Teagarden's right to sing the blues - against the cabaret tax

A few days ago, among other little treasures from his extensive collection of Downbeat issues from the 50's and the 60's, my good friend and fellow researcher Fernando Ortiz de Urbina sent me this curious petition to repeal or reduce the "20% cabaret tax", promoted by Jack Teagarden and published in Downbeat, August 20, 1959.

Some research through the New York Times digital archives brings these two articles, published on December 4, 1917 and August 9, 1918, where the purpose and the method of calculation of this tax, that first went into effect on November 1, 1917, are explained.