The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-18

| to he conyersant with the history OF the
Moffett bill, that Mr. John D. Smelling. the
first president Of the Liquor-Deaers' Asso-
citation, had requested the Richmond men,
bers and Hon. John w. Daniel to vote Tor
the bill after the tax ION alcoholic liquors!
had been changed from one cent to two and
a half cents per drink. Mr.. Smelling came
to the Dispatch Office yesterday and repre-
sented that that version OF his connection
with the legislation on the subject was far
from being correct. His account is as fol-
lows:
The first bill, providing tax OF one cent
drink, was defeated in the House, hay-
ing worked with Messrs. Burke, Bumgard-
her, Hundley, and others to accomplish
that end. After the bill was defeated mo-
tion to reconsider was entered and carried,
and the bill was then recommitted to spe-
cial committee. then went to Mr.. Gilman
and Mr.. Lovenstein, and asked them what
they thought OF the bill-if it could be
defeated. They replied that it was i'm
possible to defeat it, although they had
worked hard against it, and they thought
re, the liquor-dealers, should now re-
it. 1 said well, il that is the case, I had
better 20 before the committee in person
and endeayor to get the best terms ] can
for the city Of Richmond, not thinking Of
the remainder OF the State.
| I Immediately called meeting OF the
Liuuor-Deaers' Protective Association and
reported the above facts. A resolution was
offered in the Association that committee
be appointed to appear before the special
committee OF the House. For this resolu-
ton substitute was proposed and adopted
authorizing any member Of the Association
| 70 appear before the committee in behalf
Of the dealers to present their views. I
appeared before that committee and found
that one cent was again proposed as the tax.
I then reported back to the society, and
after stating my views the society, not want
ing the bill in either shape, said ii they must
have il two and half cents on alcoholc
liuuors and half cent on beer would be the
least Objectionable form for the following
reasons, which were correctly stated ny
your informants yesterday: "That the deal
ers could charge quarter for two drinks,
thereby giving the State five cents tax and
receiving the existing price for drinks. In
the case Of one drink the State would get
its two and a hall cents and the bar-keeper
two and a half cents additional. The OPP
Dosition to q one-cent tax was that parties
would still sell at existing rates, using an
inferior article OF liquor, and thereby pre-
vent other dealers who adhered to good
liquor from advancing their prices. The
result was that the committee reported the
present BILL"
did say to the committee il the bill was
reported in the modified form would not,
personally, make any farther opposition to
it, because [ had, after conversation with
some OF our representatives, found that it
would be useless. My intention was that il
any farther fight was to be made it should be
before the courts.
I never approached any member OF the
Legislature asking him to cast his vote JoT
the bill. On the contrary, asked forty or
fifty country members to vote against it. L
did say, however, that il we had to have
such bill at all preferred it in the modi-
| fed form, on the principle that Of two evils
If was good sense to choose the least. AS
1 for speaking to Mr. Daniel to vote for the
bill, | never approached him on the subject.
NV position throughout was Of hostility to
the bill: but desired, il it was to be forced
upon us, to have it in. the least obnoxious
form.
when l proposed to increase the tax on
alcoholic liquors from one centto two and q
half cents per drink / knew that the price OF
that LIQUOR here was ten cents, but was not
aware that in other cities OF the Common
wealth the ruling price was fifteen cents.
NV object in making this statement is not
to defend myself before the society. They
are fully acquainted with my action and
need no enlightenment OH that subject; but
/ do wish not to appear to the public as re-
spousibe for the passage OF that bill. 1t
may be great honor; at any rate / am not
entitled to it and hereby aisclaim it.
LAW "PINT" OF wHIskEY, ETC.
There has been 4 difference in practice
here as to LIQUOR sold on credit. Some
dealers have felt it their duty to register
the LIQUOR when delivered; others, however,
have contended that they were required to
register it only when it was pa,d for. The
Auditor OF Public Accounts was asked yes
terday his construction OF the law on thus
point. He referred to section 9Th, and read I:
alt shall be the duty OF the retail dealer I'M
mediately on the sale Of every half-pint, frac-
tion. or multiple thereof, OF ardent spirits,
wines. malt liquors, or any mixture thereon,
in the presence of the purchaser Or person
to qoho1n it IS delivered, to turn the crank" !"
Sc "It shall in like manner be the duty
of the bar.room-keeper immediately upon
the sale OF each drink OF wine, ardent
spirits, malt liquors, or any mixture thereof,
In the presence Of the purchaser or person
! to 1ohofn 1T is delivered, to turn the crank," "
&c. The Auditor was, therefore, OF the
opinion that the tax should be registered
when the liquor is delivered, whether by the
drink or measure.
| SUBURBAN INJUSTICE-HENRIC0 DEALERS.
Dealers complain that great injustice is
done them by the State not supplying the
county of Henrlco with registers. AT
present the dealers just outside the city
limits are able to undersell city dealers
because they are not yet required to pay the
Motfett tax The Auditor acknowledges
the force of the complaint, and yesterday
stated that he would write to Mr.. johnson,
the contractor, to prepare registers, so that
they could be placed in Henrico at an early
day. On Wednesday Mr.. johnson will
send here registers sufficient to supply Pc
tersburg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Man
chester. In supplying the cities before the
counties the State officers are merely carry
Ing out claw, not exercising preference
| of their own. >
| FRAUD.
The honest dealers, those who sell by the
drink as we'll as those who sell by the mea-
sure. begin to complain OF eyasions of the
law, by which they are undersold. 1t is
reasonably certain that the State Is being
defrauded OF q large amount Of revenue by
the low class Of dealers, thus working in
| Justice to all who register their sales fairly.
Though it is generally known that the In
former receives one third Of the fine, there
is even among bad characters an aversion
to occupying that disagreeable position, 1t
is understood that when the grand jury
meets large number of citizens from each
neiphborhood will be summoned to testify
whether they know OF any violations OF the