The Red Cloud chief., 1884-01-18

4WO SpcdhiuS ultSTdIuS nave EcCcut-
]y been put in circulation. They are
maps of certain parts of Boston, desig-
mating, by black blocks, the liquor sa-
looms in the districts. They are hardly
more than a huge blot. In q district
near the Albany depot, about six hun
dred fifty feet square, eighty-twO sa-
looms flourish. In a little larger dis
rrict. neal the Lowell and Eastern de-
pot, n hundred and seventy-five sa-
looms are seen. These little diagrams
show more plainly than words can do
what a grasp the liquor interest has
upon u city. a grasp that no ordinary
effort can shake OIL. If one wishes to
have his eyes more thoroughly cor
WINGED, he has but to take a stroll down
Merrimac street or Kneeland street aft
er ven o'clock of an evening.
1t seems hardly out of place to ask
for whose benefit is this enormous traf-
fic? Few, if any, kinds of legitimate
business exist that can not give Il reason
for being, that can not justify their ex-
istence by supplying some necessary de-
mand, or ministering to the harmless
pleasure of their patrons. Directly, or
indirectly, all legitimate business bene-
fits q community. If II. H. White l.
Co., or James K. OsgoOd, did not d.
rectly benefit Our city by answering a
need among the people they would yet
indirectly benefit it by the enormous
tax on their unsOld capital. which they
turn into the treasury. The liquor
traffic cOnfers nc such benefits. 1t
answers a demand. but a demand of the
lowest and basest appetite of which
man is possessed. The saloon-keeper
invests no capital, and in few instances
pays any tax besides the license. In
spite OF this license, high license as it
is sometimes called, the s~alOOn-keeper
pays the smallest tax in proportion to
the business done of any business man.
On the contrary, the whole community.
even those cOnscientiOusly opposed TO
the business, are heavily taxed in sup-
port OF the results of the traffic.
1t seems incredible that the people of
q great city a be SO patient and long
suffering. That they will consent to
pay taxes for the support of paupers.
made paupers by the liquor traffic:
they will consent t. pay taxes to
build Jails and prisons to guard crimi-
mails urged to crime through the liouor
traffic; that they will consent to nav
the bills of Judges and juries and police
officials. whose time is consumed ~cari,o !
for the victims of the same traffic. i |
one OF the anomalies of human nature.
Wars have been fought to lift bardens
Of less weight from the shoulders of an
oppressed people. Revolutions have
been successfully carried out to effect
. less change than the shifting this load
Of taxation where it belongs. THE
french people were hardly more taxed
support the luxury of the mobiles, in
which they had no part. than are the
temperance people taxed to put money !
INTO the hands of a few brewers. dis
tillers and dealers.
These are significant facts: Vineland
n. D., has a population Of 1900. II
no saloons or drinking places. its
police force consists of one a tn
whom it pays $75 a wear. 1t has M
Police Court. Its bill for the support
,f paupers is S4OO yearly. Yonkers.
n. T.. has $4,000 inhabitants and 215
licensed and unlicensed dram shops. n
costs $3.50 each year to keep public
rider. Its Police Court is maintained
It a cost of 3 1880, and its bill for the
support OF its poor is over $500
fonkers, with its one saloon to every
twenty-five inhabitants, pays ninety
lines as much for the support of its
JIty Government as Vineland with no
Vineland is a remarkable
pure city, but it is not an extravagant
to say that if no liquor could
bought in Boston the expenses of the
City Government would not be one
quarter what they now are.