Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-04-15
Knew the Enect.

conditions.
Liquor Revenue Not the Solution.
This state need not suffer for nee
essary revenue. She has resources
that will give her ample revenue for
all Of her legitimate needs when the
legislature will enact the necessary
revenue measures. The enactment of
such measures will not impose any
unfair or unnecessary or heavy bur-
den upon any person or upon any in
terest The state Is great store
house of natural wealth; she has
great resources. and her possibilities
are almost without limit.
Let us demonstrate concretely that
a fiscal body which puts its trust in
the liquor business for revenue leans
upon a broken reed. Ohio recently
rejected prohibition. Mark these fig
ures: For every dollar OF revenue col
lected in some Of the larger cities in
the state Of Ohio, 40 cents thereof
goes to sinking funds and to pay In
terest on bonded Indebtedness. Take
the city Of Cincinnati-that recently,
on face Of returns, gave $1,000 votes
for ratification Of prohibition amend
ment and $4,000 against. The city
has 300 saloons and an annual income
therefrom Of $428, 10000 And yet the
city has bonded Indebtedness of
$61, 100000, and municipal levy Of
s1.54 on each 500 of valuation. Take
the city Of Cleveland, that recently
gave $4,000 votes for prohibition and
1000 votes against. The city has
1921 saloons, with an income of $685.
600 therefrom, and yet the city has a
bonded Indebtedness of $4,000 900.
Take the city Of Greater New York,
with over 10000 saloons, and bonded
Indebtedness of $1,367 1852 100000, with
an annual interest charge thereon Of
$42,411, 900, and with tax rates of SLIT
tc $1.90 on the hundred in the re-
speetive borougns of the city. The
city pays $17,000,000 year to main
tain her police department; required,
in part, to protect the city against the
vice made and created in its 10000
saloons. Has it ever occurred to you
that the city Of New York spends in
interest charges alone 16 times as
much money every year as the state
Of West Virginia appropriates out of
ner general revenue to maintain her
government and institutions and over
100000 contributed to her local pub
lie schools? Did it ever occur to you
that the city Of New York, to main
tain her police department, spends
nearly seven times as much annually
as the state of West Virginia appro-
PIRATES for the foregoing purposes?
Take the city of Chicago, with 1852
saloons and revenue therefrom of
$7,152,000. In 1915 the budget pre-
scented to the city council, for its
action, to maintain the police depart
ment, was 100000. In addition to
this, the United Charities of Chicago
made an estimate of the amount ex-
pended In the city for the care de-
fectives and dependents, not II ;lud-
ing the criminal class, collected from
private agencies only, amounting to
81, 416.000. The Cook county infrmary,
built year before last, has over $500
inmates, and they are finding it nee
essary to put cots in the corridors to
help take care of the overflow. The
county jail is crowded to the point OF
indecency and already there is
strong demand that it be enlarged.
The superintendent of the infirmary
says that 40 per cent of the inmates
are there because Of drink" The SUI
perintendent of the jail says that "at
least 95 per cent of its inmates are
there for the same cause, and one of
the sad features about it all is that
large part Of the inmates in the Jail
are yet young fellows" Take the city
Of Pittsburgh. The city has 778 sa-
looms, with a revenue of $705,000 an
nually, and expends to keep police
department and for charity $1,563,526
-three-fifths as much as appropriated
In West Virginia for the purposes be-
fore stated. Take Baltimore, with
bonded Indebtedness of $78,900,000,
and revenue from saloons Of $780,
600, and a tax rate reaching $1.92 on
the hundred and expanding annually
$1,320,000 to maintain her police de-
partment, with 5472 charges of drunk
enness and 1851 charges of dfsor.
derby conduct annually.
Comparisons.
Compare the figures of the cities
given you with the average rate in
West Virginia for all purposes, includ$
ing state, county and district and
municipal, Of 1868 on each 500 valua-
ton for taxable purposes-a state with
the lowest average of any in the
Union. And next to West Virginia is
Kansas. prohibition state for many
years.
Take again the states Of Ohio, Penn
syivania, Maryland, Virginia and Ken
lucky our neighbors. The average
payment for every citizen for state
is as follows: Ohio,
1888: Pennsylvania, $S.71; Maryland.
$5.27; Virginia, 1922; Kentucky. $3.33.
Compare these average figures with
the average for West Virginia Of
$2.14 Our neighbors are wet and we
are dry.
It is not right, however, to CON-
slider the question from monetary
Men. not money. are the
real assets OF state. The happiness
and the general welfare Of its citi-
gems are the first obligations OF the
state. The generation growing up in
West Virginia, its future men AMI
WOMEN. win grow into he full stas1re
Co1siaued a fourth pege.