Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-25

front page, under great headlines:
zone Reason Why Maine: Must Have
Resubnission. Our Farmers Will
| Lose Thousands of Dollars by Being
Unable 10 Benefit by the Free Alcohol
Act of the Last Session of Congress-
The headlines convey the puIpprt of
| the article, which is an argument that
because of constitutional prohibition
the manufacture Of alcohol for use in
the mechanic arts will be impossible
| in this State and the farmers will
therefore lose a profitable market for
their otherwise unInarketabl, small
potatoes, apples and other products
capable of being used in the manu-
facture Of alcohol. 1t is very easy to
show that this is a false alarm. In
the first place. let us take the Ages
essentially correct statement of the
provisions of the free alcohol act:
The free alcohol act simply PERMITS
alcohol to be made and sold for me-
chanlcal and fuel purposes free of tax
on and after january /, 1907. retaining
the tax on all Intoxicating beverages
and OH alcohol used in their manufac-
ture or for medicinal purposes. TO
prevent fraud. that is to prevent the
untaXed alcohol from being used for
making of beverages or for medicinal
purposes, the recent luM provides that
under inspection of the proper revenue
officers certain percentage, Of some
poison OF other substance DE-. added "a
the alcohol after manufacture and he
fore sale sufficient 10 render il unfit
Tor medicinal or tipping pilrnnses
when sufficiently disposes of all OBJ
ectlon ~ The interest of temperance"
me Age goes on to say that il is |
estimated that the demand in this |
country for alcohol for mechanical and |
1utl purposes Will be $4,000 900 gallons |
Il year, and that refuse farm crops |
VIII be made into alcohol in almost |
every state but Maine. why not in
Name -? asks the New Age. "N'hy- is
Maine closed To this great industrvp
why must the Maine farmer send on
OF the State 10 buy the alcohol 10 run
ms wood saw or thrcshing motor and
az the same time let the waste pro-
duct% of his farm rot .au the groundp
SIMPLY because the fifth amcn,IrrIit of
me constitution Of the State Of Maine
IN the following language, The. MANN
Iactulc Of intoxicating Liquors. not in
Guiding cider. and The sale Or keeping
Tor sale of Intoxicating liquors. are
ma shall be forever prohibitrd.' nh
'olut"ly prohibits the manufacture Of
ilcohol. SO long" says the Age. "as
ms remains part Of our State con-
'otutioh NOT one gallon Of alcohol am
a. uiStilltd in Maine for mechanical
II lncl or for any purpose whatso-
.vcr"
rms would no doubt be highly i'm
,ortaht II II We're true. but 10y putting
~ deIhlllon of drnaturrl aIrnh,I |
i"hESi'" OF the language of thu. con
'hutloh IL Is seen that the latter duas
81 apply to tile former. The cnns,i
u'l"h lorbidS the manufacture of in
'HIcatlng liquors" but dcnatured AL
"hoi y MOI an intoxicating liuuor bp-
aus" II has been made unfit FIR
[lIilhs or medicinal purposes by the
'il'loh 81 wood alcohol or similar ,
INSTANCE. Wood alcohol is untuvrl
y the United States. and men ara ,s
rec 70 manufacture il in Maine ~ ,
hey are in any state in tha I-n;o,
IN tfu" That now and then q fonIi.I, ,
~ iiSNS drinking wood alcohol, !
'sa'dirSs OF the fact that it is noisor
| F..
hercd IN Intoxicating liquor in tba
- "i IN" law. 50 far then az th4 {
''.e Ia" is concerned, there appears
/, pe y" obstacle to the manufacture
ethyl alcohol for mechanica! ana
''i uses IN the manner provided bv
ie United States law. although II Il r
'sSipie that under the administration
the United States law the buiIdin,, n
ulStiilerles in Maine for the nurnoeo
iiSht not be permitted. The adnin;s
,anon of the law is left to the COM
missioner of internal revenue. and 4
Iight be that to prevent tha danaan L
fraud on the revenues he wonId
ny me manufacture of fuel alcohoI1 y
:, certain designated districts or dis L
i i.,, IN order to keep operations =
.'n'l bounds and under the eyes Of :
n ueputles' But our farmers will :
u lose thousands of dollars" tho, s.
Ill not lose n cent 'hey