The Glasgow courier., 1916-01-28
TALKING OF TAXES.

. Inc ionoWln8 interesting arucle giving concrete
facts and figures from an unprecedented source regarding
$ iS the S; Tss5e and nd
"Without being active participants in the cause Of
prohibition and holding brief for the liquor interests
many representative citizens of this section are today
trying to figure out the net results both financial and
moral OF the prohibition laws which have been vopera
ton for the past few years in of the Southern
states They have not requested information on the
Subject ! from men who are interested in breweres or
dseries nor have they appealed to leaders in the past
temperance crusades for facts pertaining to the results
have sought light on the question from the only un
prejudiced source officials who receive and disburse
moneys of the 9 municipalities and the states
surface as result Of these inquiries should be welcome
to every minded American no matter what his pred
econs may have been in the past, for truth knows no
1t simply demands hearing
mo doubt it would be ideal state of affairs if the
South could experience healthy financial condition,
of vice. This is desderatum implanted deeply in the
heart of every Southerner whose opinion counts for
anything; but what ought to be in the South has come
into collision with what s and in TRUTH several states
are farther from that Utopia of which dreamed than
they were when reasonable license laws graced our stat
ute books.
LET us glance for moment at certain facts which
have recently forced themselves into prominence with
out the aid of prohibitionists an-prohibonists
Alabama is now struggling with deficit of about $3 30OO
OOO which appears to be the result of prohibition. To
bring the municipal conditions in concrete form, into
plain review will cite the city of Birmingham. This
city, according to an editorial published in the Survey
of September, 1915 has discontinued its streetceanng
and garbage collection 1t has dispensed with its health
officer, city physician and market Inspector eXngused
half the lights cut the school term from nine to
months and reduced by 10 per cent the salaries of teach
ers who were receiving over SIS month; 1t has dis
continued third of it's police force, and put the
mander on welvehour shift 1t has closed several fire
Stations stopped every cent of its appropriations to hos
pitas chldrens homes and charities and reduced by
RI
Short the city has cut its expenses $340000 1t was
PEELED to make this cut because costs the city ST
year to operate and only $896556 was available.
Then again more people are engaged in the produc-
ton of illicit liquor in Alabama than ever BEFORE despite
the earnest efforts of the secret service officials to stamp
it out There were 179 illicit dstilleries seized and de-
stroyed in 1906 in 1914 the number had risen to 308.
For lack of funds Georgia has been compelled to
hold up the salaries of school teachers and recently has
had to place additional $3500000 bond issue the
market. Several cities and counties of Georgia. however,
derive considerable from licensing beer Saloons
otherwise the deficit would be still greater.
"Prohibition in Georgia has been the of sti-
ulang the illicit sale of noxicants on scale never be-
fore experienced.
"Whathas been the effect of years of prohibition
in Tennessee? At least $60000O0 worth of property
destroyed and 10000 men thrown out of employment as
initial result while the final result as appears at this
writing is that the expense of the state government has
more than doubled since the law went into effect and
there is deficit of 81 0220 900 in the state revenues.
/ "As consequence of the loss in revenues taxes
have been greatly increased The commission of the
Tennessee State Manufacturers Association after an
exhaustive investigation, reported There is tendency
throughout the state to increase taxes an already
burened people, both by constant increase of the as
sessments as well as the rate.
Nashville in particular has been plunged into seri-
GUS financial trouble Without submitting the question
to vote of the people, the city sold bonds in the of
1887 900 to make up deficit brought about largely by
the cutting off of privilege licenses money formerly paid
by liquor sellers.
'The enforcement of the law in Tennessee has made
vacant than six hundred business houses in the four
largest cities of the state and Is per cent of them