The Alaska daily empire., 1915-05-19
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TO THE TAX PAYERS OF THE
 CITY OF JUNEAU

CITY or JUNEAU:
 On the 24th day of May. 1915. the citizens of the town of Juneau will have the opportunity to express their desire, by ballot it they are In favor of allowing liquor to be sold within the corporate limits Appre- ciating that the decision of the ques- tion means a great deal to the peo pie of the town of Juneau and to the welfare of the community we respect fully offer the following suggestions and information
 It should be understood that the question of PROHIBITION Is not in volved in this election of consent. or non-consent. to the sale of liquors in Juneau Under the laws of Alaska you may still continue to buy and drink intoxicating liquors whenever you please. even though the sale of it is stopped locally. By forbidding sale Of liquor in Juneau, we will el- minate the established and regulated Legitimate liquor dealers and have numerous blind pigs over which there can be no regulation or control. In other words, we win have an in- efficient form of Local Option which has never proved its success where ever tried.
 A large proportion of the business done by the legitimate dealers in Ju- neau is with the people who live out side of the city. and who are employ ed in the country tributary to Juneau in different occupations. These men make Juneau their headquarters and purchase their supplies here. If Ju- neau votes dry" much of this busi- ness will be diverted Co other conyen- tent points where liquor is still sold. In this event 1t will not only be the legitimate liquor dealers who still suffer. but boat owners. restaurants, hotel keepers, merchants. bankers, and everybody who is dependent upon the towns property will be losers
 The federal law. by which the pow CTS Of the towns council are created, :. contemplates that all the money de- rived from licenses including that de- rived from the licenses for the sale of liquor. shall be used for municipal and school purposes, intending that this revenue. supplemented by the revenue from taxation shall be suih- cient to carry on the city government and maintain the schools. The law expressly prohibits the town council !. from lcvying a greater tax than two per. cent or creating a bonded iudebt- edness. It is impossible for the town ! of Juneau to raise more money by tax ation for the reasons. that, today, Ju- neau property is appraised higher than the property in any other Alas kan town; and the appraised value of our property cannot be raised with any justification to the property own CT: and for the past six years the maximum tax of two per cent. has been levied.
 The Alaska Legislature has passed ! a bill whereby the question of PRO- 1 HIBITION will be put to the entire ! Territory at the next general cleo l tion. and lf Alaska decides for pro- { hibition. we will have an opportunity ! to amend and change the laws m or ! der to conform to the new conditions I and to devise means of raising rev enue for the maintenance of schools ! and the city government To deprive the city of the money derived from the liquor business in Juneau until ! some other law is passed substituting other means of furnishing the neces- | sary money, will spell bankruptcy for | the city government.