The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-11-15
Although the Law Is as Dry as Black
stone the Revenue Stamps Show
That There Are Many
Showers.
DRUG STORE SALOONS
Four Southern States Which are Pro
hibition Pay s1o5.ooo to Uncle
Sam for Licenses to
Sell Whiskey.

The law in Alabama, Georgia, North
Carolina, and part of South Caro-
lima may be dry, just as dry as Black
stone is to the average law student,
but the dry belt is limited to the law,
and the people are wet, as wet as
Georgia con, and the mountain dew of
"Ole Kentuck," according to the re-
ports the revenue collectors In these
prohibition states made to their chief
at Washington
These reports are fairly stepped,
macerated in liquor. They tell not
only of pooze' being made, but Of its
sale, both in small and large guam
titles.
In another month Commissioner of
Internal Revenue Royal Cabell will
make public his annual report, in
which he will quote figures furnished
by collectors of internal revenue in
these states, showing the number of
special tax stamps which have been
sold in the last year, along with the
amounts yielded therefrom A ma
jority of these stamps were sold to re-
tailers. The retail stamp costs s25
and the wholesale 500. It is estimat.
ed that in Alabama, Georgia. North
Carolina, and small part of South
Carolina the receipts from the sale Of
these special tax stamps will amount
to approximately s1O5,000 for tN (,
fiscal year which ended June 80 last.
Alabama, longest in the column Of
prohibition states, leads in the num-
Der of stamps purchased. The sale of
retail stamps amounted to approxi-
mately $4,000, and the combined sale
of retail and wholesale S3S,55O.
Georgia comes next with a combined
sale of $30,56S worth of stamps. or
this amount only about $2,5dO was re-
ceived for wholesale stamps. Most
OF it came from druggists, who are
not supposed to sell without a pre-
scription. North Carolina will have to
be considered next. owing to it being
whole dry state. South Carolina
| purchased more stamps but several
counties in South Carolina operate dis
| pensaries, and this naturally increases
the number Of special retail stamps.
1t is estimated that $4,000 worth qf
both kinds of stamps were sold in
North Carolina in the last year. OF
this amount only about $4,000 was re-
retailers. Again drug merchants were
the heaviest buyers.
South Carolina will show a COM
bined sale of about $20,SOO worth of
stamps. Like North Carolina. the
bulk of the stamps were purchased by
retailers. In this case, however, the
county dispensary was the heavy
buyer. with the druggist next.
The law in Georgia is peculiar. 1t
permits the sale of beverages and
spirits containing not more than 4
per cent alcohol. Many brands of So
called near-beer are sold at drug
| stores. 1t is estimated that an addi-
| tional $4,000 viii be collected through
this leniency of the law All drug
gists having procured retail stamp
from Uncle Sam will be able to dis
pense this beverage.
revenue olhclals state that the sale
Of these special stamps is causing
friction between the state and fedora!
authorities but point out that nothing
can be done to remedy the matter
Commissioner Cabell refers all com.
! planning prohibitionists to the consti
tuition, which provides for the collec.
ton of uniform tax. that the tax
must be the same in Georgia as in
California, and in Florida as in Wash.
ington.
1 1t is stated that the sale of the
stamps aids the county, city, and state
officials in prosecuting violators of the
state laws. The collector of internal
revenue in each district in the United