The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-28
GOVERNMENT WILL AID
ALCOHOL. STILLS
Commissioner Yerkes Answers the Criticisms Of Mr..
OConnor, Declaring Department Will Do Its Ut
most to Foster the lndustry-Advises His Critic to
Build Plant and Reap Vast Profit Possible Under
Regulations H sI# \

nor, Consul Mason Of Paris thinks is
the cheapest and best on earth. I re-
gret that Mr.. O'Connor did not know
this. He could have known it if he
had been as diligent in search of in
formation as he was voluminous in the
field of criticism.
a Whether or not any Of these articles
are controlled by trusts, as Mr.. Con
nor states, is matter for investiga-
tion and determination by another de-
partment Of the government.
The new law did not change in any
regard the mode controlling the pro-
duction of alcohol. A distilIery fur
! nlshlng alcohol for denaturing pur-
poses must be constructed Just as the
law for forty years has required it.
Every effort has been made by this
department to facilitate the use Of
the denatured article, to place it in
the hands OF the consumer as cheaply
as possible. I
I think Mr.. O'Connor perhaps has
been led to believe by use of the ex-
preston "free alcohol that the gov
eminent would give it to him abso-
lutely without cost and pipe it directly
into his plant.
He says he is ready to build a plant.
I hope he will construct it., There is
no reason why it would not be a
profitable venture; and if he will take
| the trouble to study the laws and reg
ulations, it is possible then, in the
full light Of real information, his
foundation will be laid as soon as the
| frost is out of the Minnesota earth.
No Limit to Production.
This interview of Mr.. O'Connor re-
minds me of editorials I have seen in
| certain Minnesota papers. One of them
Ia paper of a great metropolis of
| Minnesota-stated that under the reg
ulations of this office no distillery
could produce alcohol for denaturing
purposes unless it had a daily average
production of 500 gallons. The simple
partmental restriction On the size Of
any distillery Many are in operation
that produce ten gallons day. They
can be built for capacity Of ten gal
Ions day or 10000 gallons a day.
The same editorial complains Of the
governmental inspection Of distilleries
! and the cost to the distiller. The
| truth is the distiller does not pay one
nickel of this cost. A generous gov
eminent bears it all, and therefore it
is not a matter of financial import to
eminent keeps an official at his plant
| every day while it is being operated
| or whether he is sent there once a
week. The government pays the freight
either way. A dishonest distiller would
prefer to have him there once a week
An honest distiller would not object
| to his being there every hour his plant
was being operated.
Another condition the gentlemen in
the northwest seem to have overlooked.
They complain because the law and
regulations were not made for the pur-
pose of meeting the needs of small
farm distilleries.
The law was made to meet existing
conditions. IS
Whenever the farm distillery be-
comes fact-and there is no reason
under this law that it should not
then new regulations will be made to
meet the new conditions arising by
reason of the change in modes, methods
and places of production.
AS a matter of fact, alcohol is now
produced at few distilleries, and those
large ones. Whenever the change to
the small distillery comes, the govern
ment will arrange in every way pos
sible to facilitate and increase their
construction and operation.