“Blind Pigs,” was just another name for “Speakeasies.” Prohibition was perhaps just as disgusting as are the illegal drugs today. No, I haven’t done any drugs and never will, because I want to keep my mind intact, but then I have never been drunk either for the same reason. A nip of good bourbon over ice or a margarita is fine, but I’ve never been intoxicated. Prohibition put honest distillers, bartenders, corn growers, waitresses, and restaurant owners out of business or a job, and caused a crime wave which wasn’t equaled until drugs were made illegal. The crime wave continues, because there are a lot of politicians who think that their idea of morality can be legislated.
Prohibition, in a way, was hilarious, as opposed to the illegal drugs today, usually sold by white or black trash. Rum runners parked their boats offshore, beyond legal limits and sold hooch to all who wished to buy. The smaller boats then took whiskey ashore and sold it. The government raised the national boundary from three miles to twelve miles, so the boats had to be faster and sturdier. The Coast Guard bought faster boats, and on it went. Prohibition agents would be bribed with $500, to take a day off when a certain still was to be raided, so their $1800 per year salary was boosted.
That was 90 years ago, and $1800 a year wasn’t bad then. That’s known as ‘inflation,’ which we sell insurance against, at 1% over our cost delivered, with no premiums ever to pay.
Speakeasies flourished and America actually drank more alcohol than it did before prohibition. Lots more! Bath tub gin was merely alcohol, water, sugar, and a bit of flavoring. My uncles made beer in the basement of my grand dad’s home during prohibition. Something went wrong and the bottles exploded. Good bourbon, made with at least 50% corn squeezings, was replaced by sugar diluted junk, and naturally good stuff was hard to find during prohibition. The swank New York Club 21 had its own secret brick wall on hinges which hid the store room during prohibition, and it was never discovered by federal agents. It still exists.
Prohibition and speakeasies, attracted WW I servicemen by the thousands, and they took their girlfriends with them. This was the first time women had ever been admitted to a bar. Millions of alcoholics were created by prohibition, and many today are still barely alive, they’re so ancient. It must be remembered that whatever is illegal, becomes exciting and enticing to youth. Drugs were totally legal in America until about 75 years ago, and actually, their illegality took the place of alcohol at the end of prohibition. Had to keep the feds busy, you know. Where do you think the name “Drug Store” came? You could buy drugs there. Yes, literal drugs, which now are illegal. Like prohibition’s illegal whiskey which poisoned and killed thousands, due to its non-professional formulating. Filthy, illegal drugs today, kill and maim millions probably. If drugs were legal, they would be cheap, made professionally by drug outfits, taxed like alcohol I am sure, and they would be no attraction to thrill seeking kids and fools. I know, many of you will be outraged by that statement, even though it is logical. I hear there is a new drug which can be made in your kitchen with stuff bought from a grocery store.
Canada had a sort of prohibition of their own, but they weren’t about to lose sight of quick profits. Lots of distilleries were located conveniently on the shores of the Detroit River in Windsor Ontario. The wise Canadians, and especially the Bronfmans, got a law passed which allowed the manufacture of whiskey “For Export Only.” Why? Because the river was less than a quarter mile across, and Detroit was on the opposite shore. Hundreds of small boats regularly carried legally made spirits across the river for Americans. In winter, when the river froze, trucks and cars drove effortlessly across the river to buy whiskey from Canadians. No one had ever heard of “Seagram’s Seven,” or other Canadian brands, till prohibition, which made selling alcohol illegal, but not drinking it.
The Kennedy fortune was made by old man Joe Kennedy, who had boatloads of Scotch whiskey waiting off shore when prohibition ended, After prohibition ended, thanks to FDR, moonshining and bootlegging didn’t stop. The eternally smart D.C. gang placed huge taxes on alcohol, which still remain. The rum runners, and back woods distillers, simply kept on doing what they had been accustomed to doing since 1918, and that was making and selling “White Lightning.” I wonder if Donald Trump has figured out how to institute a tariff on moonshine? I tried a drink of home-made moonshine once. It wasn’t bad.
As an illustration of how stupid the average American is, as of Friday, bit-coin was over $105,000 for a non-existent non-metallic coin. You do get a ‘certificate’ showing you do own it. Just imagine if a fool had a $105,000 bit-coin, he could sell it and get close to 30 one ounce, real Gold Eagles! You figure.
Don Stott- don@coloradogold.com