The Marshall republican., 1910-07-29
DRAMSHOPS
CONTROLLED
RECORD OF EXCISE COMMISSION
En- cAuLFIELD IN CITY OF
ST. LOUIS.
An Office Created by a Party Caucus
Finally Made Useful in Law En-
Observation-Disclosures Re-
> suits Compared.

For many years after the separa.
tion OF the county and city Of st
Louis dramshop licenses in the city
were issued by the tax collector, who
passed upon all petitions and granted
licenses so freely that saloons had an
easy way Of getting the necessary
legal permission to operate. Only
one license was issued to each saloon.
good for six months, and on that the
collector levied and collected for the
city $3.50 and for the state $50, max.
ing the annual license tax on each
saloon 5000.
A committee of prominent citizens.
organized to ecure Legislation to reg.
ulate the licensing and conduct OF
saloons, asked the legislature to pass
a bill establishing an excise board
of three commissioners, two to be
appointed by the circuit court and
one by the governor, the chairman or
executive commissioner to have a sal.
airy of $4,000 a year and the other
commissioners $1,000 each, the whole
board to pass upon petitions and
grant or refuse licenses and try all
cases involving violations of the
dramshop laws. The bill passed the
the Republican members and was
house with the aid of a majority of
the Republican members and was
about to pass the senate when the
Democratic leaders, including Govern
or Stone, called a party caucus at
which a substitute bill was agreed
upon. creating the Office of excise
commissioner for the city OF st. Louis,
to be appointed by the governor and
to exercise the authority of a county
court in granting saloon licenses and
also authorized to collect a fee Of SO
for each license issued for his serv.
ices. The bill was enacted and Hon.
Nicholas NJ. Bell was appointed ex.
else commissioner by Governor Stone.
He required two licenses for each ga.
bon-one in the name Of the city and
n In the name Of the state-the fee
of SO applying to each license-thus
giving him SO from each saloon for
each period Of six months, or S12 q
year. At that time about $500 ga
looms were licensed, and the commits
sioner got about $40, 900 a year In
license fees besides a nice sum in
notarial fees. The office was the
1uiciest> plum ever handed out by q
Democratic governor, and NO doubt
the fees were a great help to the
Democratic state campaign fund, for
1t Is not likely that an appointee in
thoae days was permitted to have and
to hold all that came to him through
such q partisan source OF revenue"
In course OF time the pay OF the
commissioner was limited and the bal.
ance OF fees collected went into the
state treasury, Eventually the law
was changed radically, the commits.
sioner being allowed $4,000 a year sal.
airy and $4,000 for expenses. It is
still the best Office, in point of salary,
In the gift Of the governor. Governor
Folk appointed Thomas e. MulvihiIl
to the office and told him to enforce
the dramshop laws, including the Sun.
day closing Of saloons. The order
went forth and was called by the
newspapers "the lid" q term now
all owe the world in connec.
ton with law enforcement. Mr.. Mulvi.
hill made a good record in the office,
barring a too dictatorial policy in
dealing with saloon men who did not
understand or respect the new
order OF things. He made many enc.
mics, but surely did make the office
effective. something that could not
have been said of 1t during the ad-
ministration of either Of his predeces.
sors.
In 1909 Governor Hadley appointed
Henry 8. Caulield, then a member
OF congress. excise commissioner, and
he took the office April i, after his
congressional term had expired. He
was then and is now one of the lead.
ing Republicans of st. Louis.
During the incumbency of Commits
Caulfeld he has increased the
state license tax $50 per license. AS
there are two state licenses issued
to each dramshop keeper yearly and
there are about 2,26o saloons, this in.
crease will amount to about $4,000
per annum.
It is interesting to compare the
difference between the dramshop
taxes and fees collected during the
last year of Mr.. Mufvihill's admins.
tration with that Of the first year OF
Mr.. Caulfeld's:
April !. 1908 April l, 1903
Mar, 81, 1909 Mar. 81, 1910
CMulvihil.) (Caulfeld.)
City dramshop
license tax -. Lit, $50. 90 81. 1872 .250. 90
City Registers
ices .........,.. 2,234.50 1894. 80
State dramshop
license tax -. 446, 800. 90 651, ESQ. 90
State advalorem
tax ;-..;....... 100000 s.sss.s1
City advalorem
tax ...@,..;... $4,000
tax ........... I4,4oo.os