The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-04-09
Tho Revsnue Argument for Liquor
Licensees.

Tho Reysnue Argument fer Liquor
licenses.
Editors OF the Register:
The action OF the city council Tues
day night having brought to every
voter 10 the corporation the question OF
license or no license for liquor saloons. .
candid discussion OF the topic is certain
ly appropriate.
First, The liquor dealers annually
pay into the city treasury SIS OO0-in
round uumbers-as direct Licenses. aud
indirectly about 5000 more. making
in u o aggregate $2O. 900. truly a very
hand -ome sum. especially as We are
overburdened by . constantly iucress-
Ing debt and oppressed by heavy taxa
ton.
But did it ever occur to you to enquire
how the saloons are reimbursed for
this very heavy taxi Do they export
their merchandise to Spain, or China
or Canada, and thereby enrich the
country and ci,y2 Not a fartbing does
\ saloon in Wheeling realize in that
way; then they are re.inburel ard
grow rich at the expense o: the consu
ners in our own CITY. They therefore
by their business. contribu nothing Il
he material wealth OF the city, bu
are merely tar collectors TIE wealthy
baccha, Al, who Can afford his mellon
| old Bourbon aud costly Champ gnes i, l,
true, pave his share OF this lax, but bS
FIR the larger portion is paid by The
lsborer aud artisan, men Of small
means or absolute poverty, not iuIre-
aueutly thereby depriving their tamilie,
of proper fot d, raiment and educs ion
and eventually bsquea,hit then
" dows to the charities o. the Guy, then
ms to police ,urts and prisope, and
their daughters to poverty or perdltiop
Can the ty afford to raise her reve'
nues from such classes and in such g
wsy2 Considered wholly in fuan'
cial view. you will find it a rulnou'
policy.
Ills estimated that the annual ex
pense Incurred, directly or indirectly
chargesbie to temperance. through
police surveillance. courts. prisons. au
ters and other charities. lar exceed.
the revenue derived from license. ADD
to this the value Of the labor OF tbt
alo ,n-keeper at 81 per day at come
useful employment. and you have 81
least S35, 600 more. Add 10 this tht
loss of time aud means and diminished
value OF the labor Of the habtual
drinkers. and you may safely raise tbt
sum to $4,000 indirect loss annually
leaving out the productive value o. tht
capital invested in the now legalizec
pauper-mskiug, death.desliDg method
OF COLLECTING rsyenns' .,,
justify The l'cepse on finsncial grounds
SINKS into insignificaece when CONF artd
with the monstrous absurdities brough,
forward to give it moral support.
For thirty pieces OF silver the City
Council makes it legally honorable tol
citizen 10 sell his neighbor at al
mes. and in anv quantity, that which
weakeps bic muscles, upsirlngs hll
utIFtS, pOlsOue uis UiOOS, Hbu piaes III
intellect, blots out bis affections, and de.
stroys his ambition. and finally makes
groveling, sepseleas beast Of hi i wher
sober, and an incsrnate devil wber
drunk; and then, oh most thoughtful
humane and provideut license man
you coudescend to interfere and cay ht
has enough; sell him no more, and vi
will soon have him 10 the potier's fielc
or aims house. But here are oul
young men, the pride OF our city. fol
thirty pieces more you may try them
In6nitely better would it be to LET
the already besotted drink and die, and
preserve those now pure; but by al
you hold sacred in this world or hope
for 10 the life beyond, do not make
legally respectable the gigantic curse
which cannot be successfully defended
on any grounds whatever.
Every nau in this contest should
take al uusqu'vocsl position, but GUS
tom reqnrrs that l should shield my.
sell behind the initial B.
Island.