Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-02
HIGH LICENSE.
A Mechanic Replies to Business Man
Free Water and Taxed yVhislxv.


EDS. RECORD UNION. The communion
ton in the Bee last night on high license
from business man, is so full of nonsense
beg some space to reply. l am for high
license. am for it from my conviction.
take my toddy. and like it. / am not a
teetotaller nor drunkard
Now, Business man y says, first, he is
against high license because he has found
out that some of the very dives it ought to
close up will be able to pay it and so con-
tinue to drug and rob, and employ women
to rope in suckers. Well, suppose that is
so, how will beating high license make it
any better? Business Man" must think
ordinary readers are big asses to be induced
to vote against high license because some
low dens will be able TO paw it. By not
compelling them to pay high license. how
much better off will the city be? If these
sinks can pay it, in Gods name why not
make them? Why not make them con-
tribute something to the cost of govern
ment which they help to pile up?
Secondly. Business Man says: "Un-
der high license any man could come
into Sacramento, and, if he had little
money open the yilest den of infamy and
undoubtedly make it pay In the name
of the Prophet, figs. Does" Business Man n
mean TO say that under low license no man
can come into Sacramento and open "the
viiest den of infamy and make it paw pr
In heavens name, does this Business
Man do business as he talks about high
license?
This wonderful reasoner also saws. that
he has found out " some of the corner gro
ceries on the outskirts of the town actually
sell more whisky land of the most poison
Gus kind over the counter in their little
back corrals, than do many saloons on J
street. Well, is that any reason why they
should lot pay high license? Why,
" Business Man." don't you know that the
butcher that sells the necessary of life.
beefsteak, and does not rope in suckers,
drug liquors, nor make policemen neces-
sary, has to pay license of So a month.
and the whiskyman has to pay no more
for selling luxury and raising the devil in
the community.
In coming down town tony shop. eleven
blocks long, and making three turns, | ard
my boy pass twenty-four dram-shops.
Now If high license would shut ND one
half OF these, don't Business Man V think
that my boy and could get all the whisky
we want at the other twelve? The twenty
four now pay into the city box 1920 a
would pay $500 a month and if high
license shut up eighteen out of the twenty
four, then the remaining six would pay
$500 month, and guess there would be
plenty of whisky for those that want it. too.
But here is Mr.. Business Man. putting
up something that would hit the saloon-
man more than high license. He wants
the saloons limited to one in block: or.
that no saloon should be established unless
all the property-owners consent. This
would be rough on rats the highest
high licenser would not ask for ANYTHING
like that, to give one man alone the power
to say whether a saloon should be estab-
lished or not. Why, under such system.
fellow could make more money by sell,
ing his consent than by owning the prop
erty and the beauty of it would be that
the city would not be the gamer.
am for high license, because it will
make luxury pay what it ought to for
support OF the Government and relieve the
general taxpayer. 1t will bring our CITY
taxes down from 50 10 to 81 10. and as
taxes go down property values go up. /
heard a voter say tonight he'd vote against
nigh license because it would make a mo-
nopoly of the liquor business. Well. in
Gods name, who cares? Who will it hurt ,
no OF my fellow-workers will be hurt BY
IDdn at tie same
time say he would vote against it because a
part OF the money gained would 90 into
the bondholders interest fund, and make
bonds more valuable Well, as to that the
part that don't go into the interest fund
would be clear gain TO the taxpayers.
wouldn't it, and the part that does would
help to pay off the debt. But the interest
fund will stop pretty soon. Then, too. the
Trustees are not bound to put on high IL
cense right off; they can wait until thew
get the compromise fixed up with the bond
holders.
five are never to do anything to improve
our city, and make it prosperous. and re-
duce taxes and run it cheaper, for fear these
things will give value to the bonds of our
creditors, then. to carry the thing out. we
ought to cut the levees, shut off street lights
blow up the water works, and raise hell
generally, so as to make the bondholders'
securities worthless, no matter how much
1t may hurt us meanwhile.
No, sir; am for dear whisky and CHEAP
water. Let us take off all tax on water.
and furnish it free to all, and make whisky.
by high license, pay the cost of running the
water-works Adopt high license, and then
go to work to have water rates abolished.
and so the bondholders' interest fund
won't get any So per cent out of the surplus
rates. Respectfully,
TAyp.yrxc Mrcrr