The Yale expositor., 1894-10-19
AVERY'S GOOD WORK
AS Prosecuting Attorney He
Has Made An EnViable
Record.
THE LIQUOR TAXES COLLECTED.
1t Was Not A Snap Job. but He Saved the
Taxpayers Thousands OF Dollars.

Lincoln Avery, prosecuting attorney
for st. Clair county, has made an en-
viable record as faithful, consclen-
tious officer, and rs regards the mat
ter of collecting liquor license money
has set an example to prosecuting Of
ticers throughout the state. Mr.. Avery
went into Office on January |, 1893.
He found that'many liquor dealers in
the county had paid no license, while
very few had paid II full license of $500,
although nearly all were retailing all
kinds of liquors on beer license. Mr..
Avery believed that the law should be
enforced, and determined to make Il
faithful effort to the end. Conserva-
tive citizens said the task would prove
a failure, and at first it seemed as
though their prophesies wOnld prove
true, so great were the obstacles met at
every turn, but Mr.. Avery never weak
ened. lie had declared the lawful tax
must be paid, and supplemented it
with the statement that If necessary
he would spend all his time and salary
in its collection.
The strong determination, backed by
Il righteous cause, proved successful,
even against great odds. On April 30,
1894, at the close of the first liquor
year under Mr.. Avery's administra-
ton, he collected in licenses and fines
nearly 500, ,0O0-a sum $4,000 greater
than had been collected in any previ-
Gus year. This is the financial side,
although it will be well To add that
this great difference reduces the county
tax for the year more than One-third.
The moral side cannot be measured in
dollars and cents. The enforced re-
spect for law and order, the closing of
numerous grotgeries, all have an infiu-
ence for good that cannot be estimated.
Two or three specific cases may be of
special interest. In 1892 in the village
of Algonac there was collected 5000 for
liquor licenses; in 1898 Mr.. Avery col
lected 81 GAO, one-half of which went
to the village to reduce local taxation.
In st. Clair city Mr. Avery collected
in 1898 the sum of 81 900 oyer and
above that collected in 1892, turning
over TO that city $3.50 more than had
been before received to reduce the city
taxes. In Capac village in 1892 $500
was collected; Mr.. Avery collected in
1898 the sum of 81 900. Other quite as
interesting details might be mentioned.
Another matter of considerable i'm
portance was the notorious fact that
houses of prostitution in the city of
Port Huron had never been called
upon to pay liquor tax, although it
was well-known that they sold liquors.
Mr.. Avery forced these houses to take
out licenses in 1898, and they now pay
their tax the same as other liquor
dealers.
Two weeks before May 1st Mr.. Avery
gave notice to the liquor dealers in the
county, through the press, that their
taxes must be paid promptly, and as n
result during the first week in May
about $4,000 in license money was
paid in. Arrangements were promptly
made of delinquents, until S4S, 900 has
this year been paid for licenses, and
Mr.. Avery estimates that $4,000 will
be secured before the year closes. In
addition to this over forty saloons have
been forced to close their doors perma-
nently- Mr.. Avery's course is APP
proved by the taxpayers, the law
abiding liquor sellers, and decent peo-
pie generally.
More than SIS, 900 paid than ever be-
fore in any two years. There has been
over 800 cases tired, all the old work
cleaned up and no additional expense
to the county.