The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-06-03

Now that the mighty ring of internal
revenue officials, distiliers and dealers
which was organized to defraud the Treas.
ury and to divide the spoils has been
completely laid bare in all its far-reaching
combinations, the Presidents organs claim
for him large credit for a work in which
he had no hand whatever 1t was not un-
til the most positive proof of guilty collu-
sion between the various parties to THE
plumber were presented to him that he
consented to the vigorous measures which
led to the crushing exposure and its conse-
quences.
la fact, his protection of this ring was
one of the elements which contributed
materially to its downfall When the
Secretary of the Treasury discovered last
winter that enormous quantities of whisky
were put upon the market without paving
any tax, and the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue disputed the concurrent testi-
mony on this point from various respon-
sible sources, he devised method which
must have thwarted collision seriously.
An order was issued transferring the Super
visors of Internal Revenue from one dis
trict 10 another, SO that each would
thus be stranger in the place of
his new appointment. By this sys-
tenn of frequent changes, without
warning, the operations of the ring would
have been restricted to certain class of
frauds, or the whole force of Supervisors
would have TO be bought, thus involving
increased expense and difficulty in the pro-
duction and sale of the illicit whisky.
The elect OF that order was soon sharp
ly felt, and the very Supervisors who are
most compromised in the present discov-
cries were naturally the first to rush to
Washington for relief. Their personal
revenues were in danger of being sacri-
feed. They knew better than to approach
MIR. Bristoys on such a subject; but, backed
by retained counsel in Congress and other
powerful influences, they appealed to the
President to set aside an administrative act
of the Treasury Department intended for
its own protection.
Without consulting the Secretary at all,
or caring TO consider what might be the
result of this offensive interference the
President revoked the order and substan-
TALLY renewed license to plumber the
revenue. Instead of offering his resigna-
ton Mr.. Bristow proceeded to organize
the campaign which has resulted so sue
ceSStully and when il is all over the
laurels are claimed for the President, who
threw all the power of his office on the
side of the ring until further aid became
hazardous and might be followed by i'm
parchment.
This is by no means an exceptional ex-
ample OF the Presidents partially for pub
lie plunderers. Proofs as conclusive as
those which exist in this case were laid
before him by the Peace Commissioners,
whom he had selected for their eminence
and worth as citizens, showing that the
Indians were robbed with the knowledge
and cOnnivance of the Secretary of the In
terror and the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs. Ee paid no heed to them, and
gladly accepted their designations. De
lano, Smith and Babcock had his private
ear and confidence, for reasons that are
not we'll understood
The Army Ring, the Custom House
Ring, the Washington Ring, the Straw
bid Ring, the Navy Ring, the Land grab
bing Ring and all the other corrupt COM
binations revolve around the White
House, and are the ouigrowth of Grantism
during the last five years. Sustained by
the President, they have made investiga-
tons farce, shaped legislation in their
own interest, controlled appointments, and
actually run the Government as if it were
aclose corporation. Surely it is time for
radical change,-N. Y. Sun.