Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-02
TOO MUCH RED TAPE
FOR FARMERS
Free Alcohol Bill is Useless to Aid
the RanCherS.

For several years past there has beer
a very active movement in favor of the
passage of free alcohol law, which
resulted last season in the enactment
of law removing the internal revenue
tax on alcohol to be used for CONNER
cial purposes. The demand for legsla-
ton of this character came principally
from farming communities, and was
based upon the theory that if the tax
were removed the 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 policy SINH
lar to that which is in vogue in leading
European nations, and that the farmers
of the country would reap great ad-
vantage. 1t has transpired, however,
that these advantages are not so wide
spread as was at first supposed. Soon
after the approval of the law many in
quiries were made at the Agricultural
Department from the farmers of the
country asking for information, and
there seems to be much disappointment,
especially in the agricultural communi-
ties, over the fact, as ascertained by
the department, that under existing
law the advantages are not to be
realized.
GOLD BRICK GIVEN FARMERS.
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 conduct
ed under the supervision of the Internal
Revenue officers, and although regula-
tions on the subject exist, the rules in
regard to output practically result ~
fixing the minimum size of regieSercd
still as one masking from seven to ten
proof gallons per day. I, islhus seen
that it will not be practicable for the
farmer to operate still under present
conditions.
A close examination of the law shows
that each distillery must be supplied
with a distillery warehouse, from which
the alcohol may be withdrawn and de-
posted in a bonded warehouse, where
by rather tedious process it is de-
naturized and then relieved from tax.
This would, Of course, exclude what are
known in Germany as agricultural and
produce stills, where special apparatus
is very generally in use which enables
the small producer to manufacture
alcohol for his own use. A tank is at
tached 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 appears upon the scene,
unseals and unlocks the tank and the
alcohol is denaturized in the presence of
the government inspector.
INTRODUCE AS AN AMENDMENT.
In order to carry out the original in
tention of the law as understood
throughout the country, Senator Hans
brough of North Dakota, has intro
duced an amendment to the free
alcohol statute. The amendment is as
follows:
THAT for the convenience of persons
engaged in the dstillation of alcohol in
quantities that would not justify the
additional expense of distillery ware
house or bonded warehouse for each
establishment, and who employ approx
ed apparatus with suitable alcohol tanks
attached, designed 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 prescribed by him, arrange for
the proper denaturing of any alcohol
of the required proof so distilled, such
distillation and denaturing to be under
all the terms and conditions of this act
applicable to such cases.. -
The proposed amendment to the law
was referred to the committee on
finance, of which the Senator is a
member. It is the opinion Of Senator
Ha nsbrough that this amendment if
adopted will admit of the distillation
by individuals or groups of farmers OF
the agricultural and produce stills now
in successful use in Germany, and that
much of the official red tape necessary
under the existing law will be done
away with without the danger Of i'm
position or fraud and at the same time
give the farmers of the country the adj
vantages with respect to the manu-
facture of alcohc, to be denaturized for