New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-16
LIoUOR-SELLING IN BOSTON

STRENUOUS EFFORTS BY THE POLICE COMMISSION
Frs TO ENFORCE THE LICENSE LAWS THE
sCHooLHoUsE LAW AND THE RIGHTS OF
AUDITING PROPERTY OWNERS.
IFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
BosroN, July 15.-Liquor has been mixed
with politics here in Boston for many years. and VIII
doubtless be the leading issue III the city campaign next
November and December. The old license commission
rs for unfahuness and continued failure TO enforce
the auor laws were turned out OF office by the new
Mayor Samuel A. Green, and the three men who nave
been apponted in their places have made II the rst rule
of the Office TO eDfoTe the liquor law vigorously and I'M
partially This they doing consistently, but they
have not yet able to pass upon nearly all the app
cations Tor license, and the final result cannot be told
vet They have, however, put now spirit into the
whole notice force. There never was such spring Ill
their bootheels as here is to-day was SAID ts lore
noon by one familiar with their record Never has the
law against Sunday selling been so strictly enforced as
is now. Never have the police been ordered TO De so
strict and never has there been better record OF qe
and orderness than in the past two months Threats
are openly made that Mayor Green will never be reflect
ed and that he will be "yearng"; but politics, for
once are not allowed yet to influence action at the
City Hail. Enforcement of the liquor law ia becoming
more prominent issue than ever, and II the Mayors
enemies organize to defeat him on this ground his
friends will rally him. provided he has rot got
enough of politics, for he is not politician, and is much
better known medical and literary circles An ORDER
once Issued by the commissioners, has never been re-
voked They hold that it is In civil in military gov
ernment-an order countermanded shows vaciating
policy and weakeDs the tone Of the police force
Two new laws force this year, besides the gen
eral law regulating the issue of liquor licenses One
was passed last year. but did not become generally
known 30 az to have much effect 1t allows the OF
adjoining real estate to file an effective protest against
the issue of any license to sell liquor on land adjoining
his own. In cases people can thus prevent the
nearness OF dsagreeabe, offensive business, and that
was the object OF the law But it is also used with black
mailing effect has happened this year in which
An owner who had made objection withdrew 1t upon
payment 10 him OF 1915 by the lquOrseler Other III
stances like upon record but probably there is no
other case in which much money was ex-
About 125 protests by owners OF adjoining real
estate have entered at the office OF the commits
s,oners and about 100 of them remain valid. The
law was passed at session OF the Legislature,
and forbids the granting Of license to sell on the prem
ses issued for saloon or hotel within 400 feet
OF schoolhouse In the same street This Is what Is
called "the schoOlhouse law" 1t has been enforced
rigidy but It car be evaded in several ways. The
largest hotel which liable TO the law-one OF the
third-class hotels of the city-has taken out whole
salers license though how 1t can do any good Is prob
LEM for under it the hotel cannot sell liquor over the
bar to it's guests Saloons which have entrances in
back street close the front door and keep the back
one Omen Places can be here with the front door
smooth WALL only little shutter for the admission
of light. But the most common evasion is to move the
door around corner-which be done, OF course.
only IN the case OF corner saoons-and make an en-
trance on the other side This the objection to
law for the saloon IL not III the same street as the
scnoolhouse, and Commissioners nave no power TO
One enterpr ng dealer had 40 nuch influence
with the School Committee that he had the schoolhose
around the corner 40 as TO leave hs saloon
undsturbed but when the Conmissoners learned OF IL
he was compelled to respect the law like other men,
Where there il no back alley and no escape around tue
corner the seller 1s yie a1e tnH mt and this has
been done frequently that there has been no material
About sTty Houor were originally liable to this
law. Nearly many Applications III All ior nquorr
were ade and 2410 granted this year 29O6 have been
made aud grants will probably be less lsst year
the sunday law aud unanimous testimony of the
police captains and oflcers-whieh accords with the oo
en- orcsd much better than under tue old regime that
most of the sunday business has been stopped and that
NJ Ia difficult matter for stranger 10 obtain glass OF
onsr on sunday II curious fact that the arrests
Tor drunkenness are more numerous tna ys ago, ons
the police Much Is necessarily left to their discretion
as to drunk and dsorderiy man must ne before no
can be arrested and they may at time DC disposed
under the general tone OF their supeors 10 sve inc
benefit OF the doubt to the drnker 81 Others, 70 ve
themselves abundantly worthy OF tne ~ .u0
temperance men OF the CITY, De' notSer If fire iianor
| interest. 49,. oon,z.d and a.
IA iust getting into working order Citizens Law ana
Order League" ls object IL the highly commenaape one
of "ths restrictive features OF exsuhS
laws and ordinances for the regulation OF the liquor
traffic" It's membership includes eIGovernors ana ex
| Congressrnen, prominent ministers anu laymen. ~
proposes 10 make each Of It's members committee OF
one whose duty shall be to report violations OF the
auor law and also has executive connittee VINO
are 10 attend prosecutions In court and see na ny
pushed sharply The league mas not sas hsHi ie
vet aud probably will not for several weeks ~ has
made the bunder OF assuming that the Police Comms
aouers will NOT enforce the laws, and ass evidence OF
To be reported to Its officers, whereas the posi-
tion of the commissioners Ia guarantee that ihey are
doin ali that san he DONE evidence should be given
10 tnen IL il 10 be hoped that this laundering division
of forces will hurt the cause. and 1t never should
| have occurred