The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-31
NORTH STATE
MOONSHINERS
Hatred for Revenue Men Who
are After Them is Intense.
HE HAS MANY GOOD QUALITIES.
Although the Whiskey He Makes il
Not the Most. Paiatabic Thing in
the Worid-Does No: Agree 4
BE Taxed by Government.

a different individual from any other
You may meet this side Of Jordan. To
know him. TO know his haunts. his vicis-
situdes. his ambitions. his trials and
tribulatiOns-to know him IN his native.
shadowy retreats Is to revere and TO
love hin. he is not one 10 be- condemn
eel by other thar the revenue men.
Figurativciy speaking. writes Frank S.
FarQuhar, in the Pittsburs Post, he is a
child Of circumstances.
Living as he does I'm the byway OF the
outskirts Of civilization. IN haunts that
are wild and profound with solitude. lit
tie else but a man OF many surprising
characteristics IS the result. Trained
from infancy 10 rely on his own re-
sources for a livelihood. this he Will ac-
cuire IL Il is necessary 20 turn heaven
and earth 20 do SO. and 81 often hap
pens that when old mother earth will
not succumb 20 his willy ways the stars
are appealed 10 for magic power 10 sus-
tain him in his mission. His endow-
ments are limited 20 such a ine point
that distinction between his apparent
uncouthuess and bis mastery skill in
diplomacy Is so fine az TO bal6 the finest
m-etaphysician I'm fathoming.
II you meet him once you VIII have
a well-meant desire 10 meet him again.
I met him once and 1 long 20 meet him
! again. ! tasted Of his block" whiskey.
and ! long 10 taste OF II again. II is
not the most palatabie thing in the world
! but 81 has "a taste that Ia peculiarly its
own. and If you take enough Of Il you
will thank your stars If you llvc through
the ordeal. that you have a VIII power
70 execute the resolutions you will have
formed.
on pleasure bent. visited tho home
or the "blockader." the gentleman above
referred TO. found him down IN the
vicinity OF the South Mountain. North
Carolina. and from the natives. an hum
bic, innocent set. / picked up much In
formation bearing on him aside from
what ! learned from him direct. AZ one
time IN the not very remote past the
district IN question was famous for Us
number ~ block whiskey establish
ments. but directly through the efforts
OF n great government they are not now
so numerous.
Right In this very district Is where the
professions OF the horse trader and the
~"hlockader' vie together 10 make a lit
tie revenue for thomselvc. They 60
hand-in-haHd though the "6.Ockader' Is
not so omulpresent as the horse trader.
but he IS there all the same. and TO the
man with a little tact and blsndness
the haunts NJ the former are found out
easily enough.
I have never met n class of men from
whom so many curious facts can be
CLEANED with so little effort. Their re-
sources are infinite. their assurance I'M
bounded. their capabilities immense.
| They have succeeded in working out a
, little system Of econom whose princi-
pies are n mystery 10 none more than
TO themselves. In their methods lie the
! germs OF modern fnauciering, The ele-
mcnts manifested IN the comprehensive
speculation OF the day, much the same
/ fancy. as petroleum. pork and pelts
serve as indices 20 higher conditions.
The horse trader goes on the principle.
you help me and I will help you the
~"blockader' ditto. and between the two
there Is n "brotherly' business trans
acted that for secrecy beats any dip
lomatio caucuses that ever took place.
DIFFERS WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
The term "~blOckader." let mo explain.
is applied 20 men, mostly inhabitinR the
hill districts. who do not harmOniZe fully
with the government in its claims 10
the right 20 impose certain duties on the
manufacture and sale of distilled liquors;
and I'm utter disregard of these claims
they have arrogated 10 themselves GER
tain rights and privileges wholly ut
I variance WIN hNNA hHL
Of the law. These privileges consist In
ignoring the demands OF the Revenue
Department for the duty Ola their pro-
ducts.
The result of this difference Of opinion
naturally leads 10 complications. n Tor
the last thirty wears the issue has been
eagerly watched by all The government
AZ Washington has spent enough m
maintaining an elaborate revenue iorce
I'm connection with au odious system OK
eepionaco TO discourage any set Of men
In the world. but So has had no effect
whatever on the mountain m0onshiner.
lie goes on merrlly grinding corn. and
comes out minus am establishmont occa-
sionallv. az a cost OF N5 or $50. and the
revenue fellow generally with a broken
head. But IN sweeping strides ana
waves Of progress such trivial matters
do not act as deterrrnts.
on fine one hand. therefore. r. IS a firm
resolve 10 uphold q policy and enforce
obedience TO its mandates; and. on the
other hand. "A determination equally as
strong TO make whisky without paving
FOR the privilege. And 80 the hght goes
hravely on. and is likely 10 continue as
loup as the red clay Of North Carolina
produces corn and somebody is willing TO
ont ND the pay for the other fellows.
The transfer OF this homemade ar
ticle for home consumption from one
individual 20 another Is considered a
harmless act Of barter. and the manner
I'm which the transition usually taxes
place can best be conveyed BY an met
dent. a Circumstance. perhaps that
would evidently create the impression
that they are hard tinker down %
way. But. I wish % say. they are not
A GLANCE AT HIS HOME.
His uiantatlou is situated I'm easy
proximity 10 the mountains. that mys-
FERROUS and airy bourne whence the
Illicit product is veuded in wagons 70 all
parts Of the surrounding country. II 40
happened that once in the c0oi 81 a sum
ner evening when the tawny harvest
was ready FOR the sickle. ana a weary
nature visibiy langui5hed Tor an aru-
fetal prop OF some sort, that Il team
drove up TO his residence. ~ hslted
there. The team was worn ana laded.
and the wagon old and rickety' SNAPPED
Ike a Chinese junk and covered win
canvas. IL belonged 10 the UBIQUITOUS
horse trader.
It is a popular vehicle ana sun in use
I'm those parts. As II stood thus IN the
deepening gloom Of the twilight a voice
from somewhere within its hidden ana
innernost recesses called softly. asking
II the boss was at home. lie was az
home. And did the boss want any
thing in his line? The boss aid. re
did not know fust how much was needed
he would ask his wife. Coming out .
little later. lugging q couple or JUS OF
- 49,. ssann-hnmnFEM ENfI-