The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-10-03
The Bulletin.
THE MOFFETT REGISTER.
Virginia's New Device for EnIargiB K
Hcr state Revenue hnt "a Read
ing temperance Journal Had
OSHy About the New Year.
Boston Pos

Boston Post.
Inc Molfett Register Il what they ell 10
in Virginia, and it is "smashing states for
the blrkeepers eqlal to the llveliest work
Of the politicians. II is otherwise called
punch. It's not the kind in favor with
those who drink. It's really ami sOberly,a
little tinliog gong to record drinks, and
thereby assess the tax by which the Old
Dominion is trying to pay Of her old debt.
Thirsty people do not now invite one an
other to take drink. but to 20 in aud
''regiater.' Some even say, LET'S con-
tribute 10 the state tax The so-called
Mollett Register law imposes tax Of two
cents and half on every alcoholic ami halt
cent on every malt drink. The saloon
keepers accordingly put up the price oftheir
beverages, the alcoholic to fifteen cents,
while they substituted glasses oae-tenth
smaller for lager beer which still leaves the
price at FIVE cents. We are told that last
year the whole amount paid By the liquor
merchant, Of the state into the treasury
was alS7.G00. The city OF Richmond ordi-
narily pays One-lith Of the liquor tax ofthc
state, and the new lazy is expected to be
enforced more rigidly there than anywhere
ehe. The amount estimated to be derived
from it is.ss0O,O0O perannum, which is allow
estimate A dealer must sell at least eight
dollars worth per day. or h. must stop
altogether. The reg-iter does away with
the credit system at bars. The dealers
were unwilling to pay a tax on what accum.
ulated on their states, for they were uncer.
tain whether they could collect the whole
OF IT, So tho cash system for drinks prevails
in Virginia. Bu, no one grumbles either
at the prices or the payments except the
old topers. The grea, majority Of HE pro.
pie are in favor Of the aa.
State Treasurer X. NJ. T. Hunter drop
ped in to a saloon and called for his glass
OF lager, After drinking It he reminded
the bartender that he hadn't punched"
The latter answered that he knew i, and
again the treasurer reminded him Of lie
OMISSION where upon the bartender ey.
blamed that the treasurer hadn't paid.
Punching i done only '.for cash" Pub |
lie sentiment is said 10 favor the new law,
though the saloon keepers are bitterly hO.-
tile to it. Its universally admitted thatlOr |
revenue purposes it i, a device meyer sur.
passed. Il fairly enforced it will iully an
-wer all the end. for which it wa. passed. |
The advance in price. doe. not interfere
with any drinkers hut the regular topers,
unless II is a elias. that DO not carry change
il their pockets. The register is fastened
10 every counter across which LIQUORS are
sold. and sellers console themselve. with
saying that the tax doesn't come
out OF their lCckes. Yet they swear more
or less at it, alleging that it looks "a il the
little machine was stuck before them to
keep people from stealing their taxes
They say that everybody who comes 10 has
TO look at the register to see how many
drinks have been sold, and then they begin
10 calculate the amount Of business done
in the place, which il an exposure of pri.
vate affairs by the state. The great problem
now being studied is how to beat the reg.
lister, and all the scientifically inclined bar. |
tenders are deepin it. The registertells the |
"boss" just how many drinks have been
sold and, therefore, how much has been |
taken, so that there ia no such a thing as
knocking down on him. One man, not |
q bartender, claims to have solved the en-. |
crossing problem, but his secret is still his |
Own