The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-16
THE ANTI-SALOON LEAGUE.
rAx coLLEcTons TAKE EXCEPT
TION no THE srNTEMENT
or Mr.. watkins. aud Records show
that Considerably More rhnn
- saloons ray Licenses.

In Thursdays POST was printed an in-
tcryiew with Mr.. Edgar Watkins, as a
| representative OF the american ANTI
saloon league, wherein he stated among
other things "that the city directory
shows that there are over 400 saloons
In Houston and only seyenty-four OF
them have complied win the require
mems Of the law by filing their bonds
and taking out their licenses
Both City Tax collector Welsh and
County Tax Collector Glass take cxcep-
tlon TO this statement as rejecting upon
their diligence.
City ASSESSOR and collector Welsh says
that his record viii snow that 246 sa
looms in Houston have paid their city
licenses for the year 1900 just closed and
are paying up fer the present year as
rapidly as the law requires.
or these 2i6 saloons l52 paS beer
license alone. which is S25; ninetyone
pay the fun retail liquor license. which
Is $50, and three pay wholesale licenses,
which is $500.
There are not 400 saloons in Houston
by any manner of means" said Mr.,
Welsh Il employ a man whose sole bust
ness Is to look after this feature of the
eity's revenue and he misses very few,
il any as his remuneration Is based upon
| his diligence. IT Mr., watkins or any ono
else will point out to me a single saloon
In Houston not paying the city license
n viii afford me great pleasure 20 col
lect it,"
state and County Tx Collector Glass
says 'My office is furnished by the
state revenue agent every TWO or three
months a report of the liquor licenses
Issued in this county by the United
states Internal revenue agent at Austin
for both retail liquor and for beer alony
and report OF the collections made for
the State Is required TO correspond with
these reports. In addition to this the
state revenue agent makes personal
check OF the Harris county records at
least once year, so that this office must
show reasons why II we do not collect
according TO the United States govern
ment reports, and everybody knows that
there are very few liquor dealers who
escape paying the license tax imposed by
the United States government.
From May 10 May is our collecting
year on occupation taxes Our records
show that there are $50 saloons in the
county paying licenses; Of these 95 pay
retail liquor license and l9i simply
beer license
For he year ending last May we had
collected S6 retail liquor licences at $3.50
each, SSS 700. and ISL beer licenses at s75
each. $l3,516 a total OF $50, 276.
For the nine months ending January
81, 1901, We have collected so retail llu-
nor licenses, S3l $50. and 1873 beer licenses
S9225, total OF S4O.37j."
~
After securing the statements of the
tax collectors regarding the question of
saloons operating without licenses a re-
porter called on Mr.. Edgar Watkins to
ascertain if there was anything in the
article published in The Post of Feb
ruary "A that he now Thought was err
roneous. Mr.. Watkins said:
There was not single misstatemenf
| IN tho entire article, | have been verify
ing he result OF my mrs examination
OF the records today and am now prc.
pared TO say ,hat the figures given as
to licensed saloons-saloons that have
complied with the requirements Of the
law as TO filing bonds and liking out
proper lccnses-wll nG miss the actual
number given by me more than two or
/ hree
There was no reference TO occupation
| tax In tho article the correctness OF
| which has been questioned. Plain facts
! We're given ,hroughou, ami they are
| facts 'aken from the records II other
/ lniercnccs We're drawn, | can no. help e.
II lntonl to give the exact figures in
/ my address at the mass meeting 10 be
/ held a. Mildly & Dow's hall, $50 o'clocl,
sunday afternoon"