The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-09
MOONSHINE WHISKY.

LF'rom Cincinnati Commercial Tribune1
I was talking yesterday to a highly
intelligent mountaineer, who had been
engaged in the Illicit distilling business
for 30 years, and who had been arrested
not less than a dozen times by med
dlesome marshals.' He said:
L wonder if Uncle Sam ever takes
out his pencil and figgers any on what
It costs him annually to try to keep
US fellows out of employment up in the
hills. III venture to state that for ev-
cry gallon of whisky Uncle Sam pourS
out for US not less than so are safely
transported and sold. I'll bet half of
my own distillery against so cents that
In the mountains of east Kentucky and
east Tennessee the Illicit business is
greater by 25 per cent than it was a
year ago. The business increases in a
ratio with Uncle Sans efforts to sup
press it. It's the governments constant
effort to destroy Illicit distilling that
stimulates its growth as much as any
thing else.
There are several things that operate
as causes for the increase in moon
shining in the hills. One is, of course,
that in the remote districts, far away
from any market, we are enabled to
utilize the products of our little farms
by converting grain into whisky. That's
about the only way we can get any
money out of our products. The rails
ing Of cattle was one source of some
gain 20 years ago, but the low price of
cattle and the competition of the west
ern ranches have destroyed that indus
try in the hills We've got to have a
little money, and the conversion of corn
into whisky is the quickest way to get
it. Uncle Sam objects, and sends his
hireingS into our territory to shoot us
down like rabid dogs; and, well, we
shoot a little, too, but don't mean no
insults to Uncle Sam himself. though.
You wouldn't think that we've got
aiders and abettors right in Cincinnati
and Louisville, would you? Well, now,
you better reckon that we amt left
helpless by a long shot. 1t would open
Uncle SamuePs eyes to find out just
the sort of friends we've got within
circle Of 300 miles The hill folks amt
the only fellerS that makes good money
out of hill whisky. The liquor is sent
along a thousand sly channels that no
one except professional would ever
dream about. There is money-an' big
money, too-invested in this complica-
ted scheme of revenue lodging. You
must know the pOverty-stricken hill
folks couldn't carry on the business on
such a broad scale if they didn't have
big assistance from the outside. Expert
moonshiners have always got money
backing from high sources when they
get too closely involved with the old
Uncle. Men help US fearlessly. know
ing there is no danger of ever being be-
trayed by US. The advantage is mu-
tual If we have customers who plank
up for US, in hours Of trouble, wouldn't
We De d pretty set CA JacEAaSSSS ever 10
betray one2 Besides that, we amt the
treacherous kind.
"A Teller that amounts to enough to
be a successful Sinner is alters got too
much principle to betray a friend in
need.
Uncle Sam hasn't got the least idea
how extensively he is tricked. For ev-
cry rabbit caught, you know, there is
not less than a thousand in the woods.
Young men are drawn into the bust
ness too, for the spice of danger it af-
fords There's a mighty broad strain
of freebooters' blood in the hill veins.
We like adventures where there is peril
where there is q chance to get a bull
let in the skin every month or two.
Again, there are scores Of young fell