The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-25
MIR. GUNN's GREAT SOLUTION.

He Favors "Just Assessment of Taxes
 and Suppression of Intemperance.
 To the editors of all the press, the people and the legislatures of the Uni ted States and territories, this commu- nication is addressed, by the author, who believes the following enacted into law, would be a practical solution of the excise question, including the just as- sessment of taxes in relation thereto:
 1st. It shall be the duty of all justices of the peace to grant a license to any citizen of the state, to sell spirituous li- quors and beverages in any quantities, upon the payment of a, sum sufficient to defray the expenses of issuing the ne- cessary papers, and executing a bond as now provided by law. Any person selling without such license shall, on conviction, be fined one hundred dol- lars for each offense, and be imprisoned in the county jail six months, together with the costs; one-half of the fine to be paid the prosecutor, the rest to go into the poor fund.
 Any person selling intoxicants upon the streets or public highway shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor and
  oned in the county jail six months; one half to go to the complainant, the other to the poor fund. Any person, who rents his premises for the sale of intox- icants shall be deemed a dealer and his property liable for assessment
 Manufacturers and dealers in cider by the barrel, and druggists who sell only on the prescription of a physician, are exempt from this law.
 2d. It shall be the duty of assessors to make a separate report of all per- sons engaged in the manufacture or sale of any spirituous or malt liquors, together with the amount of their prop erty, either owned, hired or rented, for assessment.
 3d. It shall be the duty of justices, constables, sheriffs, poor masters, su- perintendents of the poor, superintend- ents of inebrate asylums, lunatic asy- lums, and judges of all courts, to keep a record of all costs and expenses in consequence of the sale of intoxicating drinks, and report the same to the board of supervisors or other officers authorized to assess taxes.
 4th It shall be the duty of the board of supervisors, and other persons au- thorized to assess taxes at their annual meetings: 1st, To assess the amount necessary to be raised in consequence of the sale or use of intoxicating drinks, to the manufacturers and dealers in intoxicating drinks, as additional tax, to be collected with their other tax. The payment of this tax shall not ex empt them from paying their share of the general taxes. This act shall take effect immediately. All laws or parts of laws inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed.
 In support of this petition, among many others, I offer the following req sons:
 1st The present law gives the hotel keepers and a few others, the exclusive right and monopoly of @ business both lawful and lucrative, while at the same time other industries are taxed to pay the expenses in consequence or the eX- elusive sale by these monopolists, and while we do not deny the right Of sale and use of intoxicating drinks, we claim that it would be just that all who en- joy the profits of this business should pay the expenses, and that 1t IS unjust to tax other industries to support this traffic. In short, we claim that every business should pay it's own expenses.
 2d. We believe that all should have the right to engage in any profitable and lawful business. Therefore, ali should have an equal right to sell intox- icating drinks.
 3d. We believe the interests of tax payers, who do not use intoxicating drinks, will prevent them from submit ting to unjust assessment of taxes un- der this law, and the interests of tax paying dealers will prevent their selling to persons likely to become paupers and criminals, as they would thereby in crease their own taxes We believe