Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-08-15
TIE FeL.aAl srAMP TAX.


State prohibition bill that the next
step to In sure the enforcement Of the
law would be the passage by Con-
Rress OF a bill to forbid the issuance
of a Federal license to sell liquor In
any dry counties or States.
Instead Of acting as a deterrent on
the illegal sale of liquor, such ma
tionai law would. on the contrary.
very greatly increase the evil COM
blamed OF and make harder the work
ofnhe State officers In detecting the
offenders.
IL IL hardly possible that one thor
oughly conversant with this subject
would advocate the prohibition OF the
plan on which the Government Is nov
proceeding Tn breaking up the Illicit
sale and manufacture OF liquor. by
this plan there are now two barrels
loaded anu ready to fire on that fur
dive and timid beast known popularly
"a . blind tiger"
There are two avenues by which the
Iaw can approach and break up this
illicit business. Along one the United
States revenue officers travel. and
these men are feared by the tigers
more than by any other. From an
other direction the State and munich.
pal o6icers bear down on the illegal
seller. He 10 thus kept between the
uDpse and the neither milestone. The
rsvsnus oillcse 10 usually . stranger in
III Reality. 10 unin6uenced BY local
relationships, acqnaintances o. in.
forests. His coatinuance in ONCE
does not Aepend upon the favor Of the
people among whom he works. He
ean prosecute The vjolatoss Of the law
without danger Of having them turn
aaninse ~ - The next election.
Un1ss Q reosnt oct Of Congress the
lish q hos1sss os FEDERAL tax stamps
ase pabaicly pablished. They are
svailsbls for inspection by anyone
Who cares to - teem. The States
u0eess can secure the names OF peo-
ple TO vhom stamps have been issued.
and by conparisou with the list OF
those holding state and municipal
|iosnses b able to identify the Illegal
Dsllsss.
The tnx imposed BY the Government
apoa tie man Who wishes to engage
b TIE sale Of liquor 10 not license
eoe him 70 prosecute this business.
The qnes&ion Of issuing Or withhold.
lag . license II lslt % the State. In.
vasiably the man Who h selling liquor
wSeAoat . heease pays. the Govern.
Dsat tax a rs 10 escape prosecution
iron THE source. The payment Of
ehis tax prssapposes the fact that he
waists 70 engage h The sale Of liquor.
anA uany cosrts have % held. putting
~ bas6ea upoa ths accused Of prov.
ING that such was not his intention.
FEDERAL tax stamps will be issued
n Georgia after January TO legal
and ILLEGAL sellers OF liquor. Drug
seores which keep On hand pure alco-
hol for medicinal purposes. allowed
under The State prohibition law. will
pay The FEDERAL tax. Illegal sellers
wi1l not b inclined 70 do 20. since
their names could then be secured by
o0csrs Of the STATE and plans be laid
10 beeak up their business. The Uni.
ted States revenue odacers will con.
ttnus their vigtlant prosecution Of Of.
fssdess and will thus cooperate with
the State.
Instead a favosing the bill. there
Tore. The psohibitioricts who under
Stand Il viii very actively oppose the
measure. - making harder the en-
fuece0s0t Of the law against the
nanufacture and sale Of liquor in this