Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-03-01
The MoFest Register.

Orleans Democrat, II will be seen that
the Register system Of taxation on
liquor dealers is very unpopular in
New Orleans:
What is known as the MO1ett Regis.
ter bill was under discussion in the
House yesterday. The Democrat first
suggested the introduction and pas.
sage OF this bill last Summer. 1t had
been adopted In Virginia Ne a means
Of paying of the debt OF that State.
Information had reached US that II had
proved a complete success there that
the liquor dealers who at first bitterly
opposed il, had become Its warmest
advocates, and that the revenue from
it would, without depressing any
class, greatly relieve the taxpayers
and largely contribute TO the payment
of a b%urthensome public debt.
Since we proposed the adoption Of
the Molett register tax IN this State we
have had reason TO entirely change our
views ia relation 10 il. 1t has not
proved the silver lining 10 the cloud of
debt which hangs over Virginia, which
We were told 1t was. The victims Of
1t have not been the cheerful and happy
martyrs OF the bondholders they were
represented to be. Since November
the receipts from this Extraordinary
tax have regularly decreased, and a
number OF new aud strange laws have
been proposed, but in vain, to enforce
The pound OF flesh. So utterly impos.
sible has II been found 10 enforce this
tax fully, that a law was actually pro-
posed in the Virginia Legislature, de.
CIaring 1t a p Lal tifense for any bar
keeper to sell less than forty drinks a
day, and, startling as this may seem,
this arbitrary proposition found a large
aud influential support In the Legisla.
lure, and from the Virginia press. The
MoiTett register tax, therefore, a mott
oppressive aud discriminating tax, 10
rapidly being proved a failure in Wiz.
ginis, where the most favorable condi.
'iOns for ito success exist. We suggest,
then, that our Representatives pause
aud consider well before they try this
extraordinary experiment IN louisiana.
The bill before the Legislature pro.
poses both a license and an excise tax.
This in itsclfis an injustice indeed, it
is oppressive; II Is u most arbitrary,
undrmocralic and ~tyranniaal abuse Of
HE power OF taxatioI. iii I is deter
mined TO exact the excise tax, the II.
cense ought to be rcmilted Kingdoms
have been nverlhfown an society con.
vUlsed b! a l,ss aOu,c Ct the power OF
taxation than This.
But if we omit the license tax aud
impose the Motlett register system up.
on the liquor dealers, shall We accom-.
p.l.h any tning for the State? We ear
TO- The TAX aim cunts to twenty per
cent. upon the gross receipts # the
dealers. We believe that no -uch TX.
OrbitAnt tax was ever before levied
upon any industry or branch OF trade
tn" tax j. 50 eAerbilant indeed, that /;
mas sruu ell among those who are to
be- HE victim, Of it al Irresistible spir-
1t Of resistance.
They are determined not to submit
o T. aud have already raised Il large
sum o. money to contest The iinpOsi.
lion OF it. Iaey propose to go inc
me courts snd resist The law they will
employ able snd indeiaiigoble counsel
tnd ,laud against tue State to The bit.
tor nd. We do not Over.esiimaDe the
r"s,,'ance tue liquor dca ers will make
20 h., law. Que oftaeH few years
rgo. siugly aud %,l1nc, wirhou aid Vi
any sort, fuugat and fought 81 ceS-iul-
~ against he civil, rights bill and
established his right to exclude culorcd
mcu from hi, saiOop. This MAI
fought this poiu; Oh a question ol
principle. VIII he aud the luree thou
sand liquor dealers 81 New Orlran'
fight with less courage aud vigor a Law
which discriminate, against them
which tends to degrade their business
aud which imposes upon them y ta1
heavier than has ever before been i'm
posed upon any class Of men in All!
community? This is a plain matter 0
TACT view Of the case. We ask on
Representatives TO take this view OF II
and then consider whether granting
the tax to be a Legitimate one, It " il
not cost the State more to collect i
than 1t will come 10.
AS Democrats, taking a partisan
view OF the bill, we should regard III
passage by a Democratic Legislature a
a great disaster to the party. The liz
uor dealers of New Orleans and tn
State at large, with their immediat
supporters who will be stricken W
believe that Is the proper word b,
this tremendous tax, do not humble
less than ten thousand voters. Nearl,
all these men are Democrats; nearl,
all of them, during the last eight YEAR,
have struggled with the Democrat
party 10 reclaim this State from Radi
calism, and they have contribute,
iargrly TO the cause out of their mean'
Is II safe for the d mOcrslic L'gi-ls
tu'e to strike TIL, body oivoters such