The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-21


Ratds on Inc Illicit DIsfiliers.
WASHINGTON, May l3-Both
houses OF Congress to-day received
from the Secretary of the Treasury
q communication transmitting sundry
recommendations submitted o bin
by the Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue and q detailed report of the
operations of the bureau in The sup
preston Of illicit d~istillatipn ia the
States where j. has been most preva-
lent from July |, 1876, TO the present
time. 1t is shown that during that
period 2.63S stills have been seized,
422 persons have been arrested for
illicit distilling. Sl09. 135 have been
expended for special deputies en-
ployed for the purpose of suppressing
Illicit distiliation, and IS persons
were killed aud 80 wounded while
thus engaged. The operations have
been carried on principally IN Geor-
gia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Car
olias, Kentucky, North Carolina and
Virginia, In which I States the seiz-
ures numbered 1888 and the arrests
AIS. Commissioner Raum says +:
"Since March /, 1877, in several Of
the districts ID the Ssathern States
while operations for the suppression
Of illicit distiilati-n were being vigcr-
ously prosecuted many of the illicit
distillefs against whom warrants had
been issued express an earnest desire
to abandon their fraudulent prac-
tees, and by direction OF the Attor-
ney General, With the approval OF the
Secretary Of the Treasury, they were
permitted % come into court, plead
guilty and have their sentences sus
pended during good behavior Pleas
OF guilty with suspension Of sentence
have been taken as follows: In
Georgia, 1862 T; South Carolina, 31S;
North Carolina, $40 F; Alabama, ll4;
Tennessee, 426 total, 2.0S0-n
The Commissioner adds that a
very large number of indictments are
pending at Nashville, where tho Uni
ted States Court is now 10 session,
and that from the best information
he csn obtain be believes the numbsr
Of pleas of guilty with suspension of
sentence will reach, if not quite, L.
600 in Tennessee.
Secretary Sherman summarizes
and endorses the remaining portions
of Commissioner Raum's coMmunica-
ton ia the following terms:
"The efforts made to suppress the
illicit manufacture Of spirits and to-
bacco demonstrate that IN many of
the districts the evil has become
chronic, and that the laws cannot be
enforced against offenders without
The presence Of an armed force ade-
quate TO overcome aud persistently
intimidate persons disposed to violate
the law. 1t also appears by returns
from his bureau that 10 districts where
toe power of the government has
been steadily exerted the evenue has
increased and the Gistillation
of spirits and the manufacture of 20
bacco has uniformly tended to con-
form to the requirements Of the law
1t is obvious that a steady aud per-
execution of the law 1 be
secured only by putting such a force
10 the service as can effectually watch
against fraud over large areas Of ter
ritory and IN localities difficult Of ac-
cess. To this end this department
should be authorized TO employ an
armed force when violent resistance
is made to the execution of The law.
True economy is promoted by an en-
torcement Of the law 50 vigorous as
once to check resistance by be
certainty of danger and loss The
control Of such a force by persons en-
by this department would OBJ
viate the necessity of a recourse to
the regular military force OF the Uni
ted States which would otherwise be
required. The efficiency Of such a
force would De increased also by the
facility of making prompt arrests and
of prosecuting before the courts OF the
United States and violation Of the
lag. For this purpose a liberal ap-
preparation is necessary, aud, ss The
Commissioners shows, il will be- more
than made good by enhanced ccllec-
lions. | most earnestly, therefore,
of the Recommendations Of
the Commissioner, that Congress pro-
vide by statute for the punishment 10
the Courts of the United Sta,e5 Of the
crime of murder or as ,aultS With ia
tent to murder when committed on
an officer Of The United States in the
performance Of bis duties; secondly.
that the appropriation for Salaries
and expenses of collectors of internal
revenue for the next fiscal year
should be 81, 900, 600 instead OF ST..
500, 900, as proposed in a bill now be-
fore one branch Of Congress. Very
respectfully,
'sJoHN SHERMAN,
S@cretaryU