Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-10-06
SHOULD SALOONS PAY. SPEIIAL
COJINTv TAXI


eat, fair minded men, never seek TO evadc.
II IL we'll known that the expense of our
county, in taking care Of our poor and un-
fortunate citizens, amounts annually 10
thousands Of dollars. Those in charge of
our charitable institutions, in the county
aud state, estimate that over onc.half OF
the inmates nre reduced TO peuperism
through, and as n result, Of iniemperance.
Il is only reasonable and right that those
whose business IL lie ITO get gain" by sell'
ing the liquor to these people with depraved
appeiites, who by it's use are thus reduced
to want, should, rs class, in some way
pay their proportionate share OF our coun-
" and state expenses in providing for their
support.
But while they are largely the cause OF
this enormous expense, the personal proper
" tax Of the saloon keepers of Wood coun-
ty, on the duplicate Of 1872, show that they
pay very small fraction of it. There are
In the county 102 saloons where intexica-
ting liquors are sold, and the aggregate
personal property tax this year on the
duplicate, which they will have TO pay, is
$403.S6. less than an average ofIS4 each.
Many Of them pay no personal tax. The
valuation on which this tax ia assessed,
includes the stock kept by many OF them,
OF provisions, groceries, &C., 30 that the tax
II made OH liquors nlone, would not
amount 10 one half this sum-small as II is.
The combined personal property tax OF
all the saloon keepers in Perrysburg for
1882, is S99.26. OF course most Of this tax
goes into the regular State and County
funds, and but little OF it is for poor or In
frmary purposes, AZ ii IL the case with all
general taxes.
Will any reasonable man sny that this
fractional part OF the 9.26, levied for poor
or inirmary purposes, is their full proper
tionate share of the pauper expenses their
business induces and creates in Perrysburg
for the year 1882? The personal property
tax Of one of our village preachers, amounts
10 Sl77 so, nearly twice M much, as all
VuI bttOOH hSepelS oho WiuoW
IN the county. at Grand Rapids, pnys
$7l5 OF tax on personal property, which
is nearly twice as much ~ all the saloons
in the county pay.
We fnd NO fault with men, either az in.
diyiduuls or as class, for being poor, but
| when they, az cln,r, seek 10 dictate TO the
whole mmonwenlth, aud threaten de-
struction to all who dare 10 question the
legality or respectability of their seven
days in theweek business, then il isa duty,
and right, for the people TO inquire into
their standing, and see how the debit and
credit side OF their account stands will,
them, when figured mp TO see whether il
pays TO permit exclusive privileges to IA
loon keepers to make pnupers for the So
ber, industrious portion Of our cilizens Il
pay the expense Of supporting, and no
require them in turn to pay a special tai
70 the county to oftset this heavy burden
Most Liquor dealers resist all laws relnt.
ing TO, md providing against the eyils O
the traffic but there are honorable excep
tions, Of persons who would willingly pa
Especial tax, and acquiesce in wholesom
restraints.
The burden oftaxation, as matters stant
in OHIO, falls upon the real estate and tn
industries. The saloons are justly charge
able with large proportion Of the crime
committed and with the most Of the polio
expenses, yet they are virtually exeml
fiom taxation. 1t is not 30 in other State
as will be seen from the following officis
abatement OF the liquor tax in the citis