The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-04-30

MErxE. Anr,i 81. 1874

'Mrrxr, April 81, 1874
10 the editor of TIE Pilot:
DEAR SIR:-The advocacy of your able
and excellent corespoI dent from Meme,
who writes under the nom de plume 'Kook'
for the enforcement OF the Town license
law, as recently enacted in our Legislature,
has for its wnsm support the UNANIMOUS
appreciation Of the tax payers Ct this
town.
Be assured that there is no disposition
on their part to retreat from the position
be has taken, or abandon It's defence In
his last writing to the PILoT he has stated
that "Meeme has been taxed very heavily
for years past !" statement. which the
aforementioned tax payers viii truly en-
dorse. There is class in this Township,
viz, the saloon keepers--who have made
their thousands IN hard cash and fattSned
on the spols of the people, and still pass
muster from bearing their share IT the
burdens that press upon the people.
Some Of these worthless have throve in
this line of business for period overspTead
ing twenty years, and are still "free as the
mountain air" Fl ON the liquidation Of the
license tag. The principal topic in this
locality, at the present moment, is whether
this system of spoi'ation IS to be exercised
on the people any ioncer and their .fat,r re-
gsrding ii, has already gene forth
That irresistible power-pubI;e opinion
has exclaimed against this Ubiquitous sys-
tern in terms unequiyocally int.llisb!e -
Men have an immoderate love for o leasure,
influence, Iower--in word, for riches !;
and they are, by an almost uoconquerable
inclination, pushed to procure these at the
expense of others.
But these Others, who form the public,
have no less strong inclination to keep
what they have acquired and this they
viii do, when they have the thought and
knopiedge to effect il.
When men have the right to call for an
impartial administration of tic laws BY
which they are to lie governed, they will
in-ist upon their rights.
In view Of these facts, we anxiously
await the wise deliberations of our honor
able Board Of Supervisors at their first meet.
iug as regards the enforcement Of the town
license law Ilale and passed at the last SEES
sion of our Leg stature, ard the amount of
the license money to be paid in accordance
with its Provisions.
Tins We claim as a matter Of legal and
distribntiye justice. The minimum and
limit OF the law in this respect is from
twenty five to one hundred and fifty dollars.
What Is the exemptior Of saloon keepers
from paying their just quota of taxation,
but demand on their part to be allowed
to free themselves from the burd len of the
tax, by laying it on the req, of the comma,
NIFTY! 4 ow, a. the whole amount Of these
taxes must enter into the treasury, it fol-
lows that the people have to bear, not only
the general tax, but also that for which
saloon keepers are liable.
All Office holders are bound to full and
CONSCIENTIOUS discharge of their duties, by
virtue Of tacir sacred oath. during their
terri of odice
Now, shoa!d certainly much prefer to
state Simply how tair KS are, without troub-
ling myself to contemplate the aspects un-
der which ignorance suppose them to be.
In the second last issue of the P1Lor a
supplement- was furnished, of the recent
enactments of our LEGISLATURE. In the
ninth section of the law relating to the sale
of liquors is laid dowu as follows:
"That it shall be the duty Of each mem.
Der Of the Board Of Supervisors of the
town, who shall know Of his OVID kncwl.
edge, or be credibly informed that any Of.
fence has been committed against the pro.
visions of this law to report and make com.
plant against the person so violating any
one of the provisors thereof within their
respective towns, before some Justice of the
peace, and if any such Supervisor shall
neglect or refuse to report and make com
plant oil any violation against this law.
OF which he shall have knowledge as afo.e.
sand, he shall be punished by fre in TIE
sum OF twenty-five dollars for each ouch
neglect or refusal, to be collected i'm an
action by the town treasurer of the town
against him therefor"
NOW, how can such knowledge of viola
ton OF the law exist in any Supervisor cum
patibiy with the sacredncss OF his oath of
olce Rousseau never said II ,ruer thing
than this: "A great deal of philosophy
is needed to understand the facts which
gre very near to u.s." What is law, or at
least what ought it to be? What is lite ra-
tionai and moral missicn? Is it not to
hold the balance even between all rights,
all liberties, and all property? Is il no.
to prevent and to repress injustice and rob-
berry wherever they are found? La the
eighteenth section OF the same chapter il
is legislated "Thas al! moneys derived
from licenses granted under the provisions
OF this law shall be kept separate and dis
Inct from other moneys by the town treas.
urer, and the same shall be applied solely
Tor the purpose of defraying the pauper
expenses of saeh town, and if the amount
received shall exceed the sum required for
such object, then the remainder shall be
placed in the general treasury of the town,
and appropriated IN the same manner as
other moneys"
This last enactment ought to carry its
weight witt supervisors themselves, as
well as with taxpayers in general, unless,
indeed, that they POSSESS more disil,teres,ed.
ness than is usually accredited to thsm.