Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-08-11
TIE EELeaAL STAMP TAX.

made BY ardent supporters or IN"
State prohibition bill that the neat
step tn insure the enforcement OF the
law would be the passag" ~ Con
gress OF a bill 10 forbid the issuance
OF a Federal license 20 sell hlror In
any dry counties or States
instead OF acting as n deterrent on
the illegal sale OF liquor. such a ma
tional law would. on the contrary
very greatly increase III" evil com
plained OF and make harder the work
Of the State officers in detecting thu
offenders.
II Is hardly possible that one thor
oughly conversant with this subject
would advocate the prohibition OF tn"
plan on which the Government is now
proceeding in breaking up the Illicit
sale and manufacture OF liquor. BY
this plan there are now two barrels
loaded and ready to fire on that fur
tive and timid beast known popularity
as q blind tiger"
There are two avenues by which the
Law can approach and break up this
illick 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 munici.
pal officers bear down on the illegal
seller. He 10 thus kept between the
upper and the neither milestone. The
revenue oilices II usually stranger In
the locality. is uninduenced by local
relationships. acquaintance or in.
terests. His Continuance in once
does not depend upon the favor Of the
people among whom he works. He
en- prosecute the violators OF the law
without danger OF having them turn
against him In the next election.
Under . recent act OF Congress the
lises q hoIdess Of FEDERAL tax stamps
are pabaicly published. They are
available for inspection by anyone
vho cares 10 - them. The States
eolesrs sAp sssugs he names Of peo
pls % whom stamps have been issued.
M by eonpasasoa with the list OF
thoss holding ot6ee and municipal
liosasss b able to identity the illegal
sellers.
TAs tax imposed By the Government
spua ~ man Who wishes to engage
h ths sale q liquor 10 not . license
e1e HIN 10 prosecute this business.
TAs question q issuing or withhold.
ING . license b Yeet To the State. In.
varinhay the man Who h selling liquor
w1tAoat . hosess pays the Govern
asae tax a rs % escape prosecution
IRON this sosrce. Tho payment Of
lie tax pessapposes The fact that he
vsnes b sAsAOs ID The sale Of liquor. |
~ May eossss have 70 held. putting
10 baFosa upga the accused Of prov.
~ thoe such was not bis intention.
re6eeal tax stamps viii be issued !
b Georgia AFTER January to legal
M illegal Sellers Of liquor. Drug
seorss which ksep on hand pure alco-
hoa Tor medicinal purposes. allowed
under the STATE prohibition law. will
pay the FEDERAL tax. Illegal sellers
vill not b inclined to do 30. since
thelf names coald then be secured by
o0osgs q The STATE and plans be laid
b break up their business. The Uni.
te6 States revenue oflcers will con.
tinNs their vigilant prosecution of Of
tenders and Will thus cooperate with
the State.
instead Of favorins the bill. there
fore. the prohibitionists who under
stand II will very actively oppose the
measure. a. making harder the en-.
foecement Of the Law against the
and sale OF liquor In this
State.
Truly the poor man may be happy.