The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-28
Judge prentIs' Decision In Newspaper
Case Reversed bj Supreme Court.
THE PRESS SUBJECT TO A LICENSE TAX
The Highest state Tribunal Decides.
Tint compulsion 90 Pay for til,
R.ghtto Print Does Not InrrInx.
tho Guarantee of tho Freedom OF
the Press.

tetuaS ueciueu mat the newspapers OF
this city must pay for the right to
print. This validates the license tax
assessed against them last May BIZ the
| City Councils. The press at thai; time
secured an injunction restraining the
city from collecting the tax levied In the
ordinance, which read:
'On every person, firm or corpora ion
| engaged In the publication of a news
paper for six or more days in each
week. if a morning paper, $780, and If
an evening paper, $50, and IL published
for less time than six days in each
| week, S25. in addition in all cases to the
| tax on the capital invested"
| On December s, after the case had
! been ably argued by Messrs. Gooie &
| Taylor. attorneys for the newspapers,
and we'll contested by City Attorney
| Taylor, Judge Prentis decided as fol-
| lows:
Bearing this decision in mind, we
see that the charter of the city of Nor
| folk does not enumerate the specific
subjects OF license taxation as some
charters do. 1t does no. give power, as
| the Lynchburg charter does, TO impose
| a license tax on any person or employ
| mcnt which the Councils may deem
proper, whether such person or employ
| ment be herein specially enumerated or
| not. and whc.her any tax be imposed
| by the State or not Neither does il
| give power to impose license taxes upon
long list of enumerated cmployments.
| and in addition thereto on all other
| business which cannot be reached by
| the al valorem system under the pre-
ccding section,' as docs the Richmond
charter.
Instead of 50 doing the Norfolk char
ter enumerates no busincEts for license
tax. but simply authorizes the levy of
taxes and assessments in accordance
with the laws of the State
This being true. the conclusion to my,
mind is Irresistible, and free from
doubt. AS to license taxes, in my opin-
ion. the city of Norfolk is governed by
section 1912 Of The Code and has no
legal authority to levy any license taxes
except such as are authorized by that
section"
This made the Injunction permanent
but City Attorney Taylor lost no time
in appealing to the Supreme Court, be-
fore which The case was argued last
week by the same counsel A. here. The
decision of the Supreme Court, rendered
by four OF the bench, Judge Cardwell
being unwell, disaolves the Injunction
and establishes the city's right to collect
the tax
PERFECTION IN CAIlE-MAEING
fiousekecpers frequently wonder why
IL is that they cannot make biscuit
and cake that are light and pnlatablo
ana that taste as delicious as the bis
cut ana cake made by their mothers
ana srandmothers, the delightful
memory of which even to this day
creates sensation Of pleasure to the
palate The trouble arises from the
nightly adu Grated state of the mater
lhis they have TO work with, parti-
quarry the cream-of-tartar and soda
used TO raise or lcaven the food.
Cream-of-tartar and soda that arc
now procurable for domestic purposes
contain large quantities OF lime, earth
aihm and other adultcrants, frequently
from live to Twenty-Five per cent, and
consequently vary so much in strength
mat no person can tell the exact
quantity to use or properly combine
mem, to insure perfect results From
using too much or too little or be-
cause OF the adultcrants in them, Bit
Ter, salt, yellow, or heavy biscuits or
cakes are frequently made. These
health.
All this trouble may he avoided by
me use Of the popular Royal BAKING
Powder. Where this preparation IS
employed in the place of crcam-uf-
tartar and soda, it's perfect lcavening
power always insurcs light. naky. Iii
&estibie biscuit. cakes ana pastry. that
80 ~ i'N'iS "HpltSpUlt ana Tree from
the impurities invariably present when
the old raising preparations are en-
plOyed
The Royal Baking Powder. we are
Informed by tho most reliable scicn-
,!Sts, is perfectly pure, being made
from highly refined ingredients. care
tully tested. and so exactly proportion
cd and combined that ii never fails
20 produce the best and uniform re-
suits. An additional advantage in lis
employment comes from the fact that
bread or other food made with ii may
be eaten while hot without fear of
indigestion or any Unpleasant results.
Will" being equally sweet. moist and
grateful to the palate when cold
MkpDJEn c.nIr-t,.,