Savannah morning news., 1886-01-05
MUST PAY UP THE TAX.
DELINQUENT LIQUOR DEALERS
TO BE PROSECUTED.

The Names Of Those who do not Pay the
State TAX Promptly 10 be Presented 20
the Grand Jury-une Hundred and
Ninety Five Dealers raid Out Of Two
Hundred and Fifty Seven RoEistere g.
One Hundred Expected to Quit Selling
Only l9j liquor dealers had paid the
State tax when Capt. McGowan's office
closed last night. or the 3S4 doing busi-
ness ia the county but 251 have registered.
1t begins to look 8s though the Increased
tax imposed by the city Council VIII
largely diminish the revenue Of the state.
The dealers fear that the county tax will
be increased to prevent the county reNe-
nue. from suffering.
The books of the register and the col
lector viii be called for by the solicitor
General and put in the hands Of the grand
jury. An " 10 have registered ana have
not paid the specific tax viii pc proSecu-
ted. Those who have registered but 40
not intend 10 carry on business VIII DC
subject TO the tax also unless they have
their names stricken of. The law IN re-
gard to the State tax is especially strIn-
gent. ii the Tax Collector refuses TO
give information to the grand jury Of any
dealer who has not paid TIE tax the
Comptroller General is empowered to
issue q Il ia. against such Tax Collector
and his bondsmen for the tUll amount Ol
toe tax due by the delinquent.
There is no deduction Tor any part OF
wear. The dealer must pay $50 whether
lie carries on business one week or u
months aud all State licenses expire Dec.
3I OF each year. or the 3S4 dealers regis
tered last year all but three or four paid
4he State tax. In round numbers the
State derived $751; 900 from the dealers IN
Chatham county. Not quite $4,000 has
been paid in Tor 1885. 1t has been estima-
tee that 100 city dealers will close up on
account of the additional S1S5 tax. That
would reduce the number OF places in the
county to 2o4, the revenue from which Tor
the State viii be 81, 200.
1t is fair to presume that all OF the
names that are dropped from the books
are Of city dealers, as those outside of the
city limits are not affected BY Councils
action. AS q matter Of fact there were
very few dealers in the county outside OF
she city. OF the $50 dealers in Savannah
1ast year, only 296 paid the city tax ac-
cOrding TO the uncontradicted statement
of Alderman O'C0nnOr. 1t is not likely
that the increased tax will induce the "a
dealers who did not pay last year TO pay
up this year, nor viii they be any the
more inclined TO close up their places.
If, as delinquents 10 the city, they car
Tled on business safely IN 1880, they
viii presumably pay their State
tax this year, and continue
business without getting a city license.
Estimating that 100 barrOOms will close
up in the city, there VIII be $50 left. If
there were GA delinquents in $50 dealers,
Or 17.7 per cent. when the tax was only
$l15, it is more than probable that a tax
OF $500 viii INCREASE the number of delin-
-sfls<.ts. JvAo WA Nake the risk Of carrying
on business undistDrbed.
II would not be surprising if the dein-
Quents for 1886 Will number 100 if not
prosecuted. Then the number Of those
who pay the city license EOuld be 100, al
lowing that Of the 800 dealers 100 will 90
out Of business because OF the increased
tax, and suppOsing that 100 fail to pay.
The city revenue from 100 dealers will be
$4S, coo. The cIty's revenue for 1885 is es-
minated at $4,000.
II. however, there are only the GA Cielin-
guents who failed TO pay up last year thes
260 places would be reduced to 156 that
comply with the ordinance. That num-
her is Just one more than had paid the
State tax at 6 O'Clock last night. II 196
dealers pay the $500 tax the city Will
derive $5S,S 800.
Although among the 1876 dealers who
have paid the State tax are some dealers
who live beyond the limits OF Savannah
there will be enough Of the city dealers
pay the State tax to swell the total on the
tax collectors books considerably over
200. SeYsral-of the dealers who have reg
istered wih, it is thought, have their
names stricken of, while there are still a
good many who intend to register but
have not yetdone 80.