Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-01-06
|OWADRYsTATENOW
Close Of Year Witnessed End
OF Legal Liquor Sales.
LARGE LICENSE TAX CUT OFF
$76s,55o Paid In Annually to City.
County and Government Funds 10
Cut off-12o Iowa Towns A.
fected by Closing Law.

Des Moines.-When the saloons OF
Iowa closed on Dec. 81, by the opera
ton of the mulct law repeal, $765, $50
annual license tax paid by the grog
shops was cut off from the county,
city and federal government. OF this
amount, cities lost $602.4O0, coun-
ties s150.6OO and the government $l2,-
| 500.
There were 502 saloons operating In
Iowa in 1915. The average license tax
paid by each establishment for the
year is figured at $500 by the state
officials. This included 5000 per year
mulct tax, but did not include SIS
paid to the federal government.
The records show that in 1906 there
were in Iowa ITO saloons, which paid
annually in license tax s1,474,145, not
including the federal tax. This aver
aged $S65.s5 per saloon.
In 1908 the number dropped to 1872.
That year they paid $1,377,057 tax. or
an average OF s9O0.S6 per saloon.
In 1910 the saloons numbered 1856
and the tax paid was sl,224.225, an
average OF $953.51.
By 1912 the number was TAI with
81 ,043,336 tax, an average of $1,40S.01.
In 1915 the number shrunk to 502.
the total tax being $765,550.
Steady Decrease In Revenue.
In the last nine years the amount
of saloon tax received by the cities
and counties has been reduced 50 per
cent. Adjustments were made 80 that
the loss of revenue was made up in
other ways without an inconvenience.
In some OF the towns where saloons
remained the city councils made up
for the loss by increasing the tax In
the remaining establishments.
The highest tax on saloons reported
to the state was $4,000 by Sumner.
which had one saloon. The population
OF Sumner was 1,400 In 1910. Bellevue
in Jackson county had one saloon and
a $1,000 tax in addition to 5000 mulct
tax. Many towns had $4,000 tax.
In smaller places where saloon tax
was high. the revenue practically paid
all municipal expenses. The people
were relieved Of city taxes. The ef-
feet of the closing on these places
will be that the city council will tax
property as is done elsewhere.
The so-called mulct law, under
which the liquor business has been
conducted in Iowa for many years,
was repealed to take effect Jan. I,
1916. The effect of this repeal is to
revive statutory prohibition through
out the state. Moreover, by joint reso-
luton OF the two houses, prohibi-
tory amendment to the constitution
is proposed. Like all proposed consti-
tutional amendments, this proposition
must be adopted by the next succeeds
ing general assembly before being
submitted to the people. Until then
statutory prohibition will be In force.
In order to make statutory prohibi-,
ton effective. a number OF so-calledl
"law enforcement" acts were passed
Judges of the District and Superior.
courts OF the state are authorized to.
issue search warrants for the seizure.
OF liquor, and are given Jurisdiction
in the matter of serving notices, trial
and judgment in liquor cases.
Effect Of Injunctions.
When a person has been enjoined
against selling liquor, the injunction
is effective throughout the state. in
stead OF only in the judicial district
as heretofore. Those who violate an
injunction OF the court against the
selling of liquor the second time are
more severely punished: any one con-
victed a second time for violation OF
the liquor laws of the state Is deemed
persistent violator and sentence
for each subsequent violation of the
law shall be Imprisonment in the state
penitentiary or reformatory for not
more than one year,
1t is made unlawful for any railroad,
express company, or other common
carrier, or any person. corporation.
steamboat, or steamboat line to carry
intoxicating liquor into the state, or
from one point to another within the
state for the purpose OF delivering the
same to any persons, corporation or
company within the state except for
lawful purposes.
All common carriers must keep a
detailed record of all liquor handled
and may not deliver liquor to any per-
son but the consignee, and then only
after he has receipted for 1t In ink, in
legible writing. in book kept for
that purpose. giving his full name and
complete address and certified that
such liquor is for his own lawful pur-
poses or private consumption. This
record must be kept open for the in
spection OF any peace or law enforc-
ing officer.