The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-01-04
The Liquor Traffic.

Gdaho) Journal:
"The question of license or no license for the
saloons was topic for heated discussion when the
present Shoshone council was organized last spring
1t was argued to be unfair to tax the saloons and
not tax other businesses on the same basis Stripped
of all unusual conditions, and assuming that all
camille businesses bear the same relation to the
community, the argument looked plausible. 1t was
honestly believed by many excellent citizens; and
when the city council levied $500 city license there
much public criticism.
Last February man came to Shoshone. He
was a printer, and good one Not getting job,
he went to the saloons, and under the influence of
their merchandise committed crime for which he
served ninety days in Jail On completing his SEN
tence he employed in the Journal office. He
of the best printers ever in the office. He
was energetic and 1oyal-when sober. But three
weeks was the longest time he ever worked between
sprees, which lasted from to four weeks All
through September, October and November the
Journal printers were working overtime and earn
ing from 81 to $3.50 per day each. This could
have earned the same; work went undone in hold
ing his job open for him. But he was never sober
than few days at time during these months
The Journal paid out for him $35 more than his
wages came to. ILL., penniless, ptable wreck he
was taken to the county hospital, where he was
cared for for almost two months. Last week the
county paid his fare out of town. to where he
claimed to have friends
During his stay here he earned and spent about
$500 His total cost to the county, for trial. board in
Jail and hospital, and ticket out of town, was at
least $500. He cost the Journal another $35. This
is a dead loss. What he earned he spent. If the
various industries that received his wages be taxed
all proportionately what they got of his money
for his bills must be paid by taxation-the cloth
ing man. the shoemaker and the grocer would pay
very small tax. Is it not fair to adjust taxes
a business in the ratio of its responsibility to the
community for what it gets and what it does
"All this is looking at is purely from mercenary
standpoint-the pocket-book side. The physical and
moral degeneracy of the man through drink have
not been considered Several parties here have tried
to befriend the old man, for he showed traces of
having once been better man, and there was hope
that his old and better self might be reassered But
drink had made him moral degenerate. He used
his friendships, and the fact that there was good
job held for him at the Journal as basis for
credit for drink and longer sprees. He
old man when he came to Shoshone He stayed
here ten months and went away ten years older,
far as physical ability is concerned
what has happened to this man happens daily
to Others To ignore all moral considerations and
figure up only the financial sde the general public
needs some protection from the heavy expense of
such cases. If a man breaks window, whether
in anger or sport, by accident, he pay; the
railroad pays for losing goods, by accident or
careessness theft In both cases, the other party
has at least constructvely had the benefit of our
goods and should pay 1t is not fanaticism, but the
most ordinary common sense, to ask that whoever
gets the benefits of responsible for these COM
munity losses should paywhether it be the gardener
or the grocer, the candy man. the weiner-wurst
seller or the saloon"