, 1876-02-05

WIZ THE PRESENT SYSTEM ~ PREFERABLE.
10 l.e Et11r II The Chicago Tribune:
CHICAGO. Feb. 4.-under tho head, "IIow can
the wh!sky.tax bo collocted?' appeared IN
article in your paper Of today, tn which it la
pzoposod to abandon the pseaent law Tor tue
collection Of informal revenue on distilled spirits,
aud cntcr upon another aea of experiment.
This law haa now boon Ia force for nearly fifteou
years; tho wisdom Of Regulators and the press,
With tho practical knowledge Of tho disti1ar. has
been expended upon 1t; defect afto1 uefoct has
boon corrected ns 1t appeared in the practical
working, until regard II now I'd the most per-
feet enactment that humau ingenuity can In.
vent. Point out one single defect II you can,
Until nc admit that it III impossible to secure
honest officers to enforce it. 1t is effective, aud
oven In the suggestion in your article OF
capacity tax, you alude to an Inspector, mud
proposo to place tho whole collection ia tho
hands OF this single officer.
Let us look at tho practical workings OF this
law. As Is we'll known, tho Government is III
possession Of tho dsttlloEy, has .ocks aud bolts
on every hopper aud door. 30 that 1t is impossl-
bio for diBtillor to remoye gallon of Aprisa
without the kno HledBo and colsuBiou OF 4 Govern
Government otticory.-and thore must bo always
two, GAuecr aud Sto1ekoopcr,-nnd remover.
without paying tax, ton OF tlfty barrels OF splr-
its; how il 10 70 get tAom Oh tho tnarluta Only
HN1
tlflor tiev oncoupter from ono 10 throo Govern.
nunt oficerv more. II those arc nocureu. tie
rnrt1tier tfispones NJ hIa uon1]s to n ,yhniaaata
aehlor where 0oyerumcnt officer Ia rendy 10
receiya Them. II he ia securod. ho aeils To a
retsil deajnr under ,ln jusnortTon of anothrr
Hnrsrnmant ot,isnr. In ali tl1asc chsnrcs I'm
ear.marke are Kent in ! record : trnuBcript of
chs ustne loinu always In the Coll,ctnr'a t,frcc.
tnd tI1e eooua cnn Il any time bo tracod thrnuct,
III tbs trauafers, until they enter into Gun
SUMPTION. Aside from tho o1icorp aboyo
mcutloned, the Collector has numbor OF
hIa secret agents, sud AK 10 all common aense.
TnS fa, frnud be comrnltted Witlont wilole.
saio coIluslon of GoyoTpmout onicora7 r.ot ma
aay rleht hore, that, wAiio there arc thieves If,
MI brauches Of business, uIucty-njne dlsticrn in
alundred would uoyer astomps or hive .!esIre
whom tho Uoyorumont euplpYa, This was
t.1s,rv nrnyen In fho formnt,on or t,ia ori,,nsi
81. Louis Ilue. whEro two citios wcro y,sited
wlthout iuding d dipt,ler to 9utcr Into iho
schsme. o
You ius.apco the capacity tax Ia thu Old World,
Leenors. or Btamps known tuero. You Uronoso
IhetcfoTa that ronln aftor jonyinp thodiat,iIery'
stoull III frce. without INV ear-1uarkp On tlIon,'
Inv lonr would II ho hofurp oyery mountnin in
this couutrv. aud eyory slum In ti,o c,ics. would
l,nyo its 1istilleries + ILn rrnaou thin i. nut
Ione mora oxtaupiye1y now IL tha almost
utter iu,posaitillty or cettiuu tuo uopda on
I'm 1nnrknt wfthnnt atanns Il wou,i tskc nI,
srmy to stun iiiict distilistion t,aus IN ,eearsi
10 lis tuccess Of lbs syssem in tha Oil Wnrid
e. +. enlv uornssnxt ~ ms tb.t nf@Icars a ~ ~
pnlntnd thera fnr 1tfe AMI Thai tn uvutor1 ,foro
~ btro. depouds upon tGo HonSsty of thn
pflcerp,
Now coma to,yn To rauacltv tnr nud how
are YOU TO liz the capacItyi In the North we