Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-06-16
THE BOU1BOn RAID.

Hon. ]. W. DouglAss, lAto Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue, has writ
ten letter to the New York Tribune
I In which he claims that the plan OF
shifting Supervisors around to new
/ districts, and which has just resulted
Fin smashing the whisky ring in the
Sprincipay Western cities, originated
with him, and that II his plan had NOT
been overridden by meddlesoms poll.
slicians, he would have the credit to-
day for leading the successful war
aagainlt CROOKED whisky"
The public remembers that during
last January an order was issued chop
ping the Supervisors up, by which
E1upsrvisor Hedrick ofthis city, whose
Sdistrict il composed Of lows, Nebras-
ks, Minnesota, Montans, Dakota,
Wyoming and Colorado, was
to 60 to Chicago with .
district composed Of Illinois, Wis
sconsin and Michigan, while Su-
/ pervisor Perry, OF North Carolina,
South Caroline, Georgia, Sc, was to
succeed him. In that arrangement,
Supervisor Tuition, OF Pennsylvanis,
was to 60 to st. Louis, and Supervisor
Hawley, of New York, to Cincinnati.
The importantly of the Supervisors
who were sent to new homes, without
adequate compensation for the change
or any allowance under the law, for
house rent, &c, when away from their
States and homes, aided by their
friends In Congress, induced the Pres
ident to suspend the order, and It has
lremained in statu quo until its recent
revival, with such satisfactory results
by Secretary Bristow.
By the order Of Douglass last win.
ter, Supervisors Tuition, Hawley and
Hedriok were assigned to the vulner.
able points in the line, and In the pres
emit raid, they have substantially the
same assignment. Viewed from this
standpoint the fiattering extract from
Mr.. Douglass' letter will be- read
with interest:
"The officers at certain suspected
and very important points had, IL was
feared. failed in tho discharge Of their
duties. ] therefore recommended Z
general change of supervisors, to be
accompanied by similar change OF
revenue agents, In the hope that /
might thus practically effect what
seemed otherwise to be impossi-
ble-namely, change Of tho leading
onicers ct the suspected points. Re-
membertng too well that supervisors
and agents were not only business
wheels but incidentally political In
atruments, and that such recommen-
dalton, unless prudcntly timed, would
defeat itself, ! waited until the con-
greesional and senatorial Gu. 81 elec-
tions were over, and then made the
recommendation on the 26th Of Janu-
kary last. / had hoped that, these cleo
nons having taken place and the
eme being midway between presi.
q DENTAL elections, the order would
Withstand the anticipated adverse
pressure, and be Able TO work III in
tended benefit to the revenue. The
men selected for the suspected noints
were chosen for their experiance VIC.
or and integrity. Bnt the nressnc. mn
was too heaYy, and the order. to nv
regret, WAS recalled. Had the q o,d:s, ~
stood, in thirty or sixty days the shir.
ments of spirits by rail- or water anS
the sAles TO local dealers ct the mai
points could have been compared Witl
the records In the local Offices, OF ~
Washington Office, and the Illicit on
orations which have since come tc
light would have been certainly dis.
covered"
We may add In conclusion that th.
late commissioner 10 understood I,
have gone out with clean hands; ths
b 10 poor, and that 1. 10 the genersll,
accepted opinion among well inform
q hsvsuue people that hs was faith
Anl, hspsst and consultations oflcer
who anitosmily In his businsss gav,