The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-10
BY w. w. Jermane.

There is nothing IN the new law
which adds to the cost of manufactur-
ing alcohol. The tax is wiped out, and
an appropriation is made to enable the
government to pay the entire expense
Of administration and supervision. 1t
will cost nothing to license distillery
OF a denaturizing warehouse.
The Importance of protecting the in
terests Of the farmers was brought to
the attention Of the president by Con
gresham Marshall Of North Dakota
and Congressman Murdoch of Kansas.
The president fell in with their idea
most heartily, and Commissioner Yerkes
Is also in complete sympathy.
The placing Of this new industrial
material on the market in competition
with gasolene and kerosene is an en-
tirely new undertaking, and every
thing said in relation to it is largely
conjecture. altho it is agreed by all
that the possibilities are great.
The New Regulations.
The regulations Of the commissioner
will provide for the licensing of distil-
leries with daily capacity of 100
bushels Of grain, or about $50 gallons
Of commercial alcohol. Fhe small dis
tillery will be on par with the large
one. The law provides. for denaturiz-
ing in q separate bonded warehouse,
which simply means that the: distil-
lery can have separate room complete
ly shut off from the distillery proper,
or small building near by, where the
denaturizing can be carried on in the
presence of the government inspector.
A number'o plants could have cen,
trail denaturizing warehouse, and small
country distilleries could send their
grain alcohol to central point to be
denaturized, provided a transit rate
could be procured, altho it is believed
that the denaturizing can be done
cheaper at the distillery where the al
cohol is made, as the process of dena-
turizing is simple, requiring no comph-
Gated machinery, and consisting. merely
hol by pouring them together, with the
possible addition of some other de-
naturizing material which would mix
readily.
'~~~ Marshall's View on Law.
'EThere is nothing in the law,' said
Representative Marshall, embarrass-
cost of constructing room or build
ing, which, of course, need not be ex-
pensive. The small distillerY will be
handicapped by greater economy in
manufacturing on larger scale, but
this would be largely offset by saving
in transportation. -.
"Distilleries could be established at
numerous points in Minnesota, North
and South Dakota, which would easily
compete with the big distilleries of
Illinois and Indiana, as well as the mo-
lasses distilleries of the far east and
the gulf coast, as the country distil-
lery would be near the raw material
and the consumers. In the west, stock
cattle and hogs are at hand to consume
the Stops and mash from the stills.
In Interest of Farmer.
"This much is esta blished clearly, the
farmer, and it is left to the ingenuity
of the people to solve the great prob.
lem of furnishing an inexhaustible sup.
ply of materials to light our homes, dc
our cooking, run our stationary en-
gines, much of our farming machinery
our motor wagons, trucks and automo
biles, and eventually warm our houses,
"Whether alcohol can be made in
small quantities locally is more or less
onstrated. There are more than. 5000
= farm distilleries in Germany making
. denaturized alcohol for fuel, light ano
/ heat. If the price is high, alcohol car
= be made locally and great benefit viii
- accrue; if the price is low. the benefit
will come to our people as consumers
\ while possibly it may work benefit tt
our farmers both going and coming.
: A great deal will depend upon the reg
ulations governing the amount of de
naturizing materials, as this directly
affects the cost.
T. Benefits to Accrue.
Is "The greatest benefit to the, pro
: ducers will be as price. regulator
There will be no more burning Of cor,
g In Kansas and no more potatoes il
b vast quantities allowed to rot in tn
ground. When raw material is chea1
1t can be made into alcohol and stored
=. A uniform price, giving living profit
each year to our farmers, is much t,
i be desired, and is much safer propo
sition than a high price this year ant
8 losing price next year.
~. "Undoubtedly the first direct benef
that will come to the whole mass; O
& the people will be in the use of alcoho
= for lighting purposes. It has beer
clearly demonstrated that one gallon
of alcohol is equal to two gallons O.
kerosene for producing light, and tina
it is cleaner, safer and better. In viev
of this greater efficiency, there ough
to be no question as to its displacin,
& kerosene.
Zone Of the first effects of the Law
will be to rehabilitate number Of idl
sdistilleries in the country and to estab
lish distilleries in connection with al
Il the beet and cane sugar refining plant
sfor the manufacture of alcohol. Up t.
this time there has been but little sal
for alcohol made from refuse molasses
as it. has a edisagreeable odor and fla
,fvor and can be used only for low
grade rum and whisky, but such alec
hol is entirely fit for the purpose o
heat, light and power.
IS; Alcohol from Molasses.
Unquestionably the supnly Of alco,.o
for use in the 4 tlantic ts.s0 So. ,,iGr1
States will como L.. -s;e1y from domesti
land imported refuse molasses, and tn
hardest competition the western MAJ
who makes alcohol from corn. pota
toes or sugar beets, will have to meet
will be the alcohol produced from thi
.. the east will Consume a III this Class q