The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-04
prom the New York sun. ]


Now that the mighty Ring OF internal
,.yenue officials, distillers and dealers,
which was organized 10 deiraud the Treas
rry and 10 divide the spoils. has been
completely laid bare In all It's fir-rcaching
combinations, the President organs claim
tor him large credit for work In which
M had no hand whatever. III was not un-
n the most positive proofs OF guilty co..
nsion between the various parties TO this
thunder were presented 10 him that he
consented 10 the vigorous measures which
ia 10 the crushing exposure and its con-
sequences.
h fact. his protection Of this Ring was
one of the elements which contrib uted
materially To its downfall. When the
secretary OF the Treasury discovered last
winter that enormous quantities OF whisky
were nut upon the market without paying
any tax and that the Commissioner of In
,ernal Revenue disputed the concurrent
testimony on this point from various re-
snonsibe sources, he devised a method
which must have thwarted collision Sc
riously. An order was issued trans ferring
tbe supervisors of internal revenue.from
one district 10 another. so that each would
thus be- a stranger In the place of hi. new
appointment by this system of frequent
changes. without warning. the operations
ofthe Ring would have been restricted to
acertain class of frauds, or the whole force
NJ Supervisors would have TO be bought.
thus involving increased expense and diff
dculty in the production and sale of the il
lett whisky.
The effect ofthat order was soon sharp
Ii felt. and the very supervisors who are
most compromised In the present discOy-
cries were naturally the first 10 rush to
Washington for relief. Their personal
revenues were in danger of being sacri-
iced. They knew better than 10 approach
Mr.. BristOw on such "A subject; but back
"a by retained counsel in Congress :. and
other powerful influences, they appealed
70 the President To set aside an admins.
uaiive act ol the Treasury Department in
tended for it. own protection.
Without consulting the Secretary atall.
or caring 20 consider what might the re-
suit OF this offensive Interference. the Pre-
.ident revoked the order and substantially
renewed a license TO plumber the revenue
Instead OF Offering his resignation. Mr..
Brist0w proceeded 70 organize the cam
paign which has resulted so successfully;
and when Il is all over the laurels are
claimed for the President. who threw All
llt DpNNl vi ile Olittt Oi Aiit rlht Oh the
Ring until further aid became hazardous,
and might be followed by impeachment.
This Is By no means an exceptional ex-
ample Of me President Partially for pub
lie plundcrcrs. Proofs rs conclusive as
those which exist in this case We're laid be-
fore him by the Peace Commissioners.
whom he had selected for their eminence
and worth a citizens, showing that the
Indians were robbed with the knowledge
and connivance OF the Secretary OF the
Interior and the Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs. He paid no heed TO them, and
gladly accepted their designations. De-
ano, smith, and Babcock had his private
ear and confidence. for reasons that are
now well understood.
The Army Ring. the Custom House !
Ring. the Washington Ring, the Straw |
bd Ring, the Navy Ring, the Land graf /
hing Ring, and all the other corrupt COM
binauons. rcvolve around the White House. I
and are the ouigrowth OF Grantism during I
H. last five years. Sustained by the Presi- /
dent, they have made investigations \
hFce. shaped legislation in their own in /
lerest. controlled appointments, and actu- /
ally run the Government "a IL il were 4
close corporation. Surely II is time for |
nlical change.