The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-12
CAN TAX PAYERS AFFORD TO
VOTE BACK SALOONS?

VOTE BACK SALOONS?
The advocates of saloons in Raleigh
do not put their argument upon
moral grounds, for they cannot and
do not pretend that the return of
saloons will lessen the consumption of
whiskey. Their contention, at its best.
is that if liquor is sold at all it might
just as we'll be sold in saloons where
men are encouraged to come to drink
socially as by q dispensary where they
buy a bottle and take it away from
the dispensary and drink at home or
elsewhere.
SO the issue, as presented to the
voters who are asked to sign a petit
ton ordering a vote putting saloons
i'm place of the dispensary is: Shall
we return to the saloons and put over
100000 annually in the pockets of
saloon keepers or shall we let the
money made go into the county and
city treasures to reduce taxes, make
good roads and good streets?
Up to January 1st 1904, there were
twenty-four places where liquor was
legally sold in Raleigh. From these
saloons for the one and one-haf years
prior thereto the city received $4,000,
according to a statement made yes
terday by City Clerk Wilson. The
same official says that the money de-
rived by the city from the dispen-
sary I'm the year and q half ending
June goth, 1905, the city has re-
ceived $4,000. or $2S.000 more in
eighteen months from the dispensary
than in eighteen months under tire
saloons Even with the increased
license tax, it would require over
thirty saloons to give the city as much
revenue as is derived from the dis
pensary.
The new city charter makes the
license on retailing $1,000, but the
license on beer saloons is not to ex-
coed $500. 1t is absurd to say that
$1,000 is high license i'm city the
size of Raleigh. That is the sum
charged i'm Morganton. When people
want To inaugurate real high license
i'm Raleigh it will be fixed at $4,000.
The business men of Raleigh are
almost as much interested in the
county as i'm the city. for they pay a
large portion of the county tax. and
the growth of the business of the city
is largely dependent upon good roads.
TO the construction of which three
tenths of the dispensary money is APP
piled. During the eighteen months
preceding January 1st, 1904, Wake
county received from saloons i'm Rail
eigh, says County Treasurer William
son, $6,105. During the eighteen
months of the dispensary the county
of Wake has received from the dis
pensary $3s.313.64, or $4,000 more
than from saloons.
More than twice as much whiskey
was sold i'm Raleigh by the saloons as
by the dispensary and there has been
a wonderful decrease in drunkenness
and i'm crimes due to drinking The
city tax has been reduced since the
saloons were closed ten cents on the
$1O0 of property, and the county tas
two cents on the $1UO.
III liquor lS I'D Nc Solu III INditi6h ~
all, the only question is: Shall the
profits go into the pockets OF saloon
keepers who try to make their places
attractive and entice young men III
them to learn to drink. or shall the
profits go into good roads, good
streets, good schools, and to reduct
the tax rate? Can the tax payers af-
ford to return to the saloons. looking
at the question upon the low basis
upon which the advocates of saloons
place it?
What is the best solution of the
liquor traffic? Certainly prohibition
where it can be reasonably we'll en-
forced. and where that is possible it
ought to be adopted regardless of any
consideration OF revenue or necessities
of city or county. Just now it is not
believed by the most practical prohi-
btionists in Raleigh that the time mas
come to determine what is the best
solution OF the question. Their posi-
tion was well expressed yesterday by
Mr.. n. Il. Broughton, whose whole
life has been largely devoted to adj
vocacy of temperance and prohibition,
I'm these words:
''In my Judgment there should he
no change in present conditions, cx-