The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-08

Jun3snShf. pr0hihition win not make
N lx1ceooDo nytaxation necessary
A1Eoa. III y. Byrd, former speaker
cf houSos Hon. 3 r. Donohoe. for
mer 0ta1o aud1tor; Hon. George b.
Kno9e3l FORMER chairman OF State a
nance ooSn1nittee, and every other un-
biased man who has given the subject
thought sAyD the same.
ssWha$ q the experience Of States
and Cities which have banished the
LIQUOR tra1ncf Kansas. . prohibition
state, has the cheapest tax rate OF
any state IN the Union; Georgia. .
prohibition State, has reduced her
taxes ton Der cent; North Carolina
ana west Virginia have not and will
not increase their tax rate. Dry Dam
Vile has not Increased her tax rate.
nor Staunton. Dry Charlottesville has
I'm tncrexss hi their city 3 income Of
nearly $4,000 q year since the saloons
were voted out.
WIN Not Increase Taxes.
There arc three reasons why the
banishment OF the saloon win not in
crease taxes:
increased taxes are lowered. Take
some Of the counties in which coal has
been discovered; the increase OF values
has reduced the tax rate. This II true
where factories and industries are es-
-tablished. The saloon destroys values
values In the men and values In
property. Not only that, but millions
az dollars arc sent out Of the State to
the wl,fskey trust at Louisville and
Cincinnati. and millions are sent out
for the beer that made Milwaukee
famous,s but made Richmond poor,
and millions are sent to the st. Louis
beer king. II this money were kept
in Virginia and put on deposit for the
beneft OF the men who spend It In
drink. how Il would increase taxa
BILE values.
The second reason why the banish-
ment of the saloon will not increase
taxes II because every dollar Of taxes
gathered by the liquor trafnc costs
the state two dollars and more to take
care OF It.: ssventy-nv per cont OF
criminal expenses is traceAblo to
the saloon. large percentage OF pau
perism. and much OF the fnsanity.
when the saloon goes the expenses
for crime, paupsrism and insanity 70.
The taxpayers who don't drink have
to pay for these.
. Tho third reason why the driving
out the saloon will not increase taxes
il that ninsteen-twentieths Of the
State was made dry by one act and
It did not increase taxes. Thsu, II
making Observation-Disclosures, OF tho
state dry did not increase taxes. max
ing one-twentieth OF 1t dry Will not
increase them.
A very pertinent question Is. who
pays the liquor tax after all? The
whiskey trust does not pay It. the
beer kings don't pay It the liquor
dealers don't pay It. Who. then. pays
It? The men who drink tho liquor.
These poor creatures caught In the
clutches Of the vicious appetite for
strong drink pay the taxes with
ALL The poor woman who has to. live
In poverty and sQualor. because her
husband spends his money. which
should 20 to her support, It the dirty
barroom. She has to pay the taxes out
OF her food and clothes. The little
children have TO pay It. RAGGED and
half starved, the drinkers and drunk
ards children are denied their clothes
and food % that their father can
have drink. and with their nakedness
and poverty these helpless little ones
are made to pay the liquor tax. Any
man who wants poor. half-starved
women and destitute children to pay
his taxes Is unworthy OF the name Of
a man, and 10 lost to all the noble
impulses OF q human soul. Yes. the
drinkers. the drunkards and their fam
HES pay the liquor taxes. through the
sAloonkeepers. Shame on Virginia X
to run her government she has to ex-
tract the blood-money Of her women
and children. Woe to Virginia II she
builds her towns with the blood Of her
children. and stablisheth her cities
with the uniouity of her citizens. But
the statement that II Is necessary to
have the blood money extorted by the
saloon to maintain our grand old
State Is deception And falsehood of
the liquor traffic and its allies.