The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-04-05
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
HONOLULU H. t. APRIL ), 1901
LIQUOR INTERESTS AND TAXES.

J. C. Rothwell. manager for the w.
c. Peacock Company. Limited, in a
communication published in another
column says that his firm pays in
license and taxes OF all descriptions
$s.7IO.I0 TO the Territory and s525
to the Federal government But Mr..
RothweIl neglects TO segregate the
amount and point out how much OF
the total is the sum paid for liquor
licenses. The books OF the Tax AS
SCISSORS Office show that the firm of
Peacock q Company paid for taxes on
liquor in stock last year the sum OF
s376.I5. In publishing the amount Of
taxes paid by the liquor interests Of
this city The Republican distinctly
stated that this did not include license,
or taxes on bar fixtures or real estate.
Merely the taxes paid on liquors held
as stock in trade These figures show
that for the business done by the
saloons their tax is infinitesimal
There is scarcely a saloon in Homo
lulu that does not do cash trade CT
$3.50 per day. while more than half
dozen OF the more prominent ones
take in from $500 to $500 a day over
the bar. And yet despite this enor-
nous business the combined liquor
interests in the city pay less taxes on
their stocks OF liquors than does the
business house of L. o. Hall & Son.
AS to the license paid by saloons
that is simply the police tax A
license tax has been held to be a po-
lice tax by the courts time and time
again. In the State of Ohio the Con-
stitution forbids the licensing of the
liquor trade. and how to make the
saloons pay their just proportion OF
the burden Of government which they
entail was long a legal puzzle. Finally
what is known as the Dow tax law
was passed by the Legislature. The
liquor men fought il and several times
the law came before the Supreme
Court of the State in some form or
other testing its constitutionality.
The Supreme Court held in every in
stance that the liquor tax was po-
lice tax and its levying came within
the police power OF the State. The
court further held that such tax was
not double taxation. In fact one
learned member of the court said OF
the tax that IL was a means of making
the saloon pay a part of the burden
the saloon imposed upon the State.
He said in substance: The saloon |
wrecks the homes OF the people: it |
sends mothers and fathers in sorrow |
TO jails TO seek their fallen children; |
il brings the blush of shame to son
and daughter over the degradation of |
n parent; il crowds the police court |
calendars OF every city with its vic
Tins; II fills the warehouses and jails;
IL helps to make the epileptic and in
sane; IL helps TO make cripples and
orphans; it calls for police TO protect
society from its devotees and its vic
Tins. Il is the most awful curse that
ever blotted this fair state, and ii is
but poor reeompense for all the hor-
rors and sorrow and misery that 1t
brings in its train. that it returns 10
the State the police tax which is so
Justly imposed upon ii.
The licenses paid by liquor interests
Of this city have nothing TO do with
the tax question as raised by The Re
publican. When il is remembered that
fully sl.0oo.000 is invested in the
liquor business in this city IL viii be
seen that the total tax paid by these
interests on liquor in stock
Is ridiculously low.