The Evening critic., 1883-01-09
THO sunsIdx to whisky.
wAsHiSGToN, d. o., jon. O, 1888.

NAbHiNuION, u. C,i Jhh' V, 1900
10 Ms EditoT Of The IggeatR0 Critic'
In these Times OF legislative virtue, as dem
onstrated In the passage OF tho Clvil-Servlcc
uraudl bill, itmay be of Interest to analyze the
vote OF the senate and the coming vote OF tho
House on the Whisky bill Now the loss 10 the
Government I'm interest and the shrinkage of
the bonded whisky since the enactment OF the
relief measures Of the last two years has av-
cragcd not less than three millions year u
the people, making gross sum OF thirty mil
lions OF dollars. | do not know whether i've
per cent. is 10 ho paid In the future for the
whisky I'm bond or not. II II Is the loss 70
the Government will be less in tho futures but
the loss on shrinkago VIII be probably three
millions annually. Now, II the suosldies that
Congress has given to the whisky interost-an
Interest that debauches, degrados anu ue.
stroys tho manhood of man, from the united
States Senate down 10 the gutter, ana causes
rivers OF tears TO flow from sad wolnon Wnose
husbands, sons ana friends have been ruined
by the curec, ana added millions upon mil
lions. of taxes. to be paid by , tho sober
people for their protection from the
effects of drunkenness-had been given
as q bonus for the encouragement OF building
nm home commerce, we would within tho
next three years have a passenger and freight
tonnage equal to the needs OF our commerce
and OF untold advantage to our people Not
single Senator voted for the Whisky Extension
bill that does not believe that not ono gallon
Will ever pay the present tax. majority
would vote all taxes of no doubt but all be-
lieye that tho tax Will be reduced to tlfty cents
per gallon, at loss 70 the Government of
thirty forty million of dollars. And not one OF
these Senators out OF ak, and probably not one
of them, would vote subsidy to revlve our
commerce. No votes come 10 them In the In
crease OF commerce, while each cross-road
GROCERY keeper has vote and controls other
voters.
1t is said that most OF this whisky is really
owned in the East. No doubt 1t is almost en-
tirely pledged for money, and that money In
terest is the power forcing forward this bill,
and they Will do doubt carry the bill In the
House. During the war, when whisky was
taxed two dollars gallon, members OF both
Houses. and influential friends outside, made
millions of dollars by the bill, but no man was
bribed. A syndicate organized and bought up
all the whisky In the country, as we'll as the
products for given time. They came TO
Washington and sold u given number OF
barrels of whisky "where 1t was supposed to
whisky manufactured from that date, and the
holder OF those contracts, who had not paid
n dollar, was paid by this syndicate the
difference between the price of the whisky pe-
fore and after the tax was put on.
Now II Is safe to say that the whisky now In
bond will be worth more by at least twenty
five cents per gallon II the Senate bill becomes
That makes difference OF at least S20,O00,-
COO. To divide up n. few OF these millions
would seem to be reasonable. No bribery; no
vote selling. Simply the purchase (honest
purchase) of a few barrels of whisky. Then
they call for 1t and pay the taxes and the
Ing future, but buying future. When the
bill passes the difference In price Will he i'd
iusted. The bill will pass, but not ten votes
viii be given for 1t that believe It right OF
honest. But Just now the average Congress
man Is shaking in his boots In fear Of the
whisky power, and the man who occasionally
puts his hand behind him now has his chance