Evening star., 1928-03-25
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Half century ago. long before the
days of prohibition, some of the States
The Bell Punch were irving 'j., to
and Liquor Taxes. g,,s ggs n2se n,'s 81 te s6e
liquor traffic. and were adopting an in
genious method Of keeping tab on the
amount of intoxicating beverages dis
penSed The Star in its issue Of March
30, 1878, thus comments:
Among the inventions of modern
civilization the bell punch occupies o
prominent position. II has already
earned the right to appear on the coat
of arms Of at least one of the United
States, and We look for time when its
influence shall spread from ocean 10
ocean. Virginia Is proud of her dram
bell punch and finds Ii rich source of
income 70 her revenues. Louisiana has
already adopted the invention and the
expedieney Of pursuing q similar course
is seriously debated in the West and
South. Chicago, perceiving that Viz
ginia will obtain nearly Sio0 900 more
than the anticipated revenue of half 3
million from this source, looks 70 the
bell punch as the only certain means
of relief in her crippled financial con-
dition. The subject is agitated In St.
Louis. Cincinnati and other prominent
cities all over the country,
The arguments in favor Of the adop-
ton OF the plan are numerous, As
every 6arkeeper must punch NUM-
beFed slip for each drink In the pres
ence of the dEinker. guarantee OF an
honest settlement of accounts is fur
niShed the proprietor of the saloon. IL
viii have tendency 10 do away with
mean and cheap whisky. The burdens
on real estate, personal property and
the industries will be lightened, or at
least will not b. increased. while tndul-
gence In Objectionable Injuries is taxed
II Is unnecessary 10 remark that the
combination of virtue and q freedom
from taxes viii have q powerful re-
forming influence. The financial view
Of the matter Is not without effect on
some minds
Statistics showing the wonderful
amount of Intoxicating liquor annually
absorbed by the citizens ot the United
states may afford some idea ot the
vast sums in way Of revenue To be de-
rived by the general adoption of the bell
punch. Each city or State can easily
estimate for itself the extent of its
profits. Thus reformatory influences.
temperance and financial prosperity all
cling about the ball punch some Of
the Virginia papers complain Of a fall
ing of In the revenues from the Moffat
register owing 10 delinQuencieS in the
enforcement of the law ON the subject,
and are disposed to flnd fault with the
Legislature for failing 10 pass the bill
providing for the more eftectual collec~
ton Of the tax. but the bell punch itself
Is unShAken IN their affections"
&N
1T Is To be hoped" says The Star Of
March 40, 1878, with reference 70
Police The hoard Of police comSls- Conan
nu.;As SionelS growing out ot raids
""'S'' on gambling houses and
other illegal resorts. that the police
imbrogiio will be settled at once and
the beard itself constituted 81 that it
can 50 TO work harmonlouSly for the
public service, We trust, further, that
the reorganiaed board VIII take prae-
teal common sense view Of their du~
ties and apply themselves strictly to
their proper execution, The main da~
ties of police force arc the care oI
life and property, II Is we'll that they
should. as far AS is III their province,
suppress gambling and mtempeFanee,
but IL Is not we'll when they concentrate
all their vigilance upaa \ few petty
gambling rooms er upon the back en-
frances os tha liquor SaloanS and leave
the city at large at the mercy cT che
crowd Of burglars who have for months
committed their nlGhtly depredations
without cheek, There Is pgohahly not
city ot the same Slse In the country
where there Is 50 little drunkenness as
In Waahtngton~~even when G,angreSS Is
IN session land no other city where
there Is so little gambling carried on
But, an the other hand, II Il safe 70 SAY
that nowhere IN the land are euVglaIieS
~ frequent and eArgled on with iMpn.
nifty, OF course, II can he said, and
with reason, that the poltcs toree Is
too small 10 thoroughly pasIul the city,
but that only shows the grwateg neeeNr
slty that they should not bs diverted
trpm their main duties Ia the pgeSeryay
ton Ut life and property 10 carry eut
qulxatN special theories We may add
that but small part Of the number OF
hur9lagles easnmittea are made puAlle,
as tina detectives have = theory that
publicity dsieAA he detection et cl1gAl-