River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-04-02
published by River Falls Civic League)
NO=LICENSE AND TAXATION

How about that No-license ques-
ton of taxation? The, whole ex-
pediency of abolishing or not the
licensed saloon, seems to hinge on
the question of increased taxation.
And here, according to the oppo-
nents of No-licenSe, are the things
that will happen to River Falls
should the people vote No-license.
l. eff the saloons are closed, all
public improvements must cease or
the city will get in debt or taxes will
be exorbitant."
2. IF the saloons are closed, the
farmers will suffer greatly for the
want of a market for their grain. /"
8. IF the saloons are closed,
there will be large number of peo-
pie thrown out of employment"
4. eff the saloons are closed,
there will be large number of va
cant buildings in town for which
there will be no demand.
1t will be seen at once, therefore,
that the only arguments advanced
here for the support of the saloon
are the arguments of the almighty
dollar. No one attempts to advance
any moral argument. Why not
argue that the saloon builds up the
home, adds 10 the safety of our sons
and daughters, educates people in
virtue, and adds 10 the safety of the
community as we'll as Of our native
land? Why? Because there isn't
any argument to advance.
The almighty dollar argument
will appeal to the tax-dodger, and
can middle and confuse some who
have not the figures at hand to con-
flute the theory. But calamity howl
ing with it's din and noise and can
never appeal to people in the face
of such stubborn facts as the infu-
ence of the licensed saloon against
public morality, public safety, the
welfare of boys and girls, the pro-
lection of the home, and the general
welfare of the community.
But for those who may be con-
fused by such statements as the
four foregoing, let US consider the
foregoing propositions in their re-
spective order.
First, then: eff the saloons are
closed, all public improvements will
cease and the city will plunge in
debt or the taxes will have to be
raised to. exorbitant rates. Don t
you see the utter absurdity of that
statement? Because no city or en-
terprise is totally dependent upon
any one particular class or body of
men Beside this, when we go more
deeply into the subject it means,
that the only way to public improve
ments and prosperity lies through
the sale of the virtue of manhood
and Womanhood, the sacrifice of
sons and daughters, and the wei
fare of our homes. That is a good
argument for the tax-dodger. What
does he care about the drunkenness,
the consequent degeneracy of mind
and heartpower, the effect of the
traffic seen in epilepsy, tendency to
crime, and pauperism, what does he
care for the woes and sorrows in i'll
provided homes? He is looking to
the question of taxes. But let US
ask this tax-dodger a question:
what do you escape by lodging
behind the Saloon-keeper when your
taxes come due? Here is what you
don't escape: You are taxed for
the maintenance of heavy police
force, the courts, the jails, the hos
pitfalls, the poor-farms, the asylums,
the homes for the feeble minded and
other kindred institutions which &C.
company and are part of the saloon
system.
Let US take the statistics Of four
of the largest Eastern states headed
by Mass, which says: That "a per
cent of the inmates of asylums are
there because of rum; that So per