Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-11-25

Id4ho........ 1875 Pennsylvania. 6,1499 4
Illinois. 1895 8 Rhode Island. 23l.767
Indiana ...... 4.655.863 :. Carolina. 120SlS
IOWa...-.....- I,"Al,' 81 Tennessee .. S85,910
Kansas .-..... l.3.535ICXaS ........ @J244S
Kentucky.... 1922, G35 Utah. 500. 3f,5 5
Maine ........ 1E7.26ffN Virginia. ..... T,659G39
M~aryland..... z, 155.SiJ NashIngfOn.. 21,116
Massachusetts, 2,670,49l West Virginia 508,Gs4
MIchlgan..-.- 1,93 SEQ Wisconsin =. 2,I20,%6S
Mlnnesota.-.. 226,362 Wyoming 49, 1912
MisaissIppi... 96.085l
The number Of distilleries registered dur
ing the year was 4,736, and the number
operated, 4,608. Of the number operated 656
were grain distiIleries, seven molasses distill-
cries ard 3,945 fruit distflcrics.
The Commissioner says public attention
has been often called within the past few
months TO the extensive frauds committed in
certain localities upon the revenue by distilI-
crs aud r~cctidcrs of distilled spirits. He
gives an account, first, of the checks, guards
and projections against frauds established by
law; second, OF the manner in which the
whisky frauds, so-calIed, lately exposed were
Derpetrated upon the Governments; third, the
extent Of these frauds; fourth, the checks
recently established to prevent a recurrence
of the same, and, fifth, suggests legislation
which, in his opinion, is necessary to insure
a fuller collection in future ct the taxes upon
distilled spirits.
The COMMISSIONS gives it as his opinion
chat the only law necessary is one that shall
make the requirements as stringent and the
penalties for defrauding the Government as
severe in tie case of the ~rectifer as they
now are in the case of the distiller. The
rectifer should be required to give a bond
in an amount equal to the tax represented by
all the spirits he can possibly r@ectify each
month. The house and tract of land upon
which the establishment is located should be
forfeited to the United States in case of fraud.
He should not be allowed to handle any
spirits at his rectifying-house except those
he purchases for rectiicati0n and sells
under rectifers' stamps. Under the present
system of detecting frauds at least thirty
days must elapse before discovery could be
made and guilt fixed. AS the apparatus in a
r-ectifying-house capable Of refining the
quantity of spirits upon which the tax would
amount to 100000 a month may not be
worth more than $4,000, it will readily be
seen that under the present law, which only
forfeits the apparatus and spirits owned by
him at the time of seizure, a ~rcctifier may
aid in defrauding the Government of $780,
900 and forfeit only l 10000. BY Ascending
to a foreign country he also escapes criminal
punishment.
The COMMISSIONS is firmly Of the opinion
that the present large tax upon distilled
spirits can be collected with but small loss.
This opinion is based upon the fact that ev-
cry S~torekeeper, Gauger and employe who
is connected with a d~istillery where fraud
is perpetrated becomes a pensioner upon
the distiller. IF, therefore, d~istiIlers be kept
under such strict surveillance that the
amount of money gained by fraud is not suf-
fcient to pay q large corps of officers and
workmen in necessary collision with them
to consummate fraud, they will, as a matter
of policy, be honest.
As an indication of the extent of the frauds
above described the Commissioner reports
that documentary evidence is in possession
of his office which has warranted the seizure
of % distilleries and 81 rectifying-houses, and
implicated over so United States Gaugers and
Storekeepers. This evidence also shows the
issue between July 1, 1874, and May l, 1875,
of fraudulent spirits, by duplication, of q, 1000
packages, containing probably 10000 proof
gallons, and by aid of false gauging to the
additional amount Of 100000 proof gallons.
This, he says, is but a portion of the fraud
actually committed, but in itself indicates
the loss of tax to Government in ten months
of an amount not less than S1.650,000.
The receipts from all sources relating to
fermented liquors for the fiscal year were
$9,144,004, a decrease of S160,675 as COM
pared with 1874. The number Of brewers
manufacturing fermented liquors is 2,7S4.
The Commissioner expresses full conf
dence in tie stamp system for the collection
of revenue.
The number of cases compromised during
the year is 744, and the amount received by
compromise S156,576.
The total receipts from tobacco were SS7,-
303,461, an increase over 1874 of S 1000, $50,
and an increase over any previous fiscal year
of S2,917, 15S. The total amount of tax col
lected on tobacco and snuff from Sept. l,
1862, to June so, 1875, is 1925, 356, PIG. The
total collections on cigars, cheroots and Gig
arettes the same time is SOS, 233, 200. 1t is ex-
pected that during the current year the as.
sessments of tax on tobacco will be largely
increased. The whole amount of taxes as
sessed during the year was SS,23O,009; in,
crease over the previous year, S344,435.
The quantity of distilled spirits in ware
house July L, 1874, was IL, 1863 gallons
distilled spirits produced during the year
90, 93O,425 gallons; total, 7S,6S6,394; tota
Withdrawn, 65,319,141, leaving in bond Junt
so, 1875, 1862 53. Spirits removed from