The Goodland republic., 1907-01-25
ADDS WEALTH 10 TIE FARMER
WHAT THE DENATURED AGO
HOH Law MEANS.
With the Amendments to the Law,
Already Introduced Nation
WI Be Blessed
. Robertus 80.


Is upon alcohol manufactured by any
citizen and admits IL 20 the market
free OF taxation The only require
ment is that the output must be doc
tOred with some Ingredient which
renders it utterly and irretrievably un-
at for beverage or medicinal use This
dOctOFing process is called denaturing.
Thus we have denatured alcohol,
which chemists call commercial or
industrial alcohol. The other kind is
just plain alcohol, used in the man
ufacture Of intoxfcants
The free alcohol law went into ef-
feet January I. That date may be re-
membered as the birthday Of a new
and glorious era for American indus
tries. Such was the expressed opin-
ion OF many persons who supported
The measure when It was before con-
gress and who have looked forward
with high anticipation to its going in
to effect. Some men grew so enthu-
siastic over the prospect Of untaxed
alcohol that they dreamed Of a na-
tiOnal utopia They fOretOld all sorts
Of marvellous ameliOrauOns to result
from the abolition OF the tax The
poor man was TO become independent.
The Standard Oil trust was to be
smashed to smithereens. The octopus
was to be severed Of several Of its
most wriggling legs and rendered q
cripple for life. Particularly was the
small farmer to benefit, even to the
attainment Of Opulence and a town
house on Easy avenue.
A Rosy Outlook.
It appears now that large degree
Of extravaganza entered into these
predictions. Conservative opinions OF
the national bureau OF chemistry, do
not justify any such serene and snowy
attitudes OF hope. Yet the outlook
IS very promising, even rosy. The tax
less alcohol age in this country has
just begun. In what ways and to
what degree if Will benefit the people
must be left in a large measure to the
slow results OF time. Rome required
more than one day in building. The
benign effects OF the free coinage Of
alcohol may require several years be
fore making a very great showing.
All the authorities seem to agree
that the removal Of the tax viii have
a highly beneficial effect upon the de-
veIOpment Of many American indus
tries. It would appear that this bene-
1T is to be distributed pretty generally
throughout the nation. Farmers will
come in for a large share. As they
produce all the raw material from
which alcohol is made, they deserve a
considerable slice Of the cake.
Heretofore the government has col
Iected an internal revenue tax Of $2.O7
a gallon on alcohol. This made its
use for purposes Of light, heat and
power practically prohfbitive and very
greatly limited its employment in the
many arts and industries to which al
cohOl is naturally adapted. Engines
and stoves and lamps by the million
have had to burn Standard Oil prod
ucts, either gasoline or kerosene, thus
helping to fatten the octopus which al
most everybody hates and fears. Al
cOhOl minus the tax could be useI to
much greater advantage and with very
much less danger. As a consequence
Of this high tax comparatively little
alcohol was manufactured in the Unit
ed States. Immense quantities Of ex-
ceIIent material for its manufacture
went to waste.
Four years ago Kansas elected a
young newspaper man to congress
from the old district Of Jerry Simpson.
Being red headed, he ran on the plat /
form that red headed men are needed /
in congress. This young man, Victor
was born and reared in /
Kansas, which is a fat country, large
ly a treeless plain, and he had done q 4
good deal Of thinking. He once ex-
pressed to the present writer the the /
Dry that a plains country is conducive \
TO the development Of mystics and 4
5eers-
THE mOnOtOny Of the level land"
said Mr.. durdOck, makes people
mediate In a mountainous country
he variegated scenery is sufficient to 4
occupy mems minds, but on the wide
1rairies or in the desert people must
Mediate, must do some solid thinking
Nearly all great reform movements
nave originated in fat countries"
In his own meditatiOns AIr- MurdOck
arrived at the conclusion that the high
ak on alcohol was one Of the chief in
uuities Of government. Having heen
at a time when the govern
nent sadly needed revenue, it was not Il
IN instance Of original sin, but it had
,ecOme sinful because Of altered con-
litions. It was a check upon indus
rial and individual development
An Inspiration From the Prairie.
Mr.. Murdock introduced the first
,iu for denatured alcohol He may
,e called, therefore, the father OF free
ilcOhOL 1t was an INSPIRATION LEOu Z
he prairie, a reform originating in a
lat country 1t spread rapidly over
he hills and hollows OF the nation
Everybody supported It practically
peaking. The wood alchohoI trust
.Ione opposed II in the open because
{ promised to cripple that industry
Wood alcohol IS q poison for which
here Is no antfdote- It has a hOr-
ible Odor and gives on fumes which
produce blindness and other serious
fleets upon wOrzmen who come in
.onact with the fumes. It has been
ised very largely In many OF the arts
nd industries which require alcohol.
On wood alcohol no tax has been i'm
5osed- Its poisonous character pre-
.Iuded its use in the making OF Ii
Iuors or medicines.
The labor unions strongly support
er-- nu--rnrrr r-a-rrrua II