The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-22

raising notes to higher denominations has
/ been brought practically TO an end. The
mysterious pen-and-ink bills, executed by
an initiative genius, still turn up from
time to time, TO the annoyance Of the au-
thorities but they seem to be produced
only at the rate of about two year,
rather for the amusement of their author
than for profit.
Uncle Sam losses q considerable sum
every year by the dishonesty Of postmas-
ters, who help themselves from the funds
obtained by the sale Of money orders and
stamps They get into financial dihiulties
and borrow the cash, expecting TO re-
place it. Such occurrences are particu-
| larly likely TO happen at a period OF imam
cial striGgency like the present. In most
instances of the sort, however, the gov
eminent is made whole By the bonds of
the delinquent officials 1t is quite differ
ent in the case of burPlarized postofices.
Several hundred of them are robbed
every year. There was one instance in
Minneapolis, seven years ago, where
thieves got into the postolfce at
night and cracked the safe. Directly
in front of the safe was a
big plate glass window, but 1t was
covered with frost, so that nobody
could see through it from the outside.
The robbers got away with 600 900 2-cent
about one-third of the booty was recov-
cred. All postage stamps spoiled in the
printing are now reduced to a pulp bke
the redeemed paper money. Formerly
they were burned but the person in
charge Of the work eight years ago saved
out several thousand dollars worth of
them at discount for his own emolument.
Because the postonice department mas
been unable to procure an indelible ink
for cancellation, some stamps are doubt
less washed and reused, but not very
many.
REFUSING INTERNAL REVENUE STAMPS.
Another fashion in which the treasury
is swindled is by using internal revenue
stamps more than once. The distiller
may attach a stamp to the top of whisky
barrel with poor mucilage or very short
tacks, 80 that it can be readily removed
afterwards. The government gauger can
cells 1t with a series Of black lines across
it. TINS shows that the tax has been
paid. The barrel goes to a wholesale
dealer and is emptied. He is Obliged by
law to destroy the stamp. Instead of
doing so he removes it intact and returns
it to the distiller to be placed upon an
other barrel Or he may take out the
head of the barrel with the stamp on it,
drop it into the empty receptacle, put a
fresh head in, and ship the barrel back to
the distiller The latter rehlls the bar
rel and puts the STAMPED head omit again,
thus making it appear that the contents
have paid the tax.
From the fact that the government
spend $500. 900 year in running down IL
lict distillers in the mountain regions OF
the south alone it may be imagined what
enormous loss their operations cause to
Uncle Sam. The moOnshiner apparently
never gets conscious stricken. At all
events, hedoes not exhibit such feelings
in any way more palpable than by shoot
ing revenue agents. Licensed manufac-
turers Of spirits swindle the treasury out
OF vast sum annually by producing more
liquor than they acknowledge and selling
u secretly. The makers and sellers Of to-
DaccO IN various forms are so strictly
watched that 10 Is very hard for them 70
succeed In amy dishonest trick. Now and
then "a dealer Ia cigars, who runs factO-
ry Of one man power, viii keep bling his
boxes as they are emplied, 80 as 70 avoid