Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-02-05
The Mofett Register.
,rre,Inndence nf Ihe Register.

Correspondence Of the Register.
In your paper, this morning, notice
an allusiOn Ia the "Motiett Register.
As information should be always a ne
ressaTy prerequisite To an intelligent
opinion upon any subject, some OF your
readers might be interested in a brlei
statement OF what the Virginia law is,
under which the Register is now opera
ting. | take il for granted that 1t Is
GENERALLY known that the Register Ii an
instrument designed To register the
number oi drinks or quantities OF liquor
sold in each saloon. The Virginia law
provides that each retail dealer and
saloon keeper in the state shall he prOyid-
eel with one of these Registers, and that
whenever drink is sold the crank Of
the Register shall he turned until bell
strikes, and an Indicator moving over
dial moves one point The instrument
is 80 constructed that only the proper
official can have access tn the interior
machinery, 50 that, unless the seller fails
10 turn the crank, and thus makes the
purchaser cugnizant OF his disObediencc
uf the law, an accurate report may
br had of the number Of drinks sold, and
the seller can be made 10 account az
corlingly.
By Tar the most cntiCing argument ~
favor of our adopting this law is the AL
litinn to the revenue Of the state which
would accrue from IL. Taking the same
tax which Virginia imposes, namely y
cents for alcoholic liquors and cent
inr malt liquors, and supp1sing the taX
even moderately we'll collected, the most
enormous returns might be expected,
AMI many Of our internal improvements
which now struggle against the poverty
oi our State Treasury, might be assisted
ina which would he otherwise im-
pns-jhlr The money which would be
thu, accrued would bc altogether a tax
pu a luxury, and would not place one
additional burlcn on people who desire
tn eSaaI,e IL. ~ lar ~ thc tax payer II
concerned the scheme would work with
thc easy aud almost impcrCcptible pres
sure ui imIU.ts ul the General Govern
ment. about which the consumer usual.
ly thinks 30 little. II man wants
cigar or a pound of tobacco, and
want. il enough Ia buy il, he
never feels the difference ia Price
which the revenue tax IMPOSES
On him, or II be- does feel
il. he doe. without hi- pipe aud no one
j. much the wor-e Why should not
the same ruic prevail a. 10 drink Of
Whi.ky' Iimcn will drink IL, they
drink IL, not a. necessary, hut A.
luxury. and why should they not le
ma,le I" Vay ior the vast expense which
their luxury Cystz In the Ssy Oi in
creased crime ani the cost OF suppr,zs-
iug it or, II dealer should Ia uJin-
g.elie,l in put the priuc up - that men
wuull H. deferred from buying, ~ much
ihc l,gtieT.
Ia matter ui thi- kind the I>7gislA-
turr should not Pnludgv, but they
should cpu-iieT the matter calmly and
m iudIcial spirit, uRaScd 10y the 0p-
position oiintercsted liquor dealers, and
should come unswrTyingly To- the result
which sill he irr the greatest g0Dd of
their constituents. Ia ~ short 4 oItn-
municAiiun cyuH only glance al the
iea,iiu- features u tbe question, bat ]
suuli ~ giSi H. sse the Whole subject
I plani clearly before the people.
4 NEUEEE