Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-18
THE WHISKY TRUST.
AN INVESTIGATION MAY SHOW
UP SOME PEOPLE.
The Stock Feels tho Eject Of the Agitation
and Falls on -Four Poiuls-Tbe
Lobby al Work.

Washington Jan 1.-THE proposed
investigation of the whisky trust h,s
created q sensation, and the effect of h
Us pest seen IN The drop of four poipts
when the stock in the market suddenly
toOk. There are several phases to tbis
case ana The indications are that Ii viii.
ueIole the Investigation Is over, unearth
O scandal Of some proportions.
There Is In Washington todlv power-
iul lobby, both for aud against the pro-
position 10 Increase the tax on whisky.
but tue opponents Of the proposition ans
pear 20 have the best of il. There was
q time, and that, too, not very long ago,
Wheh there was every indication that
NE proposed increase would carry, but
there is now q suspicion that corruption
IS abroad IN the land, and members are
beginning to wayer in their friendship
Tor the Bill. The value of such nn I'M
crease. 20 the trust would De enormous.
Nov. JO last the trust had in bond l1g.-
WO,OOO gallons 0f whisky. The PROPOSE
ton to increase the tax 6xes the increase
az 80 cents gallon and when the amount
OF the stuh ON hand IS considered, the
magnificent proportions of the profit 20
the owners of the trust stock may bA
cOniectured
With shrewdness that captured moro
than one statesman, il was argued thaf
the increase of the tax would net NJ
government an increase of revenue ~
Just that amount, and avoid any possible
deficiency Even Secretary Foster was
begullcd into believing that this offered
solution TO the veXed problem, aud
many members Of congress were won
over by the same argument IL ~ said
that agents of the trust had secured the
approval of the Democratic members
OF the why's and means committee. prOmi-
nent among them being Mr.. Springer
himself, who Is said Ia have Thought that
the plan was perfectly feasible. This
pan was Nll very wise for the holders
Of the certificates Of the whisky trust
but 1t soon became apparent that IL the
tax were Increased NOT q dollar Of the
money would 90 into the Golfers of the
United States treasury. On the contrary,
the llOOOO.OO0 gallons now I'm bond
would be taken out ut the old tax and
put upon the market at the enhanced
price. This strong bull movement of the
Western men was distaBteful 10 the
Eastern men who did not happen 10 he
on the inside, and they ut once began
TO hammer the stock on the market and
TO otherwise hamper the success Of the
proposition TO increase the tax. II was
soon discovered that members of ON
gross whose support had been secured
ON the ground that the increased tax
would Increase the revenues had had their
eyes opened and would not support the
Nlls ANe AelupttNUCt element also, NpNNlH
ed by Governor Dinglcy of Maine. aud
Mr.. Pickler of North Dakota. were mr.
raging themselves for the contest An.
other element That added strength 10
the forces Of the opponents of the meas
IRE was the protection Democrats. nf
whom there are q number in the house.
These memhers fear that II too much
revenue Is derived from the liquor bust
ness il may advance too good mn argu-
ment for the reduction OF the tariff
duties IN other directions. For this rca-
son they are opposed 10 the increased tax.
The last assault on the trust Is the iuves-
tigation that has been proposed. and,
as has been said, this has caused de
cline In the value of the stocks Under
the promise of future that appeared
fraught will prosperity the stock was
run up 10 $40 share IN December, but
Il has declined until now Sol has been
reached. II Is thought by some promi-
nent gentlemen that Il can be shown
10 have been violating the antitrust law
aud palming of adulterated liquors upon
the people.