Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-05-07
IFor the spiritof jefferson. !
1.-THE Tax on Bar-Rooms.u

last Spirit under the caption "The tax on bar
rooms" The writer of it OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
to strike at the Town Council in any action it
may have taken or may take bearing upon the
bar.rooms OF the place or the selling of liquor
>. NJ M asserts the mex pediency of sucha c
tion, should it be the levyine of discriminat
ing tax upon them. In justification of his
theory, he assumes the responsibility of the
business and especially ofthe parties engaged
IN 1t, and puts the business on par with
that of selling 'scalco or hardware" In a
legal sense (the mere doing business under a
iicense) the point is we'll taken; but when The
result or fruits of the several traffics are fol.
lowed up. the weakness of the position is mani
Test, the status of the thing enters into the
bond. The one is useful and necessary
business, morning mischievnrs growing out of
1.-THE other is a useless and unnecessary one.
the practice of which brings woe and misery.
IL It be as innocent business, the selling
liquor at bar. as the selling calico or hard,
ware, why does the Law hedge around the
former and lay upon it so many structures that
it DOES not upon the latter. 1 would not inn
peach the honesty or character of persons en-
gagged in the selling of liquor at Bares. but l
aoubs very much whether any man who de-
iiberately enters into the business has con-
science within that is subject to much sensi-
tiveness. And if the business is so respect.
able Why is so u,uch of it done sin dark hole
ten feet under ground or il above ground,
upon level with other shops or stores why
the necessity of back door or blind to shelter
or screen the seller and buyer, or the selling
and drinkingy Why does it not court 4he
light of day and seek the public Gaze, as the
merchant or mechanic does? We fear there
methsng rotten IN Denmark" The fears
OF j. NJ NJ that the respectu5iRty of the bust
ness (save the mark y will be driven from our
midst and it will get into hands of thieyes,
'T'>hrodrs and ,nsedls is groundless-entirely
So vouch for the Council that if the
respectable parties now engaged in it give it
up because it don't pay no such characters as
are named will have a chance The objection
to the Bar-room where it is dealt out by the
dram is, that 1t affords such convenience and
temptation that scores of men drink and bar
-rels OF liquor are consumed that would not be
the case, if the sale were confined to the
misunderstanding its sale by the pint or bar
rel far the less evil
j M. NJ: denies the right to levy this tax.
AS to any direct tax placed upon the LIQUOR.
bar by the Town Council, (thoush it does
business under tax aIready paid to the State.
| submit if the Council has any right to lew
taxes of its cit gems and their business. this
especial party and their business are the
proper and legitimate subjects. There is no
question as to the right of the Councils per see
10 levy taxes to support the municipal govern.
ment ct the town. This is its indeleasible
right by the Charter. Here is traffic that
makes work for its oGcers-that creates dis
tnrbances and engenders broils-and it NAV
he said in truth, that most if not all the work
OF arrests is brought about through the LIQUOR
sold at the bar-rnonls as the exciting csuse
Where is the in; ustice, wrong, or oppression
IN holding the PARTY accessory to the mischief
done, responsible for it -? 1t is priucin,e of
common law, ju>t and right in itself Ifthe
liquor dealer can't bear the xtra tax, that is
MS look out S"ciety must protest itself in
lawful way and the Council, it's representa-
t'voS> must have eye to the morals Of the
community. AS deIbera,ive body it can't
preach. IT can't deliver temperance lectures.
bur it can tcnch the purse, the sem tive nerve
"t the hartman. aud il by this it can cur,ail
or avert great moral evil and conserve the
neral good OF society .le end ins,ilies the
means 10 raise revenue is an important
part Of the Councils work. but higher and
greater work Is to raise and maintain the moral
s'andard among us. Hence they enact orders
'"k'ng thereto. They can only reach the
parties under discussion by taxing their bust
ness. . II is clearly their prero.atlve. The
greater power with which the Council is un-
deniably invested co exclude the whole traffic
from the town, if it be so minded. necessarily
carries with it the less, to put it, if it permits
it at all, under certain limitations or res,ric.
tions, and if this be in the form of tax
very well.
The teachings of J. NJ. N. in his article
are strangely inconsistent with his closing de-
claratlon ''tha: he is as much opposed to
drunkenness as any one, and will go as far as
any to check its growth" TIMOTHY.
Charestown, May 1st. 1872.
ES a trivial error in our last (the like of
which has never been seen in revised and
corrected copy of the Free Press! y seems to
have grown into monstrous proportions in the
eyes OF the cold Family Journal" their de-
NAL OF attempting to create "mountains out
OF mole hills" to the contrary notwithstand>
ing The least supposition that their dogs
have ''sheep>kiling propensities" is suffi-
c'cntiy refuted by the fact that the editors of
that paper still live and have their being
The concluding sentence of their wrathy re-
joinder reminds us somewhat Of the French>
mans joke-t is difficult to define sswhere
the laugh comes in
Survivors OF THE WAR or 1S12.-The
House of Representatives has passed an act
amending the law of the 14th of February.
1871 |, by striking out the limitations both as
to time Of services and patticipatious in the
civil war. 1t also provides that all widows of
soldiers married prior to January LIST, 1925,
may have pensions IF this hill DasSea Tho