The findings of Commissioner Wynne of the New York Board of Health are to say the least most elightening. In examining the various brands of whiskey offered to the public in New York City, he has found that a large number have little or no right to be called whiskey inasmuch as they have been cut about ten times. In spite of the fact that those concoctions are composed for the most part of a cheap grade of alcohol they sell for the perfectly outrageous price of two and a half or three dollars a quart, when the price of straight whiskey delivered to the retailer exclusive of taxes can be as low as one dollar and twenty cents a gallon. Obviously, there is something wrong somewhere, and somebody is making an enormous profit. Figures published yesterday by the Federal government would seem to show that it is the retailer, although God known the diatiller is cutting down his profits to only about four or five hundred per cent. There is some excuse for these extraordinary prices in the case of whiskey where the supply is completely inadequate to meet the demand. With gin which can be manufactured in ten days at the most there is absolutely no justification for the present scale of prices; it represents nothing more nor less than a sincere effort on the part of the distiller to some extent and, on a much larger scale by the retailers, to gouge the public. Moreover, this gin, contrary to the assertions made on the labels, is not distilled at all but is made by mixing alcohol, water, and some sort of flavoring. When it is possible to make one's own gin by the same process for about forty cents a quart, to buy the manufactured product is simply stupid.

The state of New York has set an excellent example in the regulations proposed by Commissioner Wynne, but while they may insure a supply of liquor for that city which will be labeled properly, it is doubtful it they will result in any substantial decrease in prices. What is needed is very obviously some sort of Federal regulation for the whole liquor industry which would have the power to demand that the product be pure and to set prices, retail as well as wholesale. For the state governments have shown that they are unable to handle these functions any more than they are capable of ascertaining the amount of liquor taxes intelligently.