Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-05
HE PReAIBlsIon sIpe.
y. III. Teller Makes Reply to C0Erespon-
danfs Who have Replied to Him,

-EUre tftL fVtboiStSN i
3. III. Teller Makes Reply to C0grespon-
dents Who have Replied to Him.
Yapkton. Dakota, Nov. 8, l8SS-ro
the Press end Dskotaian: Ia ell my diI
of local option I have studiousjy
endeavored to avid personalities. Ia
presenting the subject Of saloon keepers
assessments, | did not, therefore, think
it proper to go into details, and present
the list OF individual assessments, thus
making strictly personal affairs a matter
OF public comment. / wat considering
saloonkeepers as q class, and Tor the
purpose OF my argument 1t vas neces-
sary to ascertain what capital this class
had engaged in their business; to deter
mine, first, the amount upon which they
are, by their own statement, making at
least sos $50 per year, and second, upon
what amount they pay taxes as saloon
keepers. In other words, how much do
the saloons, IS such, contribute IN taxes.
and how much capital would be ses Tree
by their suppression? For this purpose
1t Is Clearly of no COZ equence what
household goods, or how many horses.
pianos or mortgages the saloon keep
ers have, ell OF which are included in
their total assessment OF personal prop
erty. Much less does it matter how
much real estate they, or their friends
have. Their stock IN trade, including
wines, liquors and cigars assessed as
merchandise, ls all that neei be taken
into account, though l did give their
entire personal assessment, to chow
that if they left and TOOK it all away, it
would not make q serious breach in our
taxable %esource Their real estate, 1
suppose they would consent to leave.
The attack made upon my figures by
Mr.. Poore, in your Saturdays issue, In
which he pretends to give individual
assessments, renders 1t proper for me TO
go into details of assessments more than
/ should other wise feel free to do. l
have heretofore affirmed that the saloon
interest bases Its case upon bold asser-
tions and misrepresentation, and | want
no better proof of this charge than Is af-
forded by Mr.. Poore's letter. He pre-
tends to give the assessments of the
saloons, and places my totes beneath
his footiDgs, concealing the TACT that his
figures are those of the total personal
assessment, while mine are the tota.
assessments on stock In the saloon. AZ
| have above shown, it is the amount in
vested in the saloons and not In Other
property, that | was discussing. That
this misleading grouping Of the figures
was not due to mistake is clear from
MIR. Poore's owp letter. which refers Il
the distinction made by me be
tween the assessment upon merchan
disc OF stock end that o
tue entire personal proper y. He doe
not attempt to diepute the accuracy o
my agnrss on stock, but tries to throw
dust in the eyes of the public by a par
ade of the list of personal assessments
Why does hs not give the list Of assess
ments on etock2 But the list which b,
gives Is inaccurate and misleading, as j
contains the names Of five persons VIII,
have had 40 licenses during this year
He refers also to L. Sampson asia salool
keeper, though he hiss no license, an,
has had noIe this year. BE says to tina
the assessment Of Walbaum E& Bscke
should be I'D led as sit is Jumped in will
other business in the assessors return.
Yet they are assessed upon "merchan
disc" and it was included ii my total
II seems that Mr.. Poore Gan instruct th
public and correct misstatements with
out the trouble OF acquiring aay. cen
siderable knowledge upon She subject h
assumes to treat, though the ia ,ts are G
record and within easy reach. The Of
sessment OF 1888, upon the "merchan
disc" that ia the stock, OF the person
who have received licenses during thi
year and are now in business (the pei
sons whese expenses were CAREFUL
estimated in the pamphlet / Was re
viewiDe) ia as follows: