The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1910-08-12
DRAMSHOPS
CONTROLLED
RRcoRp or ExcIsE COMMISSIONS
n cAuLrELp IN CITY or
ct. LOUIS.
A. ohIes Created BY q Party Caucus
FINALLY Made Useful In Law En-
Observation-Disclosures RE-
suite Compared.

Tor many years after the separa-
tioa of the county and city Of st.
Louis lramshop licenses in the. city
VERB issued by the tax collector. who
passed upon all petitions ana granted
Licences 80 freely that saloons had m
easy way Of getting the necessary
legal permission to operate. Only
oas 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.
INC The annual license tax on each
saloon 5000.
A committee Of prominent citizens.
organised to secure Legislation to reg
uiats the licensing and conduct Of
aloeAs. asked the legislature to pass
bill establishing an excise board
Of tAree commissioners, two to be
appointed BY the circuit court and
b. the governor, the chairman or
executive commissioner to have . sal
ary u $1,000 q year and the other
commissioners $1,000 each, the whole
board TO pass upon petitions and
grant q refuse licenses and try all
. Involving violations Of the
draashcp laws. The bill passed the
ths Republican members and was
house with the aid Of q majority Of
the Republican members and was
aNeut to pass the senate when the
DsnoerAtic leaders. including Govern
o. stone, called q party caucus at
which q substitute bill was agreed
upon. creating the Office Of excise
commissioner for the city Of 81. Louis,
70 Be appointed BY the governor and
to exercise the authority Of q county
eeurt ii granting saloon licenses and
also authorised to collect q fee Of -
~ each license issued for his serv-
lees. TIE bill was enacted and Hon.
Nicholas n. Bell VA appointed ex-
$50 commissioner by Governor Stone.
he required two licenses for each 50
teon-one In the name Of the city and
sas n the name Of the state-the fee
Of % applying to each license-thus
giving him IS from each saloon for
each period Of six months, or Si2 .
year. At that time about $500 "a
Icons we're licensed. and the commits
sioner got about $4,000 q year In
license fees besides 4 nice sum In
notsriai fees. The office was the
jsieiest plum over handed out by Q
Democratic governor, and ne doubt
the tees were q great help 70 the
OsmeepaAte- state campaign Sfuld for
Il 10 not likely that an appo4htes In
tAoVs days was permitted to have and
to hold all that came to him through
such . partisan source Of revenue
IN course Of time the pay Of the
commissioner Vas limited and the bal
ancs Of fees collected went into the
stets treasury. Eventually the Law
vas changed radically. the commits
sioner being allowed $1,000 a year sal
ary and $4,000 for expenses. 1t Il
stiii the best office. In point Of salary
In the gift Of the governor. Governor
Folk appointed Thomas =. Mulvihii'
to the Office and told him TO enforce
the drsmshop laws. including the Sun
day closing of saloons. ; The ordel
won't forth and was called by tn,
newspapers the lid" q term nov
known all over the world In connec
ton with law enforcement. Mr.. Mulvi
hill made a good record in the office
barring q too d~ictatorial policy II
dealing with saloon men who did no
always understand or respect the new
order Of things. He made many enc
mics. but surely did make tho offc,
effective, something that could no
have been said OF Il daring the "a
mihistration Of either Of his Pysdece'
sors. w
In 1909 Governor Hadley appointe
Henry 8. C~aulneld. then { membe
Of congress, excise commissioner, an
he took the Office April 1. after hi
congressional term had expired. n
was then and 10 now one Of tho Leaf
ing Republicans Of st. Louie
During the incumbency Of Commi,
sioner Cauifeld he has increased Ii
state license tan $50 per license. A
there are two state licenses issue
to each dramshop keeper yearly an
tnVE0 6iO aUOut 6,SOV o0AOOnDb tukb ~
crease will amount to about $4,000
per annum.
II Is interesting to compare tn
difference between. the dramshc
taxes and fees collected during II
last year Of Mr.. Mulvihill's admin
trstion with that of the nrst year
Nr. C~aulheld's:
Avrii 1. 1908 April 1. 10
Mar. 81. 1903 Mar. al. 10
(Muivihil.) (Cauinsld.
city dYamshop ut.y q srY.
license tax .....ei III. $50. 90 VI. l31, $50.
: City Registers
fees ............ Z,Z3f.o0 Z,xot.
state dramshop
license tar -. 40. 10000 SOL. Tb0.
State advAlorem
TAX ..-.....s...s proVv.W o,cov.
City advaiorem
sss ............ 1890,
Fees OF the excise