New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-27
Western W hisky,

Inc LOUISVILLE commercial mentions the
transfer of internal revenue supervisors,
which gives General w. J. Brady charge of
the supervising district which includes this
State, and orders Colonel P. B. Hunt to the
Ohio and Indiana district. The Commercial
saya:
Colonel Hunt leaves this district in good
shape. He has put o stop to dstillng in
New Orleans, where there should be no dis.
tilling, and he has thoroughly overhauled
the whole business of the manufacture of
spirits throughout the district. The fact
that he has seized nothing outside of New
Orleans except one distillery in Covington,
only shows that the business is conducted
in nearly all cases in conformity with law.
This, of course, is complimentary to
Colonel Hunt, though we believe all dis
tilleries were locked up here by Special
Agent Brooks, while the district was under
the supervision Of Mr.. Cobb, and long be-
fore Colonel Hunt was appointed. There
is no defense to be made for those VINO
make crooked whisky; those who violate
the law must suffer it's penalties; the laws
regulating the distillation of whisky may
/ be unjust, severe, tyraunical; that is not for
the law breakers to decide. If the Com.
nsercial had stated that there should be no
illicit distilling, it would have uttered a
popular desire. When it says there should
be no distilling in New Orleans, it onlv
breathes the prayer OF West rn producers
against the business of this city. The world
would undoubtedly be better off if the
m n lfa nf phia1ru
tinued in every place. The Western
wish that whisky shall not be made here is
not SO much in the interest of temperance
reform as it is that, with no competitor in
home production, New Orleans may become
better market for the terrible stuff made
in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. 1t can not
be charged that government officers lend
themselves to the unworthy purpose of sup
pressing manufactures in one place and
facilitating whisky making in another. The
supervisor assumes that all distillers are
dishonest With the knowledge that Louis
lana has not nationalized herself with the
reputation Of being law abiding State, and
that the Democratic citizens of New Or
leans do not particularly thirst to pay the
public debt incurred by the war against
Southern Democracy and secession, the
revenue officers may reasonably be expect
ed to heed somewhat to the old Western
cry that crooked whisky is made here
whenever distillers are allowed to work.
New Orleans has already too much to
contend with to be attractive to capitalists
who hear reports of epidemics, of White
Leagues, of party standing ready to over
throw the State government, of monopolies
secured by Democratic lobbies, of high
city taxes, of Democratic City Administra.
tors selling the public franchises and estab-
fishing lottery bond scheme, and other
current charges which do not decrease as
they travel; but it is little too much to
have Kentucky paper coolly and piously
assert that distilling should not be allowed
in New Orleans, and to pat supervisor on
the back because he may be disposed to
think so too. If our people must drink
whisky, We wish them to encourage
home industry in their drinking. If
whisky can be made honestly and 1t the
same time pro6tably, oar distillers can
prove it. Bourbon may be very good, but
when We are obliged to take that and
nothing else, it is not so good. Our rag
money friends of the West may say that
Louisiana should not be allowed to raise
corn and make pork because our people
have always been sending their money
away to buy food. The manufacture of
whisky is about the only enterprise in New
Orleans which ever produced goods for
shipment to other points. Captain s. w.
Hammond succeeded in making an alcohol
here which became known in all States for
its excellence; it was in constant transpor
tation and demand, being exported to
France in barrels and coming back in
cologne bottles. When that work stopped
New Orleans lost and manufacturers at
other points gained. Kentucky is not sorry.