Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-02-16
THE WHISKY aaoNoPoLr.


oineinnau Enquirer.
The disposition Of the money groan.
ing In The vaults OF the Treasury would
seem TO haye no bearing on the whisky
interest. and yet 1t has. The mora
sentiment which upholds a high tax
on spirits unconsciously plays into The
hands OF the very men who make
whisky.
J itcosts to produce a gallon of wbisk,
ABOUT sixteen cents. Any OF the high
wine distillers about G incinnati, Peori,
or Chicago seldom make the cost more
Inc tax on each gallon produced /,
ninety cents, 80 that the product Il
faxed almost six times its cost.
IL would seem that an interest in
which millions OF capital are employed
would seek relief from tax which
IS 80 disproportionate to the distiller's
value. The fact, however, is that the
distillers want TO be let alone. As now
taxed, 1t requires u tremendous capltal
to engage In distllling. Not one in
one hundred is able to command II
! and the result Is that the making of
whisky has grown into giant monop-
oily. To further weld this monopoiy
in union of common interest a great
whisky trust has been organized. which
seeks to absolutely control the produc-
ton.
The position which the distilling in.
terests holds to the surplus money in
the treasury is that of alliances with
the Tree trade wing of the Democracy
Any assault on the Internal Revenue
system would be In It's very nature out
OF symmetry If the high tax on whisky
was maintained. Those engaged in i
nave the acuteness to see this, and to
save themselves are willing to have
maintained the Internal Revenue sys
TEN entire. Thus 1t Is that the ire.
mendous power OF this monopoly Ia in
favor OF lew tariff for the merely sell.
fish purpose of keeping up high tax
on whisky.
The distilllng trade, however, is
not without alarm. 1t has its agent
on the ground near the legislative
halls, to sound the first keynote oil
warning. This in the person OF DR.
hush, oil Chicago, who has benefi
cary interest in the Empire Distilling
Company of that city-a man WE'LL
posted IN parliamentary practice, dis.
Greet and OF few words, he acts as the
MEDIUM Of communication.
Time was when this great interest,",
was more arrogant than now. Only a
few years ago, when it was sought to |
extend the bonded period, a member
OF distinguished Cincinnati firm had
the honest hardihood to say to the
Committee Of Ways and Means: Gen.
tlemen, you should bear in mind, we
pay, through the tax levied upon us,
your salaries as members of Congress.
There was an admission which
might carry the thought to the prohi-
bltion candidate that our great NATIONAL
legislation receives its support from
the taxation OF a product which in part
must bear the burden OF responsibility
for crime.
Under diminished expenditure the
National Government could now be
supported from either the taxes re-
,eiyed from excuses or from customs.
The division between the parties now
., which shall go2 The present in
ernal revenue system Is heritage of
he war, enacted to maintain a stand II
ng army engaged in a great war.
lhe first movement looking to its re.
zeal VIII be but an entering wedge for
is future humiliation. This would
mean that the National Government
would muster itself out as a constabu Ii
ary to keep surveillance over the
Whisky product, and turn over to the
tates respectively Its regulation, bothI
to morals and revenue.
Thus il is that the whisky tax has al
irect relevancy to the oyerburdened a
vaults. III