold that it is for the best interest of the |
country to return to specie basis of busi- |
ness not only, but believe that the govern |
ment should keep faith with its creditors as |
an individual is expected to do or be dis |
honored?
Mr.. H.-Yes. 1 believe in
RETURN TO SPECIE PAYMENTS
at the earliest practicable date 1 hardly |
only question of time.
R.-A man engaged in your business. if |
not strong in principle, is most likely to be
In favor of being relieved of that heavy tax
and government espionage, even through
the medium of Reputation, is he notY
Mr.. H.-Yes. Dstillers could well afford
to be in favor of reputation il it would re-
lieve them of that tax, for they are not now
masters OF their own house. To be sure il
would be nice for US all, but then it would
not be fair and honest.
R--The scruples of principle in vour case
overbalance all other Considerations
Mr.. H.-Oh, yes; it would not do to repu-
1iate the debt OF the government. Yet no.
body is really more
INTERESTED IN REGULATION
han the distiller.
RI presume that there are distIllers who
would iavor repudistion of the nations oh.
igation IL it would afford them relief from
'dious taxation, regardless of party or prin-
,iple.
Mr.. HI have no doubt of it: especiallv 8
n the South. You will remember that sew i
iral in New Orleans were detected in de-
rauding the government last summer and
neir manufactures were seized and held bv
he government and not permitted to be re- :
operated until the claim was maid and IL |
mounted TO several hundred Thousand dol 8
ars. A large distiler in St. Louis was also !,
detected ia defrauding the government: was :
losed up and required TO pay largely for it.
I've mlgnt naturally expect that class o
4 distiilefs to favor Reputation.
Mr.. H.-Oh, Yes; the whole South il I'm u
svor OF it; especially New Orleans. v
K.-W hat 90 you think OF initiation? q
Mr. Hin the event or in fation we might ii
ave some lose times again. and then we a
'ouid nave 10 go through the tight times a.