The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03

OF tho 857 arrests for violation OF the Internal
Revenue laws regulating distilling, 7oA were in
6vo Southern States, and Of tho 10 900 gallons
OF Illicit whisky seized nearly IL 600 were in tho
Same States Notwithstanding the fact that their
normal and lawful distllery operations arc by
no means extensive in States further North
Various explanations have been offered for
this peculiar disregard Of some federal laws by
Southern communities having part OF a noun
tain range included within their bordera By
some IL is said that the marked propensity for
"moonshining' Is due TO the popularity OF whiskey
as drink in such States but this is so for many
Georgia and Alabama counties strictly tom
peranoe" BY others II Is ascribod 70 the profits
Of the business in districts which are DOOR and
In which a small profit, al any risk, Ia eagerly
sought for. But the material conditions of other
Southern and Southwestern regions are the same.
and hence more plausible explanation must
be sought
1t will be found probably in a combination of
three causes in which lack Of respect for law Ia
not one Tho carly settlers of the mountainous
districts Of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia
and Alabama, and their descendants who settled
Arkansas, were TO great extent Scotchmen or
Scotch lrishmen- In the countries from which
they came, the Scotch Highlands or the North of
Ireland, the evasion OF excise taxes (called by
Thomas Jefferson "infernalD was deemed rather
praiseworthy than otherwise, and mountain
dow which has paid no government tax is said
to taste sweeter than any other variety For a
second reason, the chances OF detection In noun
famous districts Is decidedly less than in largo
cities or in open country, and, finally the South
ern and Southwestern mountainous were een-
orally Unionists during the Civil War friendly
TO the federal government during its progress
and not hostile 10 its authority after its closa
Many OF them believed themselves 70 be morally
exempt from the payment OF any formal whiskey
tax. and in some cases tho -moonshiners" thom-
selves either recommended or secured the appoint
ment OF the regular and special Internal Revenue
agents in their respective districts For theso
reasons "moonshining" Is much more generally
prevalent in the Southern States named than
elsewhere, and the extent Of the operations of
moonshiners Is imperfeoty shown by tho num-
ber OF arrests made and Of gallons Of spirits seized
for many persons engaged In tho business oscape
arrest and many thousand gallons Of Illicit whisky
pay no tax.
The United States Government collected through
he Internal Revenue Department last year S1Ss-
900 in fines and penalties and had 10 its credit
also $4,000 In legal costs imposed upon defen-
dants, a total Of $3.50 600 In Arkansas recentlv
a prosecuting United States attorney. unable
TO secure a conviction by local Jury in any caao
wherein the charge violation OF the tau laws
as 70 liquor selling. assented 10 the service of ax
women Jurors and his course In the matter pro-
voked considerable censure, Notwithstanding tho
fact that the district In which tho trial was held
Is strong Prohibition district There are a great
many Prohibitionists In the South, but the TO
puEnance tc convictions for violations Of LIQUOR
tax laws, Notwithstanding this fact, Is very gen
eral, and TO this feeling Of sympathy Is due In
part perhaps tho unwillingness OF local Jurors
10 convict persons accused Of evasions Of the In
ternal Revenue law, a condition OF affairs which
Is distinctly favorable to "moonshiners," and
which some OF Thorn seem to enjoy. Tho enforce
ment Of some other laws is stricter in the South
than elsewhere