The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-13
MIR. MILLS AND GREE WHISKY"


Mills. in defense of his tariff bill, repeatedly
declared that the opponents of his measure
propose to give the country free whisky,
while he proposes free clothing free food,
etc. He reiterated and reintroduced this
statement, clothed in various paraphrases,
at frequent intervals throughout his dis
course, holding up the so-oalled free
whisky proposition for special condemna-
ton. 1t was simply the old dodge of crying
stop thief"
Now, the fact is that the bill passed by
the House of Representatives, and known to
the country as the Mills bill, absolutely, al
though in an underhand way, provides free
whisky. Mr.. Millss free-whisky provision
Is not simply a declaration or statement in
a party platform, or the resolution of a mass
meeting, which may never take effect. Tt
is distinct provision in the text of bill
Of which the gentleman from Texas is the
reputed father, and which has actually
passed one branch of the United States Con-
gress. Little wonder Mr.. Mills in his
speeches makes no allusion to this part Of
his bin, which, coming in at the tail-end of
his 67-page measure, after a three-months'
debate, was rushed through with but very
little discussion. It had been prepared by
the gentlemen who met in secret, and knew
what they were about, but was no better
understood by the mass of the House than
if it had been written in Choctaw.
The language is such as to cleverly con-
ceal its real meaning, and would do credit
to a TalIeyrand.
1t is alleged that in the copies Of the
bill distributed to the public for cam
paign purposes these sections, namely, 30
to 40, are left out, and that the other Sec
tons are so remembered as to conceal the
omission. Section Sc provides that all dis
tilleries which are of capacity of less than
. bushels Of mash day shall be exempt
from the operations of the provisions of 9
certain section in the Revised Statutes Of
the United States, except as to the payment
of taxes. Now, the section alluded to, which
is hereby repealed, is the one which pro
vides the surveillance of the Government
and affords the only possible means for the
collection of the whisky tax.
1t is proposed, therefore, by the bill Il
take away from distilleries of the capacity
of less than 25 bushels day the entire
supervision of gagers, storekeepers o.
revenue agents Of any kind whatever. TIL
distiller, then, is simply expected to repor
hsw much whisky he is making, and volun
tarily pay all the tax. This scheme would
be very much like opening store in a city
marking the goods with the prices, ant
I leaving the door unlocked, inviting pur
chasers to come in and select what the!
wanted, make their own change, and leav
the money in the TIL. The result of such al
operation would be obviously to create
community of thieves.
The result Of the new system proposed b.
the Mills bin viii be that not one gallon il
a hundred of whisky made, except at tn
great centers, viii be reported and the take
paid by the distillers.
Under the ordinary process of distiIlinl
where, owing to the high tax, economy i
production is a prime object in order t
make the business profitable. u hours j
consumed in fermentation That is the uni
Eersal practice now. 1t has been fount
however, that just as good whisky can b
made by consuming a hours or even ~ i
fermentation as by the complete process
which consumes y hours. The only diffe
enee is, that by the short fermentatio
about % per cent. of the spirit is lost. No
the distiller in the remote districts of Il
South, where the small stills are chiefly /
Gated, can well afford to run three mash
through his distilIery in ~ hours. instes
> Of one, and lose the % per cent Of produc
) when he is only expected to pay tax {
; one-third ofsPshat he produces, If he accep
the plain invitation extended to him by 81
} Mills bill. Probably he would not fe
called upon to pay even that all the time
; The result viii be, should the bill b
, come a law, that the small distilleries
; the South will control the business, al
> whisky win be sold in the open market I
but a fraction of the present tax. In 9th
9 words, Mr.. Mills himself practically fl
b nishes legal cloak for Moonshining"
s There are now some 600 little distillt
S les in the South making so-caIled fru
brandy, on which it is estimated the GC
If eminent loses from 100000 to 100000
Y year in taxes. Under the present i
Ie they are without the surveillance of sto
sr keeper and eager, and the distiller simply
ports his product and pays a tax upon WI
he pleases. There are only Is revenue
guectors or detectives policinq fha v,,b