The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-10-10
REPORTED RULING
STATE COMPTROLLER
Latter Has Rendered Such
a Decision in Hillsbor-
ough Cases, But Collector
Roberts Has Not Been
Advised and All Licenses
Have Been Issued as
Heretofore.

Double bars must pay the state a
double license tax, or else the Jim
| Crow" saloon must cease TO operate
| according to reported decision by the
state comptroller. The revised license
law passed by the legislature expressly
forbids one saloon operating two bars
under one license and tho partitions
dividing the whites and colored patrons
must come out
This places the saloons of Pensacola
in somewhat of predicament, for the
reason that the city laws require par
titions where white and colored patrons
are served. II they are not divided
the saloon mer will he violating the
city laws. while If they do they will be
subject to a double tax. The result
possibly will be the elimination Of the
Jim Crow" saloons in Pensa cola.
Tax Cole ctor Roterta stated last
night that he bad not received a copy
of the state comptroller's ruling In this
case, and that while he had gone
through the new license law he had
not noticed the section relating TO a
double license for double bars and
consequently had issued the usual IL
cense to saloon men.
In several counties in the state, no.
tably Marlborough, the. new law is
being applied, and in Miami all parti-
tions have been torn out. The Tampa
Times Of recent date contained the
following story regarding the opera
ton Of the new law there:
The saloons in Hillsborough county
will have to pay double license for
double bars. This IS In accordance
with a decision of the state comptroll-
er, following the discovery on the part
of Plant City citizens that the state
license laws call for a separate license
for each bar or place where liquor is
sold
County Solicitor Will II. Jackson
has given until tomorrow to the bar
keepers of Plant City TO comply with
the law. The saloonists there, on no
tice that the law would be enforced.
and with the board OF trade and prom
inent citizens determined to close ne
gro bars or require the extra license
for sale in the Jim Crow saloons, are
insisting that prompt action be taken.
either on the part Of the saloon pro-
prietor or the county solicitor.
APPLIES TO TAMPA AS WELL.
Mr. Jackson, asked this morning IL
the same order applied to Tampa sa-
looms, replied that IT certainly did.
While the present Interpretation Of the
law is not conclusively settled, and
may not be unless a, test case Is made
and a supreme court decision received.
the county solicitor has but one way
to look at 1t and that is to go ahead
and insist on the payment Of the extra
license.
Sheriff Spencer, asked this morning
If he ha been instructed that the run
ming Of two bars under one license was
a violation Of the law, said that the
had not been rendered
him. The saloons would be given a.
BILE time to comply with the
law, he thought. Tampa saloons are
not trying to evade the law, in the
sheriffs opinion, but want 10 know
what II actually is.
while Mr. Jackson intends that all
saloons with the extra bar, serving the
negroes. as is the case in all the
double enders,' should take out the
licenses, he does not intend to be un-
in his demand. They will
be given a reasonable time, he said, 70
take out the license or abandon the
extra bar. whichever course they may
decide upon.
ELIMINATE DoU5LE-HEADERs
TT is not thought that the bringing
up Of the new profession will bring
much revenue To the state, as the sa
Continued on Page Eight)