A DRINKING TAX.

Kumara Times, Issue 547, 28 June 1878, Page 3

A DRINKING TAX.

Thfc State of Virginia, finding itself Compelled t<> anppirt gaols, hospitals, lunatic asylums, -and a plentiful supply Of paupers, owing to the licpior traffic, and perceiving that repressive or prohibitory legislation failed, conceived the idea «>f taxing drinks, and compelling drinkers to support the crimual establishments. Accordingly a tafc of two cents a drink was iuipo>sedi ,The liquor dealer was compelled, under heavy. penalties, to use a bell pUnclij I "Which registered each drink sold, in the Same way that the bell-punches register fares in street cars* and check the conductors* The la*? came into operation Six months ago, and Richmond, A stJber tsity_of YOjOOO people, paid 150,000 on single drinks dining that period; It has beett estimated that a similar tax On Chicago alone would yeild four million dollars yearly, and one million dollars would bS raised iii San Francisco fcnd Oakland* It is csrtain that suf-

ficient revenue might be raised for all purposes of Government by the expedient of taxing single drinks. This is an idea which your permissive Bill taight adopt. It would come to the relief of the temperate, and could not V e objected to by anyone, inasmuch as the payment of the tax w6uld be purely voluntary.