The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-14
THE STATE CIRCUS TAX.
1T rs PRACTICALLY A PROHIBITION
OF THIS CLASS OF AMUSEMENT.
Circuses Are Not ns Big Money
Makers nv the Average Cit-
zen Imagipcs.

"The extraordinarily high license imposed
on ctrcuses by the last legislature VIII
have the effect of forcing all such class oil
shows to steer clear Of Texas SOIL, eN-
oept in passing from one State TO anotner'
The story about circuses quitting the season
tens of thousands of dollars ahead OF me
game is all romance The wagon moving
concern, playing the country towns mas
been superseded by the large comoineu
menageries and acrebatic featured aIairs
that play rural places and cities as well.
The current expenses have increased along
with the performances, while the revenue
from admission tickets and side ssues has
not been sufficient to permit the much
talked-of initiation of the proprletor's bank
account. Large sums must be paid 10 nall
roads for transportation and chances OF
going into the ditch. hotels come Ia for
good share, but the Texas solons nave
willed that their pro rata should be TIE
largest and by their action last session
circus TO play a city the size of Houston for
two performances will have to give about
$3.50 for State, county and municipal IL
censes, the like of which Is found nowhere
else in the United States.
The foregoing sentiment was expressed
by Colonel C. 7. Siyalls, traffic manager
for the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Ircs.'
Shows. who has been in the business forty
years, upon his visit to Houston a Few
days ago. He had been TO Galveston TO
cancel certain railroad contracts aud was
en- route to Palestine to perform Il like SER
vice preparatory to shortening the circus
route in Texas and hurry on 10 winter
quarters. Railroads, ii happens, do not
"cinch" circus on contract. but on
the contrary. allow them to change dl ties
and alter rGutings as much as they desire
1T was hard work." continued Colonel
Sivals, Ito persuade our people TO try
a few more dates. At Waxaha.hie. a town
that circuses used to realize handsomely
In, we made bare expenses, and there clos
Ing was proposed. Denison had presented
MS with n heavy rain, AT Paris We came
cut about even. Greenvile we went way
behind, only giving one performance. 1er-
rel failed us AID in Dalbls, while tho fair
was in progress. the receipts were aoout rs
per cent OF what we anticipated.
ITS common talk that eircuses lake
thousands OF dollars away from The State.
II any man Will follow us and place $4,000
in a bank TO our credit any day, they can
| have the receipts from the combined at
fractions. in fact every nickle we take IN
Our railroad 'Hfmps cost not less than
5000. We have a high salary st and an
enormous incidental expense account 4 he
cost Of billing town is greater than ever
the laity dreamed Of. and then On top of
all this we find in Texas. the vne s'taie
in tho Union that nature has auundIatly
favored. putting ON II tax which averaees
between $3.50 and $3.50 "a day, Tor a couple
Of performances.
When we arranged our routing ond
came to Texas. we found the fever In the
| South. and for fear of quarantine similar
TO that we became mixed up in in Australia,
when all the horses We're held seSeral
weeks. the route was changed up through
Missouri and Kansas. We came IN at Deni-
son and 1t has been a case OF hard lrck
ever since.
AS soon as the management heard what
the Texas license would cost. they son,
representative TO Austin, but it was too
late the bill had bscome law without
| the signature Of Governor Culberson, and
| went into effect September 20, IN The
face Of that they determined 10 Try il fCr
one season, but IL they get away without
| being bankrupt, they will not Try ii again
There seems TO be disposition to legis-
late against concerns that require a big
outlay of money 10 operate. 1t costs us
| between $4,000 and $4,000 every day Tho
spirit Of the occupation tax law is TO raise
| revenue and not to prohibit, but in this
case II appears there hns either peen a
point overlooked or II was the nteudcn OF
tho lawmakers to shut cut the only form
Of amusement that Is universally patron
| ICED
| by way Ct explanation: When SOME Of
the legislators proposed taxing cigarette
dealers $1,000 a year there was n great
cry raised against prohibitory tax, and the
purposes and intent of the legislation w,re
quickly explained
When rrohibltory tax license was of
fered for clrcuses there was 10 authorized
representative OF n copiously tlesse6, con
lstituency present to champion Il cir fill Is
think we Will close the season u, pNstine
and then so into winter quarters at ccium
bus, Ohio"