New Britain herald., 1916-02-10

terests are let off easy he sald we gave, John Bull. the worst trimming he ever had for doing less than this. Yet now we pay men hlgh salarles to do worse." Showing figures which he claimed to be correct, MT. Regan declared that in the city ot Chlcago with it's 2,O00,000 and more people, there are 7,156 saloons, the total of which are taxed but $22,058 or only $3.06 each.
 Prohibition Helps City.
 Rockford Ill.,, the speakers home town of 6O,00O was next introduced. Rockford was hit by the prohibition wave and the liquor interests all pre- dlcted the ruin of the city. Showing what really did happen, MT. Regan said that first year the city was dry 3S4 new homes were built. Although fitty-slx saloons were shut up, making flfty-slX empty stores, new business interests soon took them over and in less than six months there were seven new stores in the city, one of which is the largest in the state outside ot Chicago. The owner of this store was asked what prompted him to To- cate in Rockford and he replied, Well, the people have stopped buying wet goods, so l thought perhaps they would start buying dry goods.' Dur ing the first 'dry'' year seven new industries sprung up in the city. A review of the previous tax list showed that there was $4,OOO,OOO worth of all and added to this was $2,OOO,OOO new property which was properly taxed.
 Asked what was the motive for not taxing these big interests, MT. Began said he once told an interrogator to go down to the stock yards and ask the question of a car load of pigs what they were being shipped to the slaughter house for" You might find an educated pig that would say they are bought up,' " he explained
 MT. Began declared that he ex- posed the International Harvester company which is worth $8S,OOO,OOO but which did not pay taxes. As a result this firm was sued and had to pay $5OO,OOO taxes. He also declared the head of Sears. Roebuck & Com pany has been indicted for not pay- ing proper taxes. This company, he said, is able to sell the customers it's goods at about cost and then make profits of about $2,O0O,OOO annually
 
 having to pay, taxes.
 Conn. Tax Rate Jumping.
 Coming down to Connecticut, MT. Began declared that the tax rate in this state is steadily increasing and the tax payers ought to get wise He showed that the rate had risen from 16 1-2 in 1910 to 22 IA in 1914.
 Once more attacking the brewer, MT. Began showed by figures just what a barrel of beer costs. It costs the brWer seventy-tWo cents. It is as- sessed, stamped and taxed, bringing the total cost up to $21O. Then this barrel of beer is sold over the bar to the consumer and brings in s2S.65.
 Slams N. E. Brewery Go.
 Again hitting at facts in Connecti- cut, MT. Began named the New Eng land Brewing company of Hartford This company is worth s35O,OO0, he said. Yet it is taxed for only total or Sl73,45O while other property is boosted above it's value. He advocat- eo sung this company for back taxes as mas been done in the west He also mentioned the name of Peter Ragan, who owns a saloon at 3o Church street, Hartford. This saloon is assessed for but $55O he said. He also called attention to the Allyn House in Hartford which has a bar and pays on an assessment of but $1,000, he claimed,
 Jumping again into the western beer country, MT. Began said that the Anheuser Busch company of St. Louis, a $400, 100000 concern, pays taxes on only $5,00O,000. Te then made some statements that are most amusing as well as interesting. He declared, and said he could prove, that the Val Blatts Brewing company of Mill waukee is not owned by German in terests but is really owned by an English concern with offices in Lon- don. The New York Brewing com pany, Ltd, s16,00o,0OO concern, is owned by a London company yet the American tax payers. by permitting present conditions, are enriching it's owners.
 Kills Germans Taste For Beer.
 He then told what he said is a true story from St. Louis where he de- clared that of the great liquor in- terests there s19,000,0OO worth are owned and controlled by British com- panies. He said he embodied this in an address in St. Louis and the next day was accused by a burly German who told him that he had been brought up on beer, but since he had learned that it was controlled by Eng fish his taste for that beverage had been spoiled.
 MT. Began also told of the Cincin- nati Brewing company, Ltd, which is owned by British interests with off, ces in London. He declared that re- gently the German citizens of Gin cinnati held a monstrous parade in which they voiced their protest against permitting the vast profits from this American concern to go to England to help finance the war.