Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-12

lieve their Income is diminished by too |
wide distribution Of patronage, and their |
business injured by the miserable pitfall
and diye.keepers who cling to the skirts OF
TIE fraternity. In all the debate now
open in twentysone States of the Union, all
parties have agreed upon one point-that
the retailing of beer shall not be placed
upon the SAME plane, as to cost of license, as
the liquor saloon.
The purpose now is not to discuss the
question in any of the phases it presents.
but TO consider the present status of the
movement and present the Issues as now
defined. That these are living issues, that
the question is not an ephemeral one, that
the movement is deep and earnest, is per-
fectly evident to every mar who keeps
race with the news of the day. As some
evidence OF the sentiment prevailing, we
have been at pains to compile some sta
eistics. High license is reality in at least
six large cities and over two hundred lead.
ing towns of the country. In five of the
great cities of the Union liquor licenses are
not issued as of course, but only on petit
ton of bondholders, the filing Of bond
and the action of License Commissioners.
In seven States high license prevails in
majority of their counties. In two States
it or a similar system has been incorporated
into the statutes. In three hundred and
forty villages high license is enforced in
several States it has been proposed as
constitutional measure in fourteen Legis.
lures bills favoring it have been discussed.
The records do not show that any town,
city, village or county that has once
adopted it has receded from it. In Cali.
aSornia it prevails in several small places,
and is discussed in every county. AS
further indicating the state Of the public
sentiment on the question, it is to be noted
that similar system is vigorously sup
ported by the New York Herald, Tribune,
Times and Post, V hich advocate radical re-
striction; as also the leading Buffalo,
Rochester and Albany journals. The Chi
cago Tribune, Inter- Ocean, Herald and
Times favor more or less extreme high
license. The leading Cincinnati, Cleve-
land, Columbus and Toledo papers favor
the direct heavy taxation system. The
leading journals of Indiana favor very
restrictive license system. In Maryland
phase of local option prevails in
over half the State, and leading
papers advocate it. The Portland
Oregonian carried high license to success
full issue in that city. Most of the leading
journals of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Wis
consin, Minnesota and several in Missouri
advocate high license. In California seven
out of ten papers of the interior are out
spoken in its support, and but one or two
have opposed it. 1t has had less attention
in Pennsylvania, the Yirginias, and the
Carolinas. 1t is a warm issue in
Georgia, and is being discussed in
Alabama and Tennessee. The Legislature
of Arkansas has passed severe restrictive
measures, and in several of the Territories
movements in the direction of high license
have begun. This, then, is the situation,
and in view of the facts the man is heed
less and short.sighted who attempts to be.
little the new movement or entertains the
idea that it is not a question worthy his
consideration. 1t may be noted in conclu-
sion that in several places where citizens
have had the "termerity," and the press
the courage to consider the topic, some of
the low-icense adherents have been
SO foolish as to attempt to punish by sys-
tenn intimidation and boycotting those
who remark favorably upon the Hub-
ject.- In one city where an attempt
of this kind was made last week
(Danville, IIlinois), the result was that
the city struck back and doubled the
license rate Immediately, and the men who
endeavered to compel the public to dance
were forced to pay the piper. This sub
ject should be discussed as dispassionately
as any other public question, and any at
tempts to coerce public opinion or choke
off free expression will recoil with damag-
ing effect upon the promoters of such in
tolerant methods.