The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-10
Experiments

During the last half of the 10th
century, prohibition of the liquor bust
ness has been attempted by law, at
one time or another, for greater or less
periods, in sixteen of the states of the
Union. From what has been aptly
styled as a network of statutory tan
giles. the coat of many colors, check
cred and incongruous, and the series
of unhappy and satisfactory expert
ments, most of the states have, sooner
or latter, escaped. Maine, New Hamn-
shire Vermont, Kansas and North
Dakota now have liquor laws involving
prohibition. That the Maine law is
made a by-word and an Kissing is of
general knowledge far beyond the cir
cles of those who journey Down East.
That the nominal prohibition of New
Hampshire and Vermont is far from
an actual prohibition is evident to all
who sojourn among the Green Noun
tains or the Granite Hills. 1t is a state
ment of criminal statistics that North
Dakota has a higher ratio of prisoners
in her penitentiaries than states Of
larger population. And Kansas! AS
long as the words and works of Carrie
Nation are known and read of all men,
it will not be forgotten that there is a
notorious disregard of the laws d.
signed TO prevent the open sale Z e
liquor in the Kansas cities 1t is to be
expected, in view of these experiences,
of former prohibition laws repealed or
existing prohibition laws shown in
effective that the trend of public opin-
ion should be in favor of some permits
sive system Of liquor laws. Such a
trend Of opinion, in view Of prohibition
and no-license failures. is of evidence
in Worcester Those who would avoid
repetition of those failures, and the re-
sulting farces on right and justice,
vote Yes on the license QUESTIONABLE.
Rise of Taxes
When it is known that, by grace of
part of the 1894, 557 of liquor license
money poured into the City Treasury,
this years tax-rate was to be made
81 20 less than might otherwise have
been, the taxpayers breathed easier
than they had for some time before.
The $3.50 tax-rate with the license
money, or the $3.50 tax-rate without
it, would have the same relative mean
ing whether the thousands taxed were
many or few. The tax-rate is so much
per" The man with much and the
man with little were alike saved by
the liquor license money from an extra
burden Of taxation. The license money
taken to apply to the tax levy of 1901
was 6. saving factor in the solution of
A. serious problem. How to prevent
high tax-rate in 1902 is a problem al
ready presented. With the contribu-
ton of the license fees again assured
the solution would be made far more
simple than if the money is to be with
held. Taxpayers regard the rate as
high enough as it is. To put an end TO
fears of a rise they vote Yes on the
question of granting liquor licenses.
And more than trouble for one year is
to be thought Of. Tax-rates once
raised are slow to fall. After a year Of
high rates, even if license money was
again secured, there would be a ten
dency to regard it as extra revenue
and to find extra ways in which 10
spend it, To prevent the chances OF
such action is a taxpayers duty. The
tax-rate now is not so low as wished.
1t is not likely to be made lower, but
to be materially increased and to be
kept greater, if a majority of the citi-
zens do not vote Yes on the license
question at the coming election.-Advt.