The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-08

foretell the far reaching consequences
Of this heroic measure. One thing Is
certain; 1t means the advent of new
era for Russia era of sobriety, In
dustry and devotion to civic and social
reform.
"Russia's worst enemies could not by
any stretch of Imagination have done
the harm that the millions OF barrels
of vodka FoId in government grog
shops have done to the Russian people
For more than year the Tsar has
sought ways and means to lessen the
evil. to bring about a return of the
Russian peasant and workman to his
former state of natural sobriety and
docility.
Yielded Vast Revenue
But where to find equivalent for the
700, 100000 of rubies the sale of vodka
by the government monopoly has
yielded? This was the question that
agitated the minds of the Russian
Minister of Finance and his advisers
The Russian budget for the last year
was close on 5000. 000. 600 rubles so that
vodka was responsible for3 nearly TWEEN
ty-five per cent of the entire income
of the Empire. Its elimination seemed
an impossibiltY, threatening financial
debacle, Hundreds of sessions were
held and the financial situation was
discussed from every point of view, but
the courage 10 act was lacking and
the decisive step was postponed until
there was hardly any hope for the ad-
vocates of vodka abolition.
Then came this war Of the world
and by the power vested in him through
the declaration of martial law the Tsar
east all doubts to the winds, ended the
procrastination, simply prohibited the
sale OF vodka, ordered the government
grog shops to be closed and filed the
hearts of all Russian patriots with I'M
bounded delight
TT was a case of cutting the Gordian
knot with vengeance. Let us deliver
our people from the alcohol devil,
finance will take care of itself the
Tsar Is reported to have said Straight
way he ordered a commission to be
formed to deal with the question OF n
new financial era, of the creation Of
taxes that Will replenlsh the imperial
Golfers and not press too heavily on
those who will have to bear the brunt
of the new order Of things The task
is immense. but 1t will be carried
through unffnchingly. and already 1t Is
announced that by December a budget
VIII be submitted to the Duma which
will be free from the vodka monopoly.
Income Tax VIII Help.
The chief items In the new budget
Will consist OF n graduated income tax,
an increase in passenger and goods
traffic on the government railways, an
increased internal revenue on tobacco
and beer. and an increase In the duties
on all goods coming from countries
that do not carry Russia on the list
of the most favored nations. These
measures. combined with additional
taxes on real property and an inheri- |
lance tax. will In all probability make |
up for the loss incurred by the abolition |
of the government vodka monopoly.
Whatever sacrifices these new taxes !
may bring In their wake, the people, /
and even those who will have to bear |
the brunt of the additional imposts |
are quite prepared to make them. not /
only from a philanthropic or sentimen-
tai point OF view. but from the Arm I
that ultimately they will 4
reap the benefit of the change. They re-
gard the extra payments as an invest
nent that will bear additional inter-
est.
Already the vodka prohibition is
making itself felt. There are numbers
Of manufacturers employing thousands
OF hands. and the increased production
OF their works. due solely to the sobrie-
ty of their workmen. and the working
women for that matter. ranges from
thirty to sixty per cent. This Is no
exaggeration, and the explanation Is
very simple.
Toilers Nearly All Drunk.
Almost the whole OF Saturday and
all day Sunday ninety per cent OF the
workmen were In the habit OF ceiebrat-
nR their freedom from work by drink