The Price of Vice: Tacoma’s License Inspector Admits Licensing Dives for Revenue
License Inspector John Glen defends the city's practice of taxing illicit saloons to fill the salary fund, drawing a sharp rebuke from the council's own internal contradictions.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
License Inspector John Glen, known as 'Honest John Glen,' told the city council last night why saloons conducting shady business are permitted in Tacoma: 'I never expect these saloons to be a bower of piety, but we need the money for the salary fund that comes from their licenses.' Chief Duley had asked the council a week prior what to do about saloons equipped with private boxes, noting that city ordinances offered no legal mechanism to clear them out. When pressed, the council attempted to shift blame to the license committee, but Glen stepped forward to claim responsibility. He maintained that he only licenses establishments to keep the salary fund solvent, weeding out only the most offensive cases. The city attorney stated that the only legal remedy for the 'box evil' would be to revoke licenses entirely—a prospect the council, and specifically Councilman Turnbull, found unpalatable, choosing instead to drop the matter.
“I never expect these saloons to be a bower of piety, but we need the money for the salary fund that comes from their licenses.”
Tacoma’s historical struggle with 'box houses'—secluded rooms in saloons often associated with sex work—reflects a recurring civic tension between moral crusading and the pragmatic desire for tax revenue. This debate mirrors modern controversies over municipal reliance on 'sin taxes' and the ongoing regulation of nightlife districts.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.