The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-28

this loan cannot practically be obtained
from the capital of the country, because
the creditor knows that if he should
demand its payment at any time, the price of
whisky might be reduced to a song by its sacri-
fee, and so payment made impossible. But that
depends. It depends entirely upon the purpose
with which this bill is passed and the probable
action of the parties who are interested III it. If
this bill is not sought with the sure and honest
purpose of staying production-if this bill should,
as l believe it will land as was the case before),
stimulate production and thereby glut the mar
ket still more, and reduce the price by its sur
plus then to pass the bill would certainly be to
promote the very evils from which relief is
sought On the other hand if there is an hon
est purpose to stay production till the present
excessive supply is distributed and consumed in
the ordinary channels. that result can be OBJ
tanned by the voluntary act Of the parties them
selves and without any bill The passage of this
bill would not aid in that result Any capitalist
holding the money and taking the amount off
the hands of the government would be secure
with things Just as they are so that, taking
either horn of the dilemma there is no iustitica-
ton for the bill. If however, you still say the
danger is great, and the security so frail that
no such risk ought to be put upon the capital OF
the country under any circumstances then l
answer and the common sense of the House
will sustain me III saying-that the time has
come to force the question of the repeal of the
tax itself, and not leave the government count
ing as an asset something which has value.
=
| us is not temporary question of extension. IT
is a question of repeal There is only one other
ground on which. if it existed. l should be per
fectly ready to grant this relief, and that is if
anybody i'll this country had been msled or
wronged By the action of the government. But,
as has been so often and conclusively
shown, fair warning was given in 1878. Produc-
ers, distillers, bankers spectators, all had their
eyes wide open to the risk they ran. They have
taken their chances as the gambler who sits
down at the card table. There has been
i'll this matter an element of risks in futures
that is neither altogether deserving nor limo
cent. This has grown into a gigantic interest of
speculation that comes with poor grace to ask
Congress to help it out of its own folly 1t is a
monopoly which, it is said, has swallowed up the
smaller whisky interests. and while should de-
plore the possibility, if it existed, of ruin or
bankruptcy anywhere, believe that sound hon
est public policy requires the reduction and dis
sipation of this huge cancer into the ordinary
tissues of wholesome business vitality. / hear
it said that this interest has paid thousand
millions into the public treasury; that it has sup
ported our armies; that it has paid our debts
that 1t has maintained our government; but sir.
it has not paid one cent Whisky has never paid
a dollar. The people it is, who out of the earn
ings of their toll, have paid millions for it, and
its curses. If thousand million dollars have
gone into the public treasury, whisky has
been only the rotten bridge over which it
has passed. Contributed to the public
welfare! 1t is rather the dynamite of civiliza-
ion; and when you reckon, as you do. the bill
ions by which You measure its production and
cost You are reckoning not any addition to the
public welfare, but you are reckoning the extent
of the public and national ruin, waste and pow
erty. There you may look for loss, and panic
and bankruptcy, and not to that bagatelle of a
few million dollars that is about to be transferred
from the books of the government to the books
of some private bank. The gentleman from
Maryland Mr.. Findlayl wakes eloquent, and no
man can be more So when he called this com
modify a very ll-broth of Woe and asked if
we were prepared to pour it broadcast over the
land, instead of confn1ng it in the receptacle of
the warehouses of the nation. He knows better.
houses are built and stored with whisky for the
pleasure Gifts accumulation, or with the benevo-
lent, big -bandanna handkerchief purpose of
keeping it from the public use and public con-
sumption. He knows that to pass this bill will
| indeed pile it up in these warehouses, but will
! pile it up only to be poured out a few years
| later, and the longer delay the more abundantly
! in deluge of ruin and madness over the land
too, like him, find my guide not in any noisy
clamor, not in any false cutlery of the popular
! voice. but in my conscience and Judgment, and
these tell me. as matter of sound public policy,
of recent history and experience of present JUS
tice, of the true interest even of the parties ap
pellant of honest fulfllment of obligation and
! law of statesmanlike prevention of greater i'm
| pending evils, and of arresting, even at some
possible cost to few, disease which, by delay,
| will only grow worse in its general calamity.
These unite and tell me that it is my duty. even
| aside from all questions of domestic good NOR
| ais, to vote against this bill.