The Cairo bulletin., 1909-04-11
HIGHER TAXES OR
HIGHER LICENSE
SUBJECTS OF LIVELY DISCUS
SloNs AT MERCHANTS
LUScHEoN YESTERDAY.
HAVE NO ASSESSMENT
OF Property at All--Everybody Gives
In What He Pleases-$1 COO
Saloon License Strongly
Favored.

/ There was a lively meeting of bust
laess and professional men at th'
Alexander club grill room yesterda,
at luncheon. j. Fl. Martin, OF tbs
Ten Cent store was not able to bt
present and Douglas Halliday pre-
sided While the beginning Of the
discussion was somewhat tame. il
livened up considerably as it pro.
ceeded and many good things were
said regarding revenue, taxation
licenses, etc. Mr.. Halliday had nc
subject to present for discussion, but
believed that the matter brought up
by Chairman Hurt week ago. called
for further attention-that of increas'
ing the assessors valuations ON per
soaal property as a means of increas-
Jag the eity's revenue Mr. Halliday
said the committee appointed at the
solicitation of Mr.. Hurt had conferred
With tile assessor and bis deputies.
and while the latter we're anxious 20
dc what is right. and willing to make
a reasonable increase in he valua-
tions. they were not willing to do so
unless they had assurance that the
Board of Review would stand by
them
Afraid OF the Women.
Chas. Feuchter pointed out that q
p per cent increase in personal
valuations would yield but little over
$1,000 to the city which would not
90 very far toward giving relief. This
would be the case il all property own
ers were raised that much. In many
eases such a raise would be unfair
while in others it would not be near
Since the talk of raising per-
sonal values had come up there hal
been protests from some of the small
holders of such PROPERTY and women
who were generally most deeply in
in household effects had been
heard from And, you know" said
Mr.. Feuchter, when the women get
after a fellow he is going to do some
what 10 you know about it,"
asked some one and Mr.. Feuchter
only smiled
Must Raise Licenses.
Chairman Halliday said there
seemed to be no relief for the city
syceut in q license ordinance He
had hoped as Mr.. Hurt had that a
general license ordinance could bat
but as this was impossible. |
re saw no way but sharp raise in |
saloon licenses as the means TO gain !
he emil He did not think a thou
ne did not agree with the claim that |
his would he a burden on the saloon |
men Of the city If the. railroads |
raised rates on flour his milling COM |
1any would advance the price on -four
5er barrel to cover the increase in |
freight rates. In the case of saloons !
an increased license would operate |
he same way if saloons were con
lucted on business principles-the |
consumers would be made to pay the |
increased license taxes.
We Have No Assessor.
G. S. Cary said there can be no
loubt that we are a community of |
tax dodgers. If property were valued |
and taxed fairly the city would get |
more revenue than It needed aud at |
= reduced rate. There was one stock |
IF goods he knew OF which was
worth all of 100000. was valued |
nj $4,000 and was being taxed |
IN $1,000. If that isn't tax dodg- |
ing what is7 The trouble Is We have |
got no tax assessor. We are not re. |
1uired TO swear to any statement or |
even 10 sign any statement; and the |
assessor himself does not come
'pund az all. but simply sends the |
blanks around by deplrties and lets |
itizens fill them out any way they |
llease. There is no assessmem made /
~ the assessor at all. And then /
here's rhe Ifoari Of Review I'll
rakes no effort to get fair valua
ion of property Last year the as |
'cssor made large Increases in valu8- !
ions in real estate, and there was /
General protest as was to he expected.
Property owners went before the
card with ajtorn,-S and insisted on
'eluctions of valuations which were
loi al all too hign and should net
nave been reduced; but there were
ambitious politicians on the board |
and that settled the higher asses.
nent. Mr.. Cary favored a thousand 1
lollar SAIGON license He would favor
I If he were in the saloon business.
IS a means of keeping down compel. |
ion. There are 20 saloons in the city
which is already too many, and more
are coming In from the prohibition
erri'ory. Anybody can get saloon
license in Cairo, no matter whether
le is a murderer or anything else
Cairo is the dumping ground for the /
rifraif of the dry territory. I'm
rot a Prohibitionist." said MIR Carey
i don't believe it is practical. I'm
against the blind tiger which
forrishes in all prohibition territory.
as any one knows who travels. But
the blind tiger in prohibition terri
tory isn't any worse than the lawless I