The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-24
PROHIBITION
AND TAXATION
Figures Showing Increase In
Taxes and Comparisons
Following the Adoption of
Prohibition In Different
Cities.

It is the force of thought and the
power of reason that distinguish US
from the lower animals, and give us
power over them And yet it is said
| few people think for themselves. The
majority let others do the thinking
and accept their statements regard
less of a reason. But we still boast
of being part of our democratic or
republican governmental government
''of the people by the people and for
the people"
The selfish thinker says the. aboli-
ton of the saloon and their license
money would increase taxes" and
the non-thinker accepts it upon his
statement and a surface reason. But
let us see. What does he mean when
he says the loss of the saloon license
would increase taxes? Does he mean
that it will take more money to de-
fray the expenses of the government
when we shall have no, saloons than
it does with them? Surely no5, for
all admit that the presence of liquor
increases crime and thus increases
the expense of the government.
Does he mean that the saloons help
to pay our taxes and help to pay for
the prosecution of the criminals they
make? Hugh! Who pays the saloon
license? Does the saloon pay its own
license? No. The saloon could not
pay it. 1t does not create one cent of
money or moneys worth directly or
indirectly. 1t does not help ANYBODY
or anything else to produce it. 1t
does not increase the producing or
earning capacity of the producer nor
Tighten the burden of single soul.
No, the people pay the license. Usual
ly, the poorer class of people who are
not able to do it. More than this,
they pay the saloons rents, and all
other expenses. They pay for the
liquor at the distilleries and paw the
freight More still, they pay the saloon
man a big profit. The saloon man paws
nothing. Not so with the grocer and
the dry goods man. They pay their
expenses and taxes by giving muscle,
brain and clothing to the producer.
Now let US reason bit 1t is very
clear that with saloons or without sa-
looms the comty's expenses must
come from the people of the county.
The only difference is that the ex-
penseS are necessarily very much
greater with the saloons than with
out them. 1t costs lots of money TO
run them and if they do not help Is
to make the money they are burden.
The question is how shall we col
lect the tax money? We'll, one way
Is to elect a good honest man and
pay him, as we do, about three per
cent. to collect it, after>a careful levy
has been made on all properly. ac-
cording to its value, by sworn tax
assessor 4
Another way is to elect, by>our vote,
forty-four saloons to collect it, and
pay them as we do, about 81 per cent ]
and let them collect it from the Ia
borer. the weak, the ignorant and |
the poor.
1t is estimated that the saloons il |
Pensacola take in million dollars a |
year. OF this-the county anI citv Ger
about $4,000 in license, c. about two |
cents out of every dollar
The Justice Of It.
Would you go into yonder home |
and take that poor woman's bread
and sell it to pay your own taxesy
Worse still, would you take her faD-
piness and even her very life IT, nav !
your taxes? No; not as an individual.
But will you if others go into co-part-
nership with you? That is what a |
county government is-co-partner- /
ship-and you are responsible for !
every act it perpetrates, so far as |
your vote and influence go.
Would you agree with a man that
if he would go into that home and
take per force that mans money, his
wlfe's clothing, her children's bread,
their protection and reputation. ana
sell it all, that you would protect him.
provided he would give you three
cents out of every dollar he got? To
this question, if propounded to you
you would Indignantly re-
ply MOI Aad yet that is what YOU
do every time you vote to license the
traffic.
The saloon makes this kind of
bargain and works its tricks to get
the money. The poor man, like the
innocent bird. is entrapped. He. like
the bird, sees some danger. but can't
resist, the bait and goes on. hoping
10 escape, as only the very few have
ever done The bait is carried into
Every home, for every man and every
boy In our morning paper tpase &.
Sept. 6th,l he says to these: I'VE
ire after you" In letters OF fire over
he sidewalk. he would make the moor
ellow believe he offers food-ssPure
Food Whiskey." Thus he plays upon
he weakness of man, collects or
axes from the unwary, the weak and
he poor. Would you vote for a man