The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-12
Secretary Brlstow and the Whiskey
Ring.

The Treasury Department deserves credit
and recognition Tor the careful scrutiny the
Secretary is making into tie management Of
the Internal Revenue Bureau and his bold ex-
posure Of the newly organized Whiskey Ring,
with which some Of the Treasury officials ap-
paruntly have been in completely. 1t has
been known for some time that whiskey was
selling in this city Tor less than it could pos
sibly be sold if the taxes were properly paid,
that it was impossible to account for them,
unless some Of the officials high in authority
were acting with the manufacturers to detraud
the government. II does not clearly
appear as yet who were the guilty
parties in the public service, but one
or two supervisors and some OF the officials in
the revenue department are in a position
which requires the strictest investigation. We
have no evidence that Commissioner Douglass
was suspected OF being in collision with the
Ring. His removal was necessary as the
first step toward the detection and punish
ment Of the wrongdoers, as il was under his
administration that the fraudulent scheme
was organized The business Of the bureau
had been so loosely performed that it was not
only possible tor few men to organize one Of
the most powerful rings which ever preyed
upon the Treasury, but suspicion rested on 50
many shoulders that the Secretary knew not
whom to trust among the officials about him.
That this suspicion was well founded is APP
parent from the fact that word was sent to the
Illicit manufacturers in ST. Louis, Chicago
AID other places as soon as the secret Of
his intended seizures became known even to
the few persons 70 whom he was compelled to
intrust knowledge Of his plans. Notwith-
standing the endeayor Of faithless public
servants to weaken and embarrass bis efforts
they met with something more than fair sue
cess. and II only remains for him to follow up
the work already begun with 50 much credit
to himself. In q matter OF this kind there
are no partisan or political interests unless
the party in power seeks to cover up and con-
ceal the frauds upon the government, or per-
sists in keeping ia power the corrupt men by
whom they are perpetrated A case in point
Is the war OF Governor Tilden upon the Canal
I
success must be regarded as encouragement
for republican Secretary OF the Treasury in
exposing corrupt republicans. There can
BE no safety FOR the Republic unless punish
ment is certain to follow fraud in
the public service, and the spirit evinced by
Mr. Bristow in this respect IS in every way
satisfactory We trust he will not be deferred
by party cries or party considerations from
doing his whole duty in this matter, but
bring all the real culpnts to justice, be they
who they may. 10 little while We shall
have Investigations in abundance, but before
Congress begins this necessary work it would
be well also to have . little punishment Mr..
Bristow, since he took charge Of the Treasury,
has received very general recognition Tor
the integrity he brought to the department.
He will deserve still better Of his country il
he compels his subordinates 70 be as honest
as he is himself, and Furnishes those who cor
rupt the public service and defraud the rev
enue. whether they are Or are not in the EN-.
ploy Of the government.