The Hillsborough recorder., 1879-03-05
An OPEN LETTER.

From q Liquor De,iier % his Representa-
ices I" de Gsaerul assembly. ,s T..
.SIRs --Ysu will pardon we. am sure,
the liberty take iu addressing you she,
yop come 20 consider the interest | have, al
stake III the matter 70 which | ssk .ynur at,
ten,in. Permit me then. to suggest TO-
your consiaerati"n sonc rtfeciions upI
the lr.p,.ed inaetment of a liquor l,v
having the essentisl fpstafes of system
known AS that of the M"iit Bel Punch.
To add such q tax as this lilw ,rrupns-s /,
the burdens already sadlled upon par bu;ii
"c's- wou d. II seems TO me, he in the las
degree oppressive. Let noe show you VIVA
these governmental burdens are.
in the first place, Ii. re is the United
States Revenue Tax uf 91 cent. Per gallon
which on the average barrel Of liquor Al
gals f"ots up $500. ~...4 ...'..*
Secondly. as retail dealers. we pay q
license tax Of S25. 90 per annum To the U
4; as wholesale dealers annihrr Of 500 /,
she S.ste and county one &c So. 90. aud /,
the city still another Of .slOl.Oo. -.ns,J .
Finally we pay 10 the State the iipmens,
exaction Of ten per cent. on the total ol oul
purchases. d. ..s. ..+...-,.....s+. 81.
To ,he.ef the pending law wunId add .
tax Of So. so "n the barrel refailed by the
drink. or Sf7.G0 on the barrel retailrd b,
measure or sod Us Whole package. aihird
form IL State taxation more ouernus than
both the Others nov imposed upon US
think il will be conceded that this is reach,
inc after more than ever was demaudei
from any fom Of business prosecuted ia
our midst. .e ~.
admit that upon tie general principle
that we are dcll.ng in an article Of lnxpry.
tOxati"u shoulI be levied upon our bu.i, CO
TO the furthest point il viii bear, but
submit thai in The roposed scheme We are
leaving tnxati,n behind and crossing the
bOrde,s Of probibitO.y legislaiien.
Bhit may be urged that there is sen,
timebt in the commpnity favorable 10 the
extinctiUn Of onr business by excessive tax,
atiOn. aud even il dealers are driven froGl
the trade good porposa vii be served,
etc. To this i answer that such senii.
ment s not rympathIzeiHwita by = mi 80.
Is or even large uInvrIty Of The peopI,
Vfthis State or section, and secou,lly. ii u
were. that methods Of repression sIe u
baud iphnitely superior 10 those presented
~ an, scheme Of excessive taxation. tx
rsriencs teaches Us that laws written on ths
statute book rather Than il the hssrts VI
TIC eOllS are Imperative r4cept for evil,
aud history d pfOhiLitury legislation IL,
world over IL fraught with but single lss
sOn. that IL is easier TO make rVgues than Il
catch or punish tLem. Here as elsswherc
the rssul.s u such lsgisIaIious csn mssl
nothing les THAI The ellmIuslIOn VI bouesi,
iivm .usibess and lie substitution 81 De.
esi'. cubIing. irsud. dishonesty end ilu,,
morality u hitherto ubkDvxn ivIns. 4
|. The elect ofiLe proposed Law must ul
course Lc 10 Ci.e " mOrs " these three
directions, eiti.eI 10 enIiance the price VI
the article 10 the eoBsumrr Or drJIocIaIv
its value Or 10 make e the dealer a Law
bIe4kvt. Judge fT JV.rseIf il the pre-.
mium offered lR excessive taxation j. not
u:h o. 10 nsks ths hrst of these inprati.
cal. aud tie latter has the Osly natural 81.
terustise-. Dfueged snd sduIterAiei Il.
quos aud erimmal pr~esutioss will Iollor
IL the wake Of such lav ss naturally ..
effect ever fslIows cause. fyf iI the las
be hobesly and impartislly administered
no honest man eau remain 10 the business.
if il IL EO,. then The ,.Ofs certainly will
only The rogue tensiB. | sfirm without
the fesr uisuccsssGsl cvnirsd,iioH ihat Our
.Lusns,s il to-day mvre unrenumsraIise IL
propJfiivD u The capital invested ia IL than
any fvfw ~ irsdlng. uaDnipcinriug OF
producing prselieed a. 4 meats 81 lIteli,
svOd in our State. To sacl, . system il,cu
The single sequel hsst IIeyiabIy be 40 srq
of mural 'eOiruptiui, q sids much ai.ic
essily. tumed..on than sicwmsd. s -
Give us ditect tar. high if,o1 please
simple ~ iis method ~ let, ing. severe snJ
sirici IL ~ machinery o. collection. Wake
Il 500 $500 or 500 ,car il you will
repeal ihe InICbsas TX ~ impossible 81
equitsblS cyileeiioH ssd save ~ Iho slals