Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-08
SALOONS AS TAX COLLECTORS.
council Bluffs Nonpareil1


interests Of Council Bluffs begin ask
ing for signatures to petitions OF con-
sent asking for the privilege of contin-
uing in operation in the city. they Will
urge among other reasons the need OF
the $4,000 annual revenue which is
now derived from these sources. 1t
will be claimed that Council Bluffs can
not get along without this money, that
taxes would have to be increased to
meet the loss in this direction. etc.
This argument Is fallacious. 1t Will
not stand the acid test of investigation.
the cost OF collecting taxes th-: the
ordinary channels is about SO per nun
dred. The liquor interests collect from
the people OF Council Bluffs $65O,ooO
annually. They turn back into the
treasury $4,000 In other words, every
time saloonkeeper takes $1.20 out OF
the pockets OF the citizens OF this city
he drops 10 cents into the city treas
urv. And this rakeof on the part OF
the city Is more than consumed IN
maintaining jails. courts, police sur
veillance and charities to care for the
drunks, the crimes, the poverty ana
want which this business creates. IL
the individual who spends a dollar for
LIQUOR rolled that same dollar down
rat hole or threw it into the sea ana
cut out the booze he would be the
gamer. Money spent for liquor is a tax
on thrift, on property, on manhood AND
womanhood and on childhood.
Clearly, the saloons as tax collectors
are a failure The method is too ex-
pensive. For every dollar paid in taxes
collected thru legitimate channels, bu:
, 3 cents Is taken out for collection. why
should we permit the liquor interests
TO take ont of the channels OF othef
lines of trade $1.20 for every dime they
return to us for building the city. II
men do not spend their wages Tor booze
, they have them to spend for groceries
clothing, furniture, etc.
II will be wise for every individual! IN
the city to weigh this matter well De-
fore giving assent to this metnod OF
tax collecting. How far will the dime
received in return for the privilege OF
selling liquor go to repair the damage
wrought by the S1.20 some one must
expend before this pittance falls into
the city Golfers? Woe to him that
hu,ldeth town with blood, and estap-
| fish city by iniQuity!"
GOVERNOR CLARKES COURSE.
CDes Moines Register and Leader.l
II the demand being made upon
! Governor Clarke that he withdra"
from the June primaries carried with II
anv decent justification for such q
{ course the governor might wei con
i slider II. for there can be nothing IN
! the campaign ahead. either for re-
| nomination or re- election, even though
J he win both easily, to particularly en-
courage him or to make the game seem
worth the candle.
| But how can Governor Clarke with
draw when he himself feels that he Il
enlisted in the cause OF greater anc
better Iowa, and when he quit Woulc
be to confess want Of courage or want
Of faith?
! In what light would he appear IL he
should admit by his conduct that the
executive council was wrong when i
equalized the assessment Of farm prop
erty as the law requires?
! In what light would he appear If ne
should admit by his conduct that the
executive council is responsible for high
taxes when it is known of all men thai
the executive council levies fraction
over mills, and that this levy was
made enough lower than 1t was las
year to square with the new assess
ment?
In what light would he appear i
he should admit, by his conduct. tina
| there is warrant for the general ciamo1
against the state, when it is showr
| that every county board had ample no
/ tice Of the increase in assessments, ant
that with few exceptions the count!
| boards themselves neglected to make
lower levies and to insist upon lower
| township and school board levies t
meet the new conditions!
| In what light would he appear. If M
should admit by his conduct that TIT
| half mill levy for capitol extension wal
the cause of high taxation in the state
! or that the legislature had been eithel
| corrupt or incompetent when by non
partisan vote, and with only scattering
dissent it had ordered a fit setting fol
i the state buildings?
If Governor Clarke was assured o
i defeat at the primaries by an over
!. whelming vote he could not retir'
| with credit to himself or to the state