The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-22
THE MOTFETT REGISTER.

THE M0FFETT REGISTER.
What is known as the Moffett Register bill
was under discussion in the House yesterday
The DEMORCAT first suggested the introduce
tion and passage Of this bill last summer
It had been adopted in Virginia as means o
paying off the debt of that State. Informa
ton had reached us that 1t had proved com
plete success there; that the liquor dealers
who had at first bitterly opposed it, had be
come it's warmest advocates and that the
revenue from 1t would, without depressing
any class, greatly relieve the Taxpayers and
largely contribute to the payment Of a bur.
theiisome public debt.
Since we proposed the adoption of the
Moffett register tax in this State we have
had reason to entirely change our views In
relation to it. 1t has not proved the silver
lining to the cloud of debt which hangs over
Virginia, which we were told 1t was The vic
Tins of it have not been the cheerful and
happy martyrs Of the bondhoders they were
represented to be. Since November the re-
eeipts from this extraordinary tax have
regularly decreased, and n number of new
and strange laws have been proposed, but in
vain, to enforce the pound Of flesh.
SO utterly impossible has 1t been found to
anfrgce this tax fully, that q law was actually
proposed In the Virginia Legislature. declar-
ing it penal offense for any bar keeper to
sell less than forty drinks day, and, start
ling as this may seem, this arbitrary propo-
sition found a large and influential support in
the Legislature, and from the Virginia press.
The Moffett register tax, therefore, most
oppressive and discriminating tax, is rapidly
being proved failure in Virginia, where the
most favorable conditions for Its success ex-
ist. We suggest then. that our Represen-
tatives pause and consider well before they
try this extraordinary experiment in Louis
lana.
The bill before the Legislature proposes
both 6 license and an excise tax. This In itself
is an injustice; indeed, it is oppressive; 1t is
a most arbitrary, undemooratic and tyran-
meal abuse of the power Of taxation. If it is
determined to exact the excise tax, the
license ought to be remitted Kingdoms have
been overthrown and society convused by a
less abuse of the power of taxation than this.
But If we omit the license tax and impose
the Moffett register system upon the liquor
Dealers shall we accomplish anything for the
State? We fear not. The tax amounts to 20
per cent upon the gross receipts of the deal
ers. We believe that no such exorbitant tax
was ever before levied upon any industry or
a branch Of trade. The tax Is SO exorbitant in
deed, that 1T has aroused among those who are
to be the victims Of IL an irresistible spirit
Of resistance.
They are determined not to submit to it
and have already raised q large sum of money
to contest the imposition of it, They propose
to 60 into the courts and resist the law; they
will employ able and indofatigabe counsel
and stand against the State TO the bitter end
We do not overestimate the resistance the
LIQUOR dealers will make to this law. One of
them few years ago, singly and alone, with
out aid of any sort, fought and fought sue
cessfully against the civil rights bill and
Established his right to exclude colored
men from his saloon. This man fought
this point on a question OF principle
VIII he and the three thousand liquor deal
ers of New Orleans fight with less courage
and vigor law which discrminates against
them: which tends to degrade their business,
and which imposes upon them tax heavier
than has ever before been imposed upon any
class of men in any community? This is a
plain matter of fact view of the case. We ask
our Representatives to take this view Of it,
aud then consider whether granting the
tax to be a legitimate one, 1t will not cost
the State more to collect it than it will come
to.
AS Democrats, taking a partisan view of
the bill, we should regard its passage by
Democratic Legislature as great disaster to
the party The liquor dealers OF New Or
leans and the State at large, with their immedi-
ate supporters who will be stricken 1--WE believe
that is the proper world by this tremendous
tax do not number less than ten thousand
voters Nearly all these men are Democrats;
nearly all Of them, during the last eight
wears, have struggled with the Democratic
nartv to reclaim this State from Radicalism,
and thew have contributed largely to the
cause out Of their means. Is it safe Tor the
Democratic Legislature to strike this oody Oh
voters such blow as this!
1t may be said that they are poor Demo-
Gratis who turn against their party on such
grounds. We think differently. Men OF all
classes and of all trades and industries are
attached to parties and governments 10 the
cxtent that they believe the principles OF
such parties are just and equitable to ALL ana
thattbese governments protect them. Aoqlass