Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-12-20

| etio. 1O1lluH iitn INT man nAOoS
duty it Is 10 enforce the provisions OF
Repeal. this statement is most sig.
~nificant.
To support his contention. Mr..
Choate points out that less than half
of all sorts of hard liquor has been
sold during the first year of Repeal
as was sold in 1912, the last year
just preceding prohibition. This. in
face of the fact that the drinking
populatiorr-fs Known to have increas-
ed in the twenty years past, leaves
the positive conclusion that the H.
legal liquor vendor has profited ire
mendously from the very Act which
was intended to annihilate him.
Little wonder that ~bootleggers have
hailed Repeal as a good omen and
are joining in celebrating its first
birthday, along with FACA.
-
What has contributed to this pee
uliar condition? Perhaps the most
significant is the high price of legal
liquor, which especially in times
when money is . scarce, forces the
drinking class to patronize the boot
logger who can sell the same quality
of illegal liquor at a tax-free money
saving price. The federal tax alone
on liquor in pre-prohibition days was
only s1.10 per gallon; now it Is $500:
the tariff IN imported goods, CON-
pared with 1912, has moved up from
$3.50 to $500 a gallon. If 1t were
only the federal tax the consumer
had to pay. perhaps the illegal vend-
or would still have difficulty in build
ing a thriving business, but with Re-
peal every state saw an opportunity
to replenish its depleted treasury at
the expense of the drinking mans
thirst, and Immediately proceeded to
add another heavy tax. Many states,
as In Montana, not only required the
consumer to pay an o~ut-and-out tax
on each purchase, but demanded
that he buy a permit besides. II
there were no other reason, this
alone-purely a matter Of business to
the ey~erincreasing thirsty public
would be sufficient to explain the
~bootlegger's affectionate apprecia-
ton for Repeal and the steadily
mounting market for his Illicit booze.
We see a reason too from the en-
forcement angle. Not long ago, in
order to keep the Jackson theory Of
the "spoils system we'll oiled, the
Administration through Congression-
al requirement, demanded that all
revenue men take Civil Service ex-
aminations or be discharged. Several
thousand were removed from the pay
rolls. The net around the bootlegger
and the thousands of moonshine
stills all over the country was lifted
and there was little disturbance In
the plying OF his illegal trade. While
Secretary Morgenthau firmly main
tains he will replenish the democrat
lied force and have more rigid en-
forcement than ever In 1885, 9 Of
ficers will on the other hand have a
much bigger job. Local enforcement
officers have taken a rather hands
off attitude all over the country, pre-
ferriRg~to leave it up TO the federal
or state authorities.
While the federal treasury will be
enhanced some 500, 600 900 from the
revenue tax on hard liquors the first
year of Repeal. this Is only half the
amount which was estimated. The
tax receipts from beer will come
much nearer the estimated income,
showing again prosperity for the IL
licit vendor In hard liquor-of much
less In bulk than beer. States have
undoubtedly enriched their Golfers
substantially from this source of rev
enue, but every legislature will be a
veritaIble battle-ground for argument
OF liquor laws next month. In our
!, own state there will be- those who
will want a return OF tie open saloon
something, we firmly believe, pub
/ lie sentiment will never permit
druggists will strongly petition fol
i the right to become dispensers; a
, wave OF sentiment that has been
: steadily increasing since opening oi
: the first group OF state-owned stores
will undoubtedly crystalize in Helena
t demanding for an ~out-and-out remov
! al of control from the state to pri
) vate hands. If the s~tate-controlled
/ system remains (and we believe Gov
| ernor Cooney has built for himself
machine powerful enough to ward of.
| the attack of the W~recking crew. II
r is reasonable to conclude SOM
i changes will be made. The tax may
r be lowered; retailers may be licens
ed as legal dispensers; hours of op
ening for state stores may be extend
| ed In order to curb patronage for thu
!, ~bootlegger; and more rigid enforce
ment will be demanded from tn
state and local authorities. The bee
: law, too, will come in for Its share
: with a strong demand for lowering Q
= license fees both an the part OF thu
: state and cities.
= All In all, it will be an interesting
!. show from the sidelines and from !
all we shall probably see IA 1873
cheaper liquor through lowering 9
= both federal and state tax, increase
Y consumption, and a determined q
y fort on the part Of the enforcement
y division to curb the b~ootlegger racl
9. ct. Unless some constructive chang
70 es can be effected. Repeal will b
y shortIived.
lp
! Ieeqqa&1>e.
= G@ III