The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-11-06
wHlsKYws. suB-rREAsuRY.
This Is the Way the Liquor Interest Ie
Petted and Cared For.

Wtf1kSNY tV0s 81 6fA0SnGs
This Is the Way the Liquor Interest Ie
Petted and Cared For.
The report of the commissioner
shows that on June 80, 1889. there
were 4. SIG registered distilleries and
4,349 were in operation. The amount
of grain used was 20, $50. 924 bushels,
and the number of gallons of spirits
produced was 81. 8S7,456. The an
nual expense OF taking care of this
branch of the internal revenue service
was fully $4,000, 900. The average
amount Of spirits warehoused for the
past three years is about &c, 900, 900
gallons, besides Z, 465 900 gallons held
for overdue taxes. making in the
whole about IS, 800 900 gallons upon
which taxes have not been paid. The
amount of this tax would be &c, :
$50, 900. The above facts are given
simply to show what our government
has done and is doing for class OF
its citizens, and by inference to in
quire why it should not extend SINH
lar privileges only in a much less
complicated form, to the agricultural
classes of the country. The sub
treasury plan asks far less of the gov
eminent than is now granted to the
distillers. AS it is, the deposit of
the spirits can remain in the ware
house for three years, during which
time the government cares for it at a
cost of So, 600, 900 per year, or 81. 800. :
900 for the legal term. That is, the
government really advances in sala-
ries, ETC., 81, 700, 600 before a legal de-
mand could be made for the tax
The distiller has nothing to pay for
the government employees, he only
pays the 80 cents per gallon tax.
When spirits are put in the ware
house a bond is given for the pay
ment of the tax, and certified copy
of the whole transaction is given the
distiller. This copy of the deposit
is good collateral security at any
bank, and to-day fully $40. 900, 900 of
credit currency is obtained upon this
class of securities and why not?
The bond assures the payment of the
tax, and the government is the Gus
todian of the property. The agelng
of the liquor pays the interest, also
when it is sold the dealer pays the
tax. In this manner the distillers OBJ
tain the use of this vast am cunt of
money absolutely free. Is it unfair to
ask that the farmer may have equal
privileges with the distiller? Is not
the farmer worthy of as much consid-
Grafton from the government? Why
cannot the farmer be permitted to take
his grain to government warehouses
for care and safe keeping. The dis
tiller is allowed to do so after the
grain has been transformed into spir-
its. The banks have credit with the
government of over 5000, OOO 900 that
returns them a profit. The distilleries
a credit of $40, 900, 900 that costs them
nothing. Why cannot the farmer
have a credit that he is willing to pay
for? The sub-treasury plan contem-
plates the same line of legis-
lation, only much less compli-
Gated and far more satisfactory.
The same statutory laws that
now govern the warehousing of
spirits with but few amendments
would apply to the sub-treasury sys-
tenn. The innovation upon law and
custom would cut no figure. It v1o-
lates no organic law and establishes
no new precedents. There are 4 $40
registered distillery warehouses, which
is more than double the number of
sub-treasuries that would be required
to carry out the sub-treasury plans for
many years. The cost of conducting
them certainly could be no more.
Here is found system already in
force, that with few amendments.
would meet the requirements of the
sub-treasury plan. The proposed plan
is, therefore, taken out of the province
Of theory, and becomes simply ques-
ton of application. The people de-
mand its trial. and their demands are
sure to .be needed in the end N. A.
Dunning, Office Alliance Pub. Co.,
Washington, ID. C.