The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-16
FLOOD OF LETTERS COMING ID MAYOR  Indiana and Ohio Want infor- nation About Prohibition. SUBMIT MANY QUESTIONS Vets Are Said to Be Making Much Capital Out of Birmineham's
 Increased License
 Schedule.

Two license schedules of Birmingham, that of 1907 and 1908. pasted side by side have been promiscuously circulated throughout all northern states in which prohibition fights have been waged or are still being waged
 Among the hosts of prohibition, these reports have created havoc, for they show that in a great majority of instances the licenses charged businesses of all de- scriptions were increased. Fearing that the -prohibitionists have not made correct statements in every instance, the prohibitionists have, for the past several weeks, flooded the office of Mayor Ward with appeals for information
 And Mayor Ward, while he has not charged that the two schedules are fakes, has attempted to explain, and has tried to do his full duty as far as answering the letters is concerned.
 W. O. Warrick, vice chairman of the Local Option league of Elkhart county, Indiana, writing from Goshen. says in part:
 Prom our heading you will see that we are in the local option fight. In this part of the state the vets are distributing a circular purporting that in your town a tax is being collected to meet the ex- penses on account of it's being a dry town.
 twill you kindly by return mail give us full information?
 How many of your people would be willing to return to the saloon?'
 Mayor Ward does not answer the lat ter question, but he does say:
 This privilege license has always been in effect in Birmingham and Is in no wise caused by prohibition.
 "As far as I can see there have been no i'll effects on our town caused by prohibition. The building operations dur ing the past 15 months of prohibition have been larger than ever
 '"This literature is being circulated by liquor interests to mslead the public"
 Submits Some Questions.
 The Rev. William R. Ashly pastor of a Methodist church of Mt Vernon Ind, beginning as follows: ''The Hon. MT. G. Ward" writes an entertaining letter, a portion of which follows:
 Pardon me, but the necessity of the case compels me to address you. We are in a temperance crusade in our county The vets everywhere use your city as a glaring example of higher taxes de- creased business empty business houses and bootlegging. twill you please answer the following questions: E1t
 ''1. Has the absence of saloons increased taxes?
 "2 Has the absence of saloons de- creased business?
 '3 Has the absence of saloons left houses. dwellings and business houses, empty?
 "A. Is the city overrun with bootleggers and is there as much or more drunken ness since saloons were banished?
 "A brief letter from your office will be of great help to us here. Yours most truly, WILLIAM R. ASHBY,
 Pastor Methodist churclf."
 In answering this letter the Mayor uses practically the language that he used in answering the appeal of Mir War rick The following paragraph, however, is significant
 "The law is being enforced here as much as it is possible to enforce it any where"
 Wants Answer By Wire.
 From Chillicothe, O., the Rev. William s. Bradshaw, pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist church, which place of worship is situated at 319 Clay street, writes a most urgent appeal as follows: ''ro His Honor the Mayor:
 Dear Sir: There are being circulated In our county copies of your license schedule for 190S with the enclosed leaf let pasted on the front cover Will you please wire me at once whether this leaf let fairly represents the conditions? Will you also write giving such further ex- planation as will give clearer under- standing of the matter? Such information will be highly appreciated. Yours truly,
 'W. S. BRADSHAW"
 Postscript: Wire at my expense"
 The Mayor did not wire the Rev. Brad shaw but did write him at length After repeating the words used in previous let ters, the Mayor explains the reasons for increasing the taxes in Birmingham as follows:
 With reference to enclosed memor- andum citing certain raises, will say that the schedule Is gone over each year and capitalized as much as possible While some are raised others are lowered
 Why should not concern which does millions of dollars of business and which carries nearly million dollars stock and pays taxes on possibly only a quarter of it, pay large privilege tax?
 Under our law we have no control of the assessments, having to take them from the state records hence the small assessments and the privilege tax is the only recourse the city has to get this money. Trusting this is satisfactory, I am. very truly, G. WARD Mayor"
 Rose After Inform atIon. David s. Rose mayor of Milwaukee, whose marching club when in Birming- ham some days ago, was so elaborately entertained by the Commercial club. the Board of Trade and the city of Birming- tham, is also interested in conditions locally. He makes a most prying inquisition asking the following 12 questions: l. Population of your city? 2. Number of arrests for drunkenness? 8. Number of arrests for drunk and disorderly?" 4. Number of arrests for disorderly conduct caused by drunkenness? 5. How many United States retail liquor licenses were in force? G. How many arrests for violations of excise laws? [. How many convictions for violations 8. How many arrests for crimes and misdemeanors other than in above classes? 8. What was your city tax rate? TO- What was your total tax rate (city school, county and state)? H. At what percentage of actual value do you assess property for taxation? 12 How and by whom is property A. sessed for taxation? K