Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-22
TAX WILL BE RAISED
The Council Decides to Increase lne
LlQuOr-Licelst Charges
v,>, DEALERS ARE HEARD
They Insist That che r''
Are High Enough--N h"'''"
s,,o and $3.50 and Re
,oiIcrs s75 or $50

,t.bt 10 decide as 10 ihe ''P'',
ids' .o Committee recommending
n the ID, the ucensc-taX for the
sale Of liquors. hour ses-
sion Of the committee was 'ne a''0r',S'' 80.
=, substitute TO the Finance Noi"-
.-.,~e.s report. which Will diVloe '"e
~, ~ wholesale dealers into TWO
'e', - n $50 and $50. and the retaii
.,.~, and saloon-keepers into TWO
e,.sses Of SIS and $40. With few eN-
"a,,ons the latter now pay license OF
en- sm saloons in this city being 'aNeu
this amount.
Tbere was considerable discussion on
,ho question before 81 was hnaly
settled and nearly every member Oh
,he committee had a different idea
s,or, his fellows as to what the license
shoul6 be. There was an immense crowd
of spectators present. and a NUMBER o'
liouor-dealers were heard.
FOR THE WHOLESALE MEN
captain Charles f. Taylor first spoke
in behalf Of the wholesale de"leIs
Of the city lie said he did not De-
ueve that the present was the proper
time to increase the tax on the llquoi
traffic 1t would drive out OF business
many man who made ms HrrIs
by the sale of ardent spifl'S'
speaker said he thought "orlu "
very unwise in the Council TO place an
onerous burden upon her merchants,
for such an increase in the TAX Noulu
l,e ne claimed Tie said he regarded
the dealers in liquor both wholesale
and retail as honorable set OF men
a. any engaged in any other business in
tbis citv and they ought 10 be pro-
tected.
OTHER CITIES CHARGE MORE.
Mr. Wallerstoin. 10 show that Rich
mond was not endeavoring to make the
lax n hardship. quoted the licenses
charged I'm the cities of Petersburg,
,vncnburg. and Danville for the conduct
Of fbe wholesale liquor business, which
respectivey were So, 500, and $50,
while only two dealers Ia this city paid
as high a license as $3.50.
Mr. Glover, who prefaced his remarks
bv saving that the members Of the COM
mittee knew he was in the liquor bust
ness. said II the Council wished 10
make Danville, Petersburg. or
l.ynchburg Of Richmond. they should go
ahead and overtax her merchants. who
were the life of the city. and tnat ia
time the capital OF the State might
-cach the business standing Of those
ooroughs.
Mr.. Boiling said ne realized that at
present the merchants OF the city were
n no condition to be taxed higher than
hey now are; that the business inter-
asts OF the city were suffering.
Mr.. Walerstein offered AZ a substitute
for the Finance Committees report
that the licenses be divided into two
ciasses--a $50 license and $3.50 Ii
cense instead OF 500 and 500 licenses.
Mr. BlOomberg offered as substitute
FOR this that the chapter Of the orli-
nance 10 license be allowed to remain as
al present
HARDLY DRIVE THEM OUT.
Mr.. Turpin said the idea Of an increase
Of so or 800 TO the tax on wholesale
!quor-dealers driving such merchants out
Of the business was absurd. and was
baby talk" He said for fifteen years the
current revenues of the city had not paid
the current expenses. lie said some
hing had 10 be done. and he was in favor
Of slightly increasing the tax on whole
sale and retail liquor dealers, and then
cutting down the salaries OF some of the
city officials. II such was done. he said,
the Two ends might be made 10 meet"
Mr Glover replying to Mr.. Turpin.
said if the latter gentiemans idea of
taxation was TO impose all the tax a
merchant could bear without actually
driving him out of business. then he
thought he was poor representative Of
he city
Alr. Seay said he was opposed TO put
ing an exorbitant tax upon liquor-dealers.
They did legitimate business, and should
nor be- taxed out Of II.
Mr. Blake thought the wholesale dealers
should not complain of a slight increase
On their licenses. when they were not
much higher than those OF the retail
dealers. He said he was sorry the ques-
iion hadn't been agitated before the
election, as he knew in that case some
of the members Of the Council would not
nave felt quite so comfortable.
Mr. Hardwicke, chairman of the Finance
Committee said what he wanted was to
be given some standard to go by in di-
viding the different classes. The pending
question was then ordered, which was on
Mr. bloombergs substitute. providing that
The taxes which have not already been
acted upon, be allowed to remain as they
now are This was defeated by a vote
OF 20 TO 10. Mr.. Walersten's substitute
20 the Finance Committees report was
hen adopted
AS TO RETAIL MEN.
The retail liquor dealers and bar-room
licenses were then considered.
M Blake offered as a substitute for
me flnance Committees report that the
license for bar-rOOms and retail liquor
lealers be made <l00. and that the bar
rooms BE- not divided into two classes
as at present
Mr. y. j. Smith, president Of the Liquor
Dealers Association, said he was in favor
OF Mr. B.ake's substitute. because IL sim
lline1 the law. lie said he thought II
was very bad time to increase the
license, however
Mr. John ~. Higgins. said he thought
ihe license should be made S75. instead of
Au, and Mr.. Davis offered a substitute
to This effect
Mtssrs. Ed Kosher and L. Anthony.
saioon-keopers. claimed that their bust
ness. which was small. compared with
mat OF Others, should not be taxed as
hgh as the barkeeper who sold drinks
over his counter at 10, l5 and p cents,
While they could hardly get "a nickel IN
Exchange FOR their liquor
HAVE ONLY TWO CLASSES.
cue ". j. woody offered a substitute
ulFlling The licenses into three classes
o' 80 500, and 500 This was withdrawn,
however upon Mr Turpin's Offering a
$40
MY. Gunst offered a substitute making
TWO GLASSES Of 81, and N25.
Mr' hardwckc thought that the new
schedule AS 10 licenses. az embraced in
the latter substitute. was inequitabe, as
u raised The poOr mans license. and
lowered The flch mans, who could better