The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-24

tax rate that so greatly affects them? No. 1t
Is State taxation, and the effect OF Statewide pro-
hibition on Statewide taxation that they try.
ing 10 mislead the public about
Now this Is curious neutrality-suspicious.
intcrferes with local selfgovernment. and yet
viii result In raising the Statewide tax rate
There lies the confession OF the whole situation
and the contention of those who would outlaw
the saloon and dissolve the partnership between
the State and the liquor traffic. It Is the State
that leEalizes the saloon; that allows IT TO live
that is responsible for its existence, and so 1t Is
that to outlaw the saloon It is necessity for the
State as a whole TO participate in the vote
The contention that the State tax rate will
b. raised by abolition of the saloons is dead
give-way, for the State gets the saloon revenue
bg which the saloon is maintained The State
is, therefore the saloons partner, because the
two share the profits OF the liquor business
The State and not the locality is the unit by
which the liquor traffic must finally be Judged
And while are on this question of taxation
ard local selfgovernmcnt Let us see just why It is
that while they are talking so much about
taxation In relation to prohibition the saloon
advocates do not give some instances where the
tax rate in some Virginia locality has been
raised by the abolition of the saloon The truth
about this local taxation is tho same as that
about the State tax rate--the liquor interests
cannot show State that has raised it's tax rate
because Of prohibition neither can they show a
dry Virginia locality that has raised its rate
The Fairfax Herald, owned and edited by Hon
S, n. Donohoe, who made the state one of the
best auditors 1t has ever had prints the follow
ing timely editorial on this subject headed
"Crockodile Tears:
The "wets' shed good many crocodile tears
over the probable loss TO the State Of thf liquor
license tax Their concern for the States finan-
clal Interests is truly pathetic, but they seem 10
overlook the fact that the State IA subjected to-
great expense by reason OF the liquor traffic
The criminal prosecution due to liquor the cost
OF maintaining convicts in the penitentiary who
are sent there AS result Of the liquor business
as well as the care Of those who are in the in
sane asylu1ns and poorhouses from the same
cause 10 say nothing of the physical diseases
and deformjties transmitted by drinking parents
more than outweigh the revenue derived from
liquor licenses Furthermore, the capital in-
vested in the liquor business would not re-
main Idle, but would be used in other lines Of
business and yield revenue. probably as great
aF that now derived from the whisltey business
But apart from any comparisons Of this char
oeter. the State cannot afford to derive a reve-
nue. at the expense of the health and happi-
ness and manhood of her citizens
Will the people of Virginia accept the honest
statement OF Ex-Auditor Donohoe who knows
and has no financial interest at stake or the
liquor people. who employing and will CON
tlnue to employ any methods which may help to
deceive the people and lead them TO vote to con.
tinue the saloon?