The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-19

uoNEIlNht w fNNa
highlicense law for the regulation Of the
retail traffic in intoxicating liquors. The
bill which has Just passed to It's third read
ing in the House provides that it shall no,
be lawful in any city, town or village ofthe
State to grant license for the keeping OF any
dramshop until a sum notles than at the
rate Of $500 q year shall have been paid in
advance into the Treasury; the rate for beer
saloons is not less than $3.50 a year, asd in
either case the corporation may increase
tle license fee. "The County Boards
may grant licenses to keep as many
dramshops as they think the pub
lie good requires" upon petition
of a majority OF the votes in the town OF
district. License 10 sell malt liquors only
may be granted without petition, and the
person to whom such license is granted is
forbidden to sell or give away any other
Intoxicating liquors to be drunk on the
premises, for which the maximum penalty
Is 500 aud thirty days in the county Jail.
This measure is supported by Republicans
and opposed by Democrats, but four
Democrats voting for it and five Republi.
cans against 1t. Nine Democrats and two
Republicans did not vote. A strong lobby
Is at Springfield bent upon the defeat oil
the measure.
A correspondent OF the Chicago Tribune,
writing from EIgin, mi Of the cities where
highlicense already exists, contributes in.
teresting and valuable testimony GU the
subject. He says:
The plea that high license Is extortion, IN.
til It's apsurdtty Is shown by the clear light
OF a trial. IL mo- made without p~erceptioly
infuenciug many good and well-intentioned
men. Sucn was the case In this city, and for
the outset had the support Of but q meagre
msjority. To-day, a demonstrated success,
fair and lust 10 ali a $500 license-kas the
unanimous approval OF this people and of the
dealers themselves. In q city the size Of
Elein there Is a CT ance to note whether the
. charging OF q respectable sum for q permit to
ssllIiQuor IL extOrtion; whether the exacting
OF q $500 fee Is unjust and largely In excess
OF what the profits warrant. High license
has been in vogue here for sig years, aud
with q very few exceptions the roster Of
u time. None OF the ~saloonkeepers have
been charges upon The public
duringthe period named; none OF them bay.
made assignments or gone into bankruptcy.
To the contrary, so far as can bs CLEANED from
careful observation, each OF the dealers has
added daily TO his store OF this worlds goods,
and all are enjoying a comfortable degree Of
> prosperity. a lew Of them have waxsd
wealthy-noiably q young German, who at
the beginning procured . license on borrow.
ed money, aud who within thee years has
u nut more OF profits into real estate than the
gains of any Ordinary business would aggte-
gate In a decade. Why should not o business
that enables one who follows 1t TO thus
quickly and easily acquired competence con-
tribute generously 10 The diminishing Of the
burden OF taxation, occasioned to no small
degree because OF the liquor traffic itself2
And where Is the extortion in $500 license
Besides covering all the costs that accrue
because OF the presence OF saloons, $500 II.
cense raises the standard OF the dealers i'm.
m~easureably. Elgin has Just had q forcible
exemplifcation Of this. At q meeting Of the
City Council Monday evening OF the present
week the following petition was presented:
10 Ills Honor The Mayor and The Honorable Com,
mon Council cfhe city Of Etgia:
Tho undersigned, citizens OF Elgin, en-
gagged In the traffic OF intoxicating liquors In
said city under the dramshop act OF tue State
Of Illinois and the ordinances OF said city,
being DESTROYS OF conducting the said BUSH
ness 10 compliance with both the letter and
spirit OF the State law and the city ordinance,
respectfully request your honorable body
through It's proper servants to publish and
supply or furnish them with a printed list Of
ali persons known TO be common or habitual
drunkards, that they may have notice there
q OF and govern themselves accordingly.
This petition Is u striking illustration OF
the matter. Under y low-license regime, the
authorities were continually pstitionlng the
dealers 10 live within the law, aud their petit
lions went for naught. Under the new re-
CINE tn dealers petition the authorities 10
aid and 9, stain them In an effort to conduct
their business properly aud in accord with
all enactnents, State and municipal. WhyY
Because the business has been reiegated TO q
better olassof men, and because an infraction
OF the law carries with II o revocation OF the
permit 10 sell, and the conseq lent loss OF the
consideration that procured such permit.
So far as high license 10 concerned Elgin
blaxed the way In this section, and the splen:
did success OF the plan has induced several
near.at.hand cities to follow In the wake Of
this municipality, and with results highly
satisfactory. OF Kane county towns every
one OF any prominence now charges 4 $500
fee.
High license, so.called, does not restrict
anybody's rights or privileges. But expe-
renee elsewhere agrees with that Of Elgin,
that 1t weeds out the lowest and most dan
gerous places in whish intoxicating drinks
are sold, and leaves the business to the
best. 1t is in effect the survival Of the
tttest. And 1t raises more revenue from
fewer places which can well afford to pay
the increase. High license does not in
sure temperance and sobriety, but is q
contribution to that end. II %intoxicat-
ing liquors are going to be sold, it is
best to throw about the sale every
possible safeguard, and it is good
public policy to derive from the
sale the largest possible revenue 1t is q
misfortune that this liquor question is
taken into politics, but since the Democrats
Of Illinois and other States will hayei 1t 80,
It is well for Republicans to be on the side
oithe right. They can afford to stand there
as a party, for they are dealing with a prac.
teal feature Of a practical questionable
liquor traffic Is lawiul, and they are provid-
ing for its further regulation in the public
interests. Prohibition raises a different
question; and it has been shown that it is
not wise for a party to take uplwith. Every
man may decide 1t for himself, and accept
or reject It.
PERSONAL.
Congressman Morrison's Presidential
boom gets q boost from the Boston Poa.
n imaninea that he Ia evan nnnnlar enough