Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-28
DAVENPORT TEST
OF new DRY LAW?
Persistentiy Reported That Several
Saloons Will Remain Open Be-
yond First OF Year.
LEGAL COUNSEL Is ENGAGED
Scott County Attorney Admits He Tn
derstands That There Is 10 Be
a Contest.

That several Davenport saloons will
contest the new state prohibitory law
which becomes effective Jan. / appears
to be generally credited over the city
today
1t is stated these saloons will con-
test the law by remaining open after
/ the first Of the year and make it OBJ
ligatory upon the state to close them.
Then this action will be contested.
It is understood legal counsel has
been engaged by the saloonkeepers
who expect to contest the new law.
When seen today in regard to the
possibility Of a contest County Att0r-
ney Henry Jebens gave out the follow
ing unofficial statement: u under
stand there will be contest but have
no positive assurance that such will
be the case"
When the saloons OF Iowa close next
Friday evening by the operation of the
mulct law repeal, $765.550 annual Ii
cense tax paid by the grog shops will
be cut off from the county, city and
federal government. Of this amount.
cities win lose $602400. counties $780,
500 and the federal government S12,-
500, state officials say.
There were 502 saloons operating in
Iowa in 1915. The average license tax
paid by each establishment for the
year is figured at ST 800 by the state
officials This included $500 per year
mulct tax, but does not include SIS
paid annually to the federal govern
ment for the right to operate
The records show that in 1906 there
were in Iowa Ito saloons, which paid
annually in license tax S1,474145, not
including the federal tax. This aver
aged $s6585 per saloon.
In 1908 the number of saloons drop
ped to 1872 This year they paid
S137T057 tax, or an average of $900.86
per saloon.
In 1910 the saloons numbered 1 1856
and the tax paid was $1,224,225. an
average Of $953.51
By 1912 the number of grog shops
decreased to 741 and they paid $1.0+3,-
1886 tax, an average Of $1,40S.01 for
each establishment
In 1915 the number shrunk to 502,
the total tax being $765,550 an aver
age Of 1900 for each saloon.
Steady Decrease in Revenue.
In the last nine years the amount of
saloon tax received by the cities and
counties has been reduced 80 per cent.
Adjustments were made SO that the
loss of revenue was made up in other
ways without an inconvenience. In
some of the towns where saloons re-
manned the city councils made up for
the loss by increasing the tax on the
remaining establishments.
The highest tax on saloons reported
to the state was $500 by Sumner,
Iowa. which had only one saloon, The
population Of Sumner was 1,4O0 in
1910. Bellevue in Jackson county re-
ported one saloon and an annual tax
of $4,000 in addition to the $500 mulct
tax Many of the towns had a $4,000
tax on the grog shops.
In the smaller places where the
saloon tax was high. the revenue
from that source practically paid all
Of the municipal expenses, The peo-
pie in a measure were relieved Of city
taxes. The effect of the closing on
these places will be that the city coun-
ell will tax property as is done in other
places.
New Liquor egisIation.