, 1875-05-20

"0 AAG4 %4ALAV44ASlA ~ b@43 tl1Ak Ills sec
rotary Of tho Treasury, in his efforts 10 break
mp the fraudulent practiccs of the Whisky
Hing, and in his determination to prosecute
and punish to the full extent Of tho law MI
those found guilty, especially tho officers OF
the raveAuo, will lnvo the cordial approval
and unlimited support of President GRANT.
ANY guilty perSon who pulls any hope Of cs,
cape from legal prosecution upon the Presi.
| dents interference with the execution Of the
law by the Secretary OF the Treasury, ID
certain to 10 disappointed. There will bo no
such interference, no matter how strongly it
may be urged by persons who, in ordinary
political matters, ars regarded as friends Of
the Administration.
There Is at this time remarkable struggle
| among the manufacturers aud doalers in
spirits. These are divided into two classes !:
tho honest snd tho dishonest. The dishon-
est a1e just now in trouble; an honest and
| Vigilant Secretary Of the Treasury, sustained
by m honest and vigiiant Attorney General,
proposes to administer tile neyeauo laws in
the interest Of the Government, and not in
| tito interest Of few dishonest revenue Off
GERS. Taxes IRE levied for public revenue,
anl not for tho benefit of Collectors, Store.
keepers, Gau3ors, rcctilors, md distillcrs !;
and where these yiolato the law, resorting to
bribery and corruption, and to forgery md
falso swearing, they are to be prosecuted md
punished a. any others committing criminal
acts.
The second class Of those engaged in the
! manufacture and sale Of Hpirits ara those who
do an honest business, pay their taxes, and
neither buy Or sell fraudulenuy. The tax on
whisky is 90 cents gallon. Tho profit on
whisky which dishonesty escapes taxation,
aftar paying the shares to the revenue officers,
in ahout Is conts per gallon, or $3.50 on I, 600
gallons. When whisky is mado and sold by
tho millions Of gallons, tho loss to the Coy.
esnmeut mud tho incomo Of the dishonest
officials and the profits OF tho operators as
sumo gigantic proportions. The tar on a
million Of gallons Of spirits is 3900,0 II
this tax DO evadod, the division OF the
plundcr is: to tho corrupt revenue Of
ficers, 8350,000; to tho diatillera or
recttlers, S550. 900. Tho man who can
manufacture whisky which. sells Mt whole
Hale at $1.15 per gallon, aud pays no tar e1.
cept m average Of s. cents to the revenue
officers, has decided advantage over tho
honest manufacturer, who cells at tho same
price and paya tho Whole tux. lie has o mar
gin Of IS cents gallon, on which ho can
command tho market to tho exclusion or loss
Of tho honest dlstiller. Tho man who pays
81, 900 for revenue stamps, and can 90 haudlo
them rs to cover ton thousand gallons Of
spirits, cen control the market at M immense
profit, TO the exclusion Of the manufacturer
who uaes stamps gallon for gallon, as he soils
tho whisky.
Honco there 10 natural and very gerious
Rtruggle between tho man who honestly
stamps overy gallon lie makes and soils, mud
tile man who pnys taxca on only ono gallon
In ten that ho sells. In this INSTANCE the
Government IL called upon to take sidcs with
tho honest disttl1ors, who make nnl sell tarco-
fonrths of tho whisky and pay taxcs honestly
thereon, or with tho dishonest fraternity,
who put upon the market, perhaps,
ono-fourth Of Tho whole amount OF
whisky manufactured In tho country,
and Eiy no tax thereon. Tho one class do
III Atiaest, Legitimate businoss, aud contrib
ute the full sum Of tho tar to tho Treasury:
tho other c'aaa alo dishonest, illogitimate busl-
ness including tho corruption Of tho Federal
! Officers and pay no tax to the Government.
The Government ha. to ohooae which Of
these clauses 1t shall protect, and which It
shAu suppress and break up, and tbs sccso.
ta1y OF the Treasury has mado his selection.
and proposes to uphold tho honest distillere,
In that decision Ia will have, as ws l1ayo
stated, the earnest and unlimited support Of
tho President.
Willis the whisky frauds have become ap.
psosimately Is extensive as they wero In
AHpExw JouNsoN's timo, like systsm Of dis.
honesty has been established In the customs
revenues. Wholesale smuggling has beeu
carried on in that service for ssveral years,
and with the conniyanca Of conapt and dis.
honest revenue of6cero. The New YosA
Oustom.House han verified tho characte,
given To 1t some yesrs ago BY several New
York merchants, who declared on oath that
they would NOT knowingly have Id tholr an,