Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-13
THE WHISKY EXCITEMENT.
What the Cincinnati Men Say-FIfGeen
Cents Additional Tax Will Ruin
Many HOuses-LOuisViIIe stirring
Her Stumps

What the Cincinnati Men Say-FIfteen
Cents Additional Tax Will Ruin
Many HOuses-LOuisviIIe stirring
Her Stumps
Cincinnati Gazette, Feb. u
A prominent distiller informed us that if
the whisky tax is increased TO one dollar
he expects to be compelled TO close his es-
tablishment. He won't steal, and the in
crease in COutTaband spirits will create a
competition that would ruin any honest
manufacturer. Not over seventy-ive per
cent. Of the taxes are now collected. Al
one dollar the percentage will fall to fifty
per cent.
Louisville Commercial, Feb. p
The bill pending in Congress to increase
the tax on whisky has precipitated some
large financial operations among whisky
men here within the past few days. The
NeWcOmb-Buchanan Company have paid
about 100000 in withdrawilg from bOTd
their stocks Of whisky, and fully One-third
more will be paid before the bill becomes a
law. From this one item some idea can
be formed Of the II mense revenue which
the Government derives from the manufac-
ture Of sp.rituOus liquor, and also Of the
amount Of capital required to carry on a
wholesale whisky business.
Cincinnati Commercial, Feb. z.
The agitation in whisky circles in this
city yesterday was quite marked. On
Change there was manifest in the faces of
reCtifigrS a feeling of uneasiness. They are
flying around with the latest private ad-
vices in their fists, each asking the other
what it all meant, and what was the latest.
And the disiilleTs were very busy also. All
over the city, in every business having the
least relation 10 the whisky trade, people
were excited. There was the feeling that
the bill could not possibly pass
as presented, particularly that fifteen
cent provision. How this could be
eonstitutiOnaliy made law nobody could
understand. Douglass was quoted to show
that it would make a suspension of legiti-
mate business for sixty TO ninety days, and
open wide the door to fraud. The fifteen
cent. clause was put this way: Govern
ment has made a contract with a holder of
whisky. He has paid seventy cents a gal
ion on his goods, and Government has
said: ''Y our goods are free now; you have
paid me, aud you can realize what you
can" And now Government comes, IN
plain violation Of that contract, to say:
''NO, you don't until you pay me fifteen
cents more on every gallon of that whis-
ky" A hOuse in this city holds 100000
gallons of whisky on which the tax
has been paid. Where is that
house to raise its $4,000 to
turn over to the Government before it
can sell a gallon? The opinion of intelli-
gent men in this city, who have opposed
the increase because they think it will
bring about more fraud, is, that this bill,
if SEED as it ST ,nds, would ruin the bust
ness. 1t would certainly bring a dead halt
TO it here.
Men well informed on the subject as
suTed OuT reporter yesterday, that the pas
sage Of this bill would certainly ruin many |
firms, and cut of the income that the coun- !
try now has from whisky. They represent |
that the result must be stupendOus frauds. |
Private dispatches received last night in |
diCate that the clause to tax whisky on /
hand additional, in store and bond, will be |
stricken ont. We learn this from Walsh, /
Brooks and kellogg; alsO that the bill will |
come up in the House on Saturday.