The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-11

random, and then went over them to
be sure that we had not accidentally
chosen either the best or the poorest
or their respective classes. We want
ed average businesses. We chose six
boot and shoe dealers, five clothiers,
ten druggists, four dry goods stores.
two furniture dealers, twelve grocers,
four restaurants, three confectioners,
and one jeweler. We found that the
forty-seven firms had returned for
taxation total valuation on stock and
fixtures used in their business, but
not counting safes and cash registers,
amounting to $131 POS This makes
an average or assessed valuation Of
.65 against an average Of $409.-
&c for the forty-seven saloons. The
total city tax on the property return
ed by the forty-seven business firms
amount to $1,443.2S, against $211.64
for the saloons. The city treasury
would be the gamer by the difference,
If the saloon were abolished and other
business substituted for them 1t may
be asked on what grounds we as
sumo that other business firms would
take the places of the saloons The
answer is, first of all. that they did
in Marion, Kokomo and other cities
that the saloons must average from
ten to fifteen thousand dollars worth
of business each year. They could
not make a fair prifit, pay licenses
and other expenses and still make the
comfortable living they seem to make
unless they did do that amount OF
business on the average. The aver
age for saloons the country over is
said to be somewhat over ten thous-
and a year, and report has it that
the saloons of Richmond do better
than the average. If these figure are
not correct. the Richmond public
would be nightly interested In hav-
ing them show their books. Anyhow,
if they do not do from ten to fifteen
thousand dollars worth Of business a
year, they must make an enormous
profit, or else the measly business is
worth hanging onto so hard. Why
don't they let the drys have it, and 90
into some paying business?
Spend 1t Elsewhere.
"1t is safe to assume, therefore.
that between five and six hundred
thousand dollars is spent in the sa-
looms each year. If the city went dry
that money would be here to be spent
for other lines of goods. A little of
it might be carried by old topers to
well, \olllICl lllC, say, Dut 81 lCflSt
a half million would be here for bust
ness purposes; and the cold records
make it certain that dollar for dollar
it would yield the city treasury seven
times as much in taxes as the sa-
looms do
Next we looked into the amount
the city 0apers are out because of
crime caused by the saloons. Experts
in statistics of crime estimate that
so per cent of crime is due to the sa-
loon in addition to public intoxica-
ton. Since half the arrests in Rich
mond last year were for intOXication
and a little more than IS per cent
Of the arrests were due directly to
the saloons, we may scarcely say that
Richmond is an average city in that
respect. We can not separate county
and city costs thoroughly. so we shall
take the county cost of crime, and
set Richmonds share at As per cent
since Richmond pays As per cent OF
| the county fund We did not count
! sheriff's and turkeys salaries nor
cost of new buildings and repairs at
! the Jail, on the ground that We need
! Jail even though the saloons were
gone. The auditors account runs:
! Pauper attorney and truant
|
Board and care Of prisoners 6,2O945
Jail supplies .......... 1915
Extra employees ...... 1905 0S
Probation officer ..... 665 3S
Returning fugitives ..... 121S4
Total NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1895
Is per cent chargeable to the
saloons ............s s,see. sc
As per cent of this charge
! born by city ..... 3,779S4
This amount drawn from the peck
cts Of the city Taxpayers is to be set
against the revenue derived from the
saloons.
I'VE next look into our charities
This covers wide range Of drafts or
the public purse. Estimates vary
widely as to the proportion Of ii