The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-03

mechanical conscience III tuo Anooi0o'
or total abstinence, or as a compulsory
prohibition dodge, is bound to be fall
ure, but as O source OF revenue to the
State and means of protection to bar
rooms, it can be made an eminent
and exceptional success. This is
the way to treat Of it in urg-
ing it upon the public consideration.
Reversing the order in which these
propositions are stated. let us show in
what way it will afford protection to the
dealers. To begin with, liquor is sold
at higher rates in New Orleans than In
any other city In the Union. Every
where else the regular price Is two
drinks for twenty-five cents; here it Is
fifteen cents drink. This is sll right,
because we have finer saloons than any
other city, and they keep better liquors
In the main. Still, the profits are very
large when the custom is good, and
u certain amount Of liquor Is regu-
larry allowed for, to be given away, or
sold on credit to persons-g custom
ers when they have the money, men
out Of employment and ailapidated
gentlemen, who cannot be refused.
But when the barkeeper has to take
out Of his cash drawer twosand half
cents every time the wheel turns, there
will be q plausible excuse for declining
this precarious custom. Besides losing
his liquor, he pays a premium for the
,,rsx- Tn fhiu ro1npnt alma the
saloon keepers will more than offset the
tax. The manner in which the tax Is
imposed Is also great advantage to the
better class of saloons, and therefore to
the drinking public, who get poisoned
only in the low groggeries, whose
profits are derived from adulteration
of liquors vended and not from their
large custom and small percentage.
The better class Of saloons set lunch
daily that costs as much as the Moffett
register would bring in, and yet they
find it profitable. The same advantages
would accrue to these in much larger
scale by the diminution Of the number
Of saloons. Now the licenses are arbi-
trary, and are gagged only by the class
Of saloon nominally kept without refer
ence to the amount of custom. By this
system the tax is equalized, the saloons
paying strictly in accordance with the
amount Of business done.
Now with reference to the State, it is
only necessary to make short calcutta
ton to show the benefits it would de-
rive from the system. Say there are
$4,000 drinks sold daily in New Orleans
(Which is certainly the very lowest esti-
mate, this amounts to the handsome sum
Of $3.50 per day. and 1856, 250 per annum
In New Orleans alone. This sum will
certainly be doubled in the State, and we
have the whole Of the interest on the
State debt paid without single
case of tax on real estate, on per-
sonal property, on stocks Of goods,
on the privilege Of men to make
their living by the sweat Of their
brows or the pursuit Of their callings.
What a relief to every material in
terest of the country, to everything
that goes to make the country rich and
prosperous.
These are considerations we must
urge upon the Times, and by that token
upon our venerable contemporary the
Picay,nae. We think it is now safe for
the Pic to take hold Of this question,
and we shall also venture the express
sion of a modest desire to hear from the
good old soul of Camp street on the
school book question.