The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-10
MANUFACTURE AND USE
OF INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL
From THE OHIO FARMER"

(The first OF this artlcle was VIII
ten exclusively for the Ohio Farmer
by Senator Hansbrough, the author of
the Hansbrough amendment to the de-
natured alcohol law
The enactment OF the amendment to
the denatured alcohol law Of last year
(which was by no means what 1t
should have been) put the legislative
finishing touch to what will ultimate
~ prove great industry in this coun-
try. The industrial possibilities from
the use of untaxed alcohol can not at
this time be accurately measured.
That alcohol will largely supplant
gasoline for motive power purposes is
inevitable; first, because Of its supe-
riority as combustible force. and
second, on account of cleanliness and
safety. The same reasons hold good
with respect to its use for both heat
ing and lighting purposes.
From the standpoint of economy
much depends upon the character of
the restrictions that the internal rev.
enue Office places upon those who
handle it. Under the new law its
manufacture can not be hamperei.
The statute is especially liberal. The
friends of the amendment foresaw the
necessity of this. and it was this fact
that gave the measure its great popu-
larity in the senate and assisted in
its passage by an overwhelming ma
jority. Undoubtedly the, government
will soon recognize the force of the
contention that when alcohol is once
denaturized it should no longer be
dealt with as contrabani article.
Indeed it should be allowed to enter
into the commerce of the country as
freely as is gasoline or any other ar
ticle of daily use among the people.
The only restriction that should be
thrown about it is that with respect
to quality. Dealers must be prohibit
ed from diluting it, but this is mat
ter with which the several states
must deal, and with which doubtless
they will deal as in the case OF gaso-
line and kerosene.
Generally speaking. the farmers of
the country are not familiar with the
business of alcohol making, which is
by no means an intricate or expensive
process when thoroughly understood.
Progress in this regard might be
greatly facilitated if alcohol plants
were set up at the various agricul-
tural colleges throughout the country,
SO that the students at these institu-
tons could acquire a knowledge OF
the business. Experiments should al
so be made in the production and fer
mentation of alcohol producing prod
ucts, and in this way the young men
who are graduating and going back to
the farm to enter upon the serious
duties OF life may know how to make
their own light. heat and power. AS
result thousands of small alcohol
manufactures would be established
and successfully operated within the
next few years.
In the meantime the comparatively
few men who are familiar with the
modus operandi can do the people
great service and earn something for
themselves by inaugurating co-opera-
tive alcohol plants. where the waste
material of the adjacent farms may
be worked over into a most useful ar
ticle for industrial consumption. The
nearby farmer will haul his refuse
produce to the alcohol mandatory,
while the one residing at greater
distance will soon learn the simple
method of fermenting these waste
substances at home and hauling the
wort or beer to the cooperative plant
to be converted into alcohol.
Once firmly established and fully
under way, the untaXed alcohol indus
try will be a most potent factor in
equalizing the prices of farm prod
ucts. When, for instance, the market
prices of corn and potatoes for gen.
eral consumption fall below figures
which show a profit to the producer
the surplus will find demand in the
alcohol manufactures. This, in sea-
sons Of overproduction. will have a
strong tendency in the direction of
steadying the price for the entire
crop. The same influences will oper-
ate in the case of low-grade grains of
all kinds.
As to the mechanical appliances,
such as lamps, heaters and engines,
in which industrial alcohol can be
used, American ingenuity may be de-
pended upon to attend to that. We
have already some very valuable sug-
gestions in that regard from Ger
many. where the use of alcohol has
reached the stage of an exact science.
l do not think any further legislation
here in Washington will be required
for the development of the denatured
alcohol industry, and have sufficient
confidence in the wisdom Of Commits
sioner Yerkes to feel that he will
formulate set OF rules and regula-
tons under the terms of the new law
which will encourage the greatest ac-
tivity in this new line of endeavor.
The law itself is very liberal, as it
should be, and the rules and regula-
tons based upon it should be in keep
ing with the letter and spirit of the
statute.-Senator H. c. Hansbrough,
Washington. D. C..
The foregoing article and others
previously published in the Ohio
Farmer should give our readers
pretty fair understanding of the pro-
visions of the denatured alcohol law
as it will be when it goes into effect
September 1, 1907. The regulations
governing the operation of small
plants as to methods of holding in
bond, handling of the product before
denaturing, ETC., are still to be an
nounced by the department of reve-
nue.. but from the discussion of the
new law by the commissioner of this
department. published in the Ohio
Farmer of April 6, 1t can be inferred
that these regulations will, SO far as
possible. be made to favor the indus
try and encourage it's development.
1t can then be said that from the leg
islative standpoint the new industry
is safely launched and its extent and
rate of development will depend very
largely upon the farmers.