The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-12
written for The Republican
Alcoholism.
NUMBER ".

NUMBER ".
know that those who are inter-
ested in this series of papers on a
subject claiming at this time such
earnest attention all around the world
will pardon ne for turning aside from
the general theme somewhat, in order
to speak in this number particularly
of what has in the last few months
been attempted and defeated in the
National Congress at Washington.
Never, perhaps, in all the dark his
tory OF this brszen iniquity, has any,
thing been Undertaken more law
defying, outrageous and demoraliz-
ing, than the late effort to secure
special Legislation for bonded whis-
key.
The extreme profitableness of its
manufacture (of which mention was
made in my last letter., has carried
the distilling ofwhiskey entirely be-
yond the requirements of the market
especially in the last few years, AS
must naturally follow, there has been,
and now is, a large quantity of the
abominable stuff in the distiller's
hands, awaiting market. This I'M
called for stock has been placed in
what are known as "bonded ware
houses" and amounts at the present
time to some 75,000,00O gallons. Up
on all this vast stock enough to
make the whole world glOriously
drunk) the government tax, or reve,
nue., 80 cents on the gallon, amount
ing to almost $40, 900, 900, has not been
paid-and as long as so stored, need
not be paid. OF course, government
oticegs hold the keys to, and keep
watch over these warehouses but
this guardianship does not bring the
revenue into the national treasury
where it is, after so long a time due,
and wanted. Now, the whole of this
vast sum is, and for some time has
been, due. Payment is expected
and must shortly be made, or the
keeper of the warehouse will sell the
goods This state of things is bring.
ing on "crisis" for the owners OF
the bonded evil. The owners say
they have not the $40, 000,0 900 the man
of the "strone box" at Washington
asks for; and they are, of course un.
willing to see their goods (horrible
misnomer) confscated. But some.
thing must be done.
Now, the course adopted by the
manufacturers and owners. was this:
They ask the government to extend
the time for leaving the whiskey in
bond, and for keeping the $40, 900, 00C
of revenue out of the treasury Or, in
other words, these bold, bad men
come to Washington, and ask the
loan to them, without interest, Of
! this great sum of money, and the
Revenue Department, at government
expense, to guard the whiskey, until
called for in the market. Is not this
bold? Is it not asking an immense
favor? And for what? For whom
For class who are prominently the
nations woe. makers: for product
that has required in its manufacture
the destruction of some 20.000,0O(
bushels of useful grain, and the only
use of which can be, the working o
incaiculable woe, waste and sorrow
for the consumers, and those con
nected with them.
Much of this vast sum of money
due the government has already beer
kept out of the treasury for severa
years-the whole of it was sought tC
be kept out longer. Would any Other
class be so INDUCED, so favored
Surely not. And why not? For ont
thing, no other class would have thu
boldness to ask such favor from the
government; and certainly hardly
any other class is corrupt enough t.
use such means as the liquor owner:
have employed to secure the specia
legislation asked for. An army 0
the most -tongued lobbyists anC
corrupters in the land, has been dog
ging the heels of every congressman
and senator whose nose shows tn,
sign of blossom. One of these
known to have received $4,000 TO
his valuable efforts. Hundreds o
thousands of dollars was employed
in the effort to secure whiskey
favoring act. And they did not stol
at that. 1t is known that a very con