The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-10-10
Wherein the Mills
OF the Code, Though
They Grind Slowly,
Grind Excsedins Fine

Manufacturers Record.
In 1884 there was an uprising in
Pennsylvania, known as the "Whis-
key Rebellion" against the enforce
ment of the Excise law which had
been enacted by congress in March,
1871, on domestic spirits. The at
tempt to enforce the law was follow
ed by wild excesses, storm times and
riotous violence, the Federal Revenue
officers in some cases being tarr ID
and feathered. So aggressive became
the violators of the law that in order
to crush what reached the magnitude
of rebellion against the govern
ment, Washington sent large mill
tary force into Western Pennsylvania IA
against these law violators. One Of
the most prominent leaders fled to
New Orleans and others were tried
and convicted Of treason, though sub
sequently pardoned.
A somewhat similar condition de-
veloped In 1862 and continued for ten
years following the enactment by
~oAS A~<oo VI q ttSA VII WulSkSy.
In the "Whisbey Rebellion in 1874
and between 1862 and 1872 the activ-
ity of the liquor interests against the
enforcement Of these laws was, IN
proportion to populations, greater
even than is the present fight against
the Volstead act and the 18th amend
ment.
In regard to the situation prevail
ing between 1862 and 1872 the New
York Journal of Commerce, one of the
foremost of the commercial "publica-
tons of the country and which is not
prohibition advocate, gives the fol-
lowing interesting factss
I'm the year 1851 whiskey was not
taxed, and the price fell as low as
13 cents gallon in the Cincinnati
market. In fact, as one of our early
economic writer's remarked, sprevious
to 1860 man could undoubtedly get
drunk in the United States with less
expenditure of money than In any part
of the civilized world Due to the
tax needs Of Civil War time, congress
laid tax of 20 cents per gallon by
the a of July 1, 1862, and later
raised it successfully to 60 cents,
S1.5O, and even 81 per gallon by De-
oember, 1864. 1t is interesting N
note that it was found BY careful in
vestigation that during the succeed
ing six years up to 1868 only about
Is to 20 per cent on the average of
all the whiskey manufactured in this
country ever paid any tan at all. Even
as late as the years 1871 land 1872 the
Whiskeky Ring and oth@ scandals in
our national administrator reached a
point of rascality and oN3n. dishonesty
seldom equaled even hyDthe palmiest
experiences Of the booSitggers of the
present day. During IT, WearsSfollow-
ing the exposure Of Vs(ese scandals
there was gradual stifeninH up in
the Internal Revenue |ervice, with
the final result that, with the excep-
tion of certain d.strictN OF especial
difficulty, the Excise laws were ell
forced with con1pArstiveHthoroughness
and efficiency. In the light of this ex-
perience, ten ors Is years Is not too
long period to attain the efficient
enforcement of any prohibition law,
and probably more time Will be needed
for stringent measure such as the
Volstead act, if ever it is to become
| effective"
The lawlessness of the liquor traf-
fic, it's murderous activities and its
effort TO control politics, as in the
scandal days Of 1852 to 1872, when the
regulations of many public men were
forever ruined, is only in keeping with
the lawlessness of the present. But
liz crushing these activities the mills
of the gods may grind slowly but in
the end they grind exceedingly line
and civilization each time makes one
step forward and buries forever IN
ruin the regulations of the liquor in
tpreSt advocates