The daily gazette., 1875-05-13
The Whislcey Frauds.

Inc new 1Ork lTtoWut uakeS Out
very strong case against the Whiskey
Ring and fastens the frauds pretty con-
clusively upon Commissioner Douglass
Whether these frauds grew up out of
the carelessness or neglect Of Douglass
or were the result CT indirect interest in
the Wiliskey Ring is not of much conse-
quence now. The money the govern
ment has lost by the unfaithfulness and
dishonesty OF Cabinet officers can nevel
be recovered, although the loss may
have aggregated in the several years
to hundreds of millions.
The Tribune says: Previously to July
/, 1868, the tax on distilled spirits had
been two dollars per gallon, and on that
date it was reduced to fifty cents. AT
this rate it remained until August /,
1872. when it was raised to seventy
cents. In February, 1875, it was again
raised, and is now fixed at one dollar.
1t is very well known that when the tax
was two dollars gallon it produced less
than it did after the reduction was made
to fifty cents, 1t is not SO well known
that since the present Administration
has been elevating our civil service to
LIS PlEoChb SdDlitbC uibAphNO, bhC 4abhbA-
ty of distilled spirits escaping the pay.
ment of taxes into the National Treas
ury, which was never excessively small
has been constantly increasing. This is
the fact we propose to establish, leaving
it for our readers to interpret its signih
oance.
1t is shown from Delano's annual re
port for 1869 that the annual consump
tion of spirits was not less than $1,000
gallons. The population Of the countr,
since then has increased one-sixth au,
the taxes on spirits had been considera
bly, increased; but the total amount col
lected for the year ending June so. 1874
was only $49. .444,OsO. The same shove
that the distilleries if operated for te
months were capable of producin
203,9l2, 300 gallons year.
The fact is well known that the cor
sumption of spirits always increase
employed and receiving good wages, q
they notoriously were in 1871, 1872, an
1873. The Internal Ravenue returns
however, indicate a diminished cor
sumption Of liquors in all those years, a
compared with 1870. The United Kine
dom advances in population much les
rapidly than the United States, yet tn
respective quantities of British and fo
eign spirits and wines retained an
taxed for home consumption in thu
country tell a very different tale frol
urs.
The excise duties collected on gallo
OF spirits in Great Britain are ten shil
lngs gallon, or more than three time
those imposed in the United State
The revenue derived by Great Britain i
the year ending March Is, 1874, We
S73,000,000 from British spirits, $26 900
600 from foreign liquors, So, ,0OO, 600, an
S38,000,000 from malt LIQUORS. Tot,
l46,o00,000. In the fiscal year 1874, IL
United States received $44, 600 fro
the gallon tax on spirits, $4,000, 900 frol
matt liquors, and $8,0O0,0O0 from Gu
toms duties on foreign wines and liquor
Total S61, ,OOO, 900. From 1864 to 1874, I'll
British revenue from excise duties c
spirits increased more than fifty p,
cent. without any change whatever
the tax per gallon. In the fiscal We.
1870 the Uuited States derived a reven,
frQm spirits of $55, ,581 500, includir
license fees, and though the tax Wi
raised to seventy cents gallon Augu
l, 1872, the Internal revenue Office h,
never succeeded in matching its receip
for 1870 under the fifty cent tax! The
are the facts. We leave to Commission
er Douglass tho difficult task at explail
ing them, and of placing the responsibi
lty for this wholesale robbery, periur
corruption and debauchery where
properly belongs.