The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-21
Under Proposed Change Farm
ers Will be Able to 0per-
ate Stills.
At SMALL COST AND
ADVANTAGE TO THEMSELVES
Senator Hansbrough on Thursday
introduced Proposed Amendment
Which II Passed Will Do AWAY With
Hardships and Curbs of the Old
Free Alcohol Law,
(By E. c. Snyder.)


Washington, D. c., Dec. 21.-For
several years past there has been a
very active movement in favor of the
passage of free alcohol law. Last
year action in this direction was
greatly accelerated by the receipt by
senator's and members of thousands
of petitions and letters urging legisla-
tion authorizing the abatement of the
tax on alcohol to be used for COM
mercial purposes. The demand for
legislation of this character came
principally from farming communi-
ties, and was based upon the theory
that If the tax were removed farmers
would be able to manufacture from
their surplus grain, vegetables and
fruit, sufficient alcohol to supply
themselves with power, heat and light.
Congress responded readily to the
demand, and when the law known
as the free alcohol law was approved,
the general impression was that the
United States had entered upon a
policy similar to that which is in
vogue in leading European nations,
and that the farmers of the country
would reap great advantage. It has
transpired, however, that these ad-
vantages are not so widespread as
was at first supposed. Soon after the
approval of the law many inquiries
were received at the agricultural de-
partment from the farmers of the
country asking fc' Information, and
there seems to be much disappoint-
ment, especially in the agricultural
communities, over the fact, as ascer-
tanned by the department, that under
the existing law the advantages are
not to be realized.
DR.. Wiley, chief of the bureau of
chemistry of the agricultural DEPART
ment, in his report upon this subject
after thorough examination of law.
says:
"Any still for the distillation of
spirits must be registered and con-
Quoted under the supervision of the
internal revenue officers, and although
regulations on the subject exist, the
rules in regard to output practically
result in fixing the minimum size of
a registered still as one making from
Z to 10 proof gallons per days. It is
thus seen that it will not be prac-
ticable for the farmer to operate a
still on a small scale under present
conditions"
A close examination of the law
shows that each distillery must be
supplied with distillery from which
the alcohol may be withdrawn and
deposited in bonded warehouse,
where by rather tedious process it is
denaturized and then relieved from
the tax. This would, of course, ex-
clude what are known in Germany as
agricultural and produce stills, where
special apparatus is rery generally in
use which enables the small producer
to manufacture alcohol for his own
use. A tank is attached to each of
these small stills which is locked and
sealed by revenue officer, and when
the tank is full the revenue officer is
notified of the fact, whereupon he ap-
pears upon the scene, unseals and un-
locks the tank, and the alcohol is de-
naturized in the presence of the gov
ernment inspector.
In order to carry out the original
intention of the law as understood
throughout the country, Senator
Hansbrough has introduced an amend
ment to the free alcohol statute. The
amendment is as follows:
THAT, for the convenience of per-
sons engaged in the distillation of al
cohol in quantities that would not
justify the additional expense of a
distillery warehouse or a bonded
warehouse for each establishment, and
who employ approved apparatus with
suitable alcohol tanks attached, de-
signed to be locked and sealed by an
authorized government officer, the
commissioner of internal revenue.
with the approval Of the secretary of
the treasury, shall, under rules pre-
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