Evening journal., 1908-03-13
LIQUOR MEN AND
THE COMMISSION
CcOntInusd From First Paxs)

N-t-NA .tt AAo AAtAAuAACluItE OF brewer
already has ben taxed upon the same
product. Mr.. Sasse believed i'm a IA.
license fee for the wholesaler.
Tax on Retailers.
Mr. Mundy expressed his belief that
the retailer now is paying sufficient
taxes. The retailer gets II in ali
FORMS said Mr.. Mundy He pointed
out that assessments on properties
used as saloons are raised simply be-
cause they are used for saloon pur-
poses, and cited that the Delaware
House has been raised $1,000 in as
sessment for city purposes this year
Whhe other properties around IL are
practically untouched.
This statement caused Representa-
i've L. Q. Cooper 10 inquire whether
the TACT that the possession OF a LIQUOR
license seemed to create fictitiops
value for a property did not suggesl
that liquor licenses should be Issued
Just as other licenses are issued.
don't know OF any more reliable
people to grant liquor licenses than
the judges Of our State courts" re-
plied Mr.. Mundy. We recognize that
the liquor business is a business that
should be restricted" Mr.. Mundy did
not think muc hof the Excise Com
mission idea. He said he spoke nor
merely because he was in the business.
nut It was his honest opinion as a cit.-
zen.
Under the present system does It
NOT cost you much more than the $500
tor Rose
1T does not" replied Mr.. Mundv
In all the time I have been in the
business I have never been held IN,
for one cent. At one time during a
contest / was represented by a law
yer and paid him a fee OF S225."
4 have bene informed that as high
as $3.50 has been paid 10 an attorney
70 get license" remarked Mr.. Rose
Ihere was general discussion "
the license fees paid in different cities
ana Mr. Mundy said he would rather
nave license under the present condi-
lions In Wilmington than one In -13al.
timore where the fee is S225 a wear
with thousands Of saloons.
Towns More Profitable.
Ihe country towns are better able
20 pay an Increased retail license fee
than the cities" said Mr.. Mundy. Il
would rather have a license in a town
ANYTIME than in thiscity"
ia rather have one at HoeJxessIp
than here" interjected Harry Bothmon'
Inc general impression Is that the
brewers and wholesalers own tine 10
uor business in wilmington said Mr.
Mundy' AS matter OF fact thew
40 not own ten per cent Of the places"
James Kane agreed with Mr.. Mundy
.nat the wholesaler should be placed
upon sliding scale OF taxation, ac-
oorulns TO the business done, An in
CrnAEn fhr
Ton would be a hardship upon a ma
jority Of the dealers. with the re
strlctions now many OF the desisrs
suiter in tn morning by the late onen-
ing, and the business al nieht v,ith
the night owls also suffers FOR ,va,t
OF an hour" said Mr. Kane. He oh.
served that many OF men do not own
tner properties but pay very high rent
don't know under the new rules how
many Of the men in the business nov,
exist" he added.
rs there less LIQUOR drunk under tba
present rulesr asked T. Allen Hiiies
.rsl don think so" replied Mr. Kane.
~ some OF YOU gentlemen would vislt
these elegant clubs about the CITY ana
shere are at least nifty Of them which
nave stewards and dispense LIQUOR. Won
could find a source Of revenue. ana an,
sa sure you would recommend a state tax
7 think there win be a bill to tax the
clubs whether the commission recon-
snends Il or not" observed Senator
Mr. Kane said the courts restriction
had decreased the sale OF LIQUOR in "a
looms, but clubs got the advantage of h
Mr.. Hilles asked II these clubs did NOT
buy their liquors from local whoiesaiers
ana the sentiment from several whole
salers indicated that not to any great ex-
tent do the clubs buy at home
Profits Of the Business
Mr. Saeee asserted that the wholesale
business to-day is conducted on an aver
age proht OF from one.half cent 10 one
and one-half cents a gallon. spesising az
the retailers, he declared that the deal.
eFs' especially those who conduct their
business IN a quiet and orderly manner.
cannot AFFORD 10 pay an increased license
while those who get the dsorderly crowds
and are largely patronized can well ltord
10 pay four or i've times au much licenpe
as the orderly place.
w. J. Kelly and Emil EnRel argued
that the retailer cannot afford 10 nav
more license, and Mr. Engel said an In.
crease IN license fees would result In A
lowering Of the number OF applicants and
there would be no general increase OF
State revenue.
William M Foord, bother. told the
Comnuseion that the bother is now
paying al 1.-The tax he can stand, for
he pays a mercantile tax IN addition 10
his State and Fedora ltaxos
During tile general discussion Il do
veioped that the dealers were IN favor
Of the bottle law and did not wish
It repealed.
In response to a question by Mr.
Rose, James Kane said he didn't favor
promisouous granting of liquor licenses.
Just as other licenses are issued, and
as for the Excise Commission plan he
thought 1t would drag politics into the
license question and a few might be
favored
Cornelius Mundy startled some Of
his hearers by asserting that there are
about two hundred clubs OF All Kinds
IN wilmington where LIQUOR can be
had. he told Of the growth Of music
room" clubs, some only having a mem-
bership OF six or seven persons, and
remarked that he knew OF one olub
posing as a fraternal organization.
where the profits from liquors served
during one week were Ss5. He believed
the state should tax all clubs. BONA
hde and legitimate clubs would NOT
object to paying a license or tax. ana
he believed in legitimate clubs thai
are conducted in a proper manner
However he did not think clubs Of
boys and young men where LIQUOR IL
stored up and served without much
restriction should be allowed to exist
he believed state license or tax upon
clubs would prove a remedy He told
lof the difficulties in getting convictions
lof violations Of law by these clubs
You would make a good witness %
remarked Senator Rose.