The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-28
CHICAGO SALOON LICENSE.
A Fatal Error in Mayor Harrison's Nullih-
cation Ordinance.

CHICAGO, June 27.-An error has been dis
covered in Mayor Harrison's ordinance ex-
tending the municipal year in order to save
saloon keepers the amount fixed by the Har
per high-license law, which renders it illegal
and void, in consequence of which there is
great trouble among them. In an interview
yesterday Mayor Harrison said:
1--WE passed my multiplying ordidance with
a flaw in it, and unless it is tinkered. it can
not nullify anything, not even a bad bank
note. We only found it out yesterday,
though the enemy had known it before and
it is a mercy we discovered it at all. The
city charter provides that the city cannot
grant license which shall extend beyond
the municipal year, which, unless otherwise
provided, runs from election to election.
Now, my ordinance, the one | got up to meet
objections to the flmsy Geohegan thing, pro-
vided that the license year should end the
first Monday of April. But it so happens,
owing to the miserable fellow who got up
the leap-year business. that next year the
first Monday comes six days after election,
which is on the first Tuesday or the first of
the month. So that by my ordinance we
would have tried to grant license for pc
riod of six days beyond the end of the mu-
nicipal year. and the Citizens League would
have had us on the hip Therefore l shall
amend at a special meeting to be held Thurs
day, and see if we cannot get something that
will stick"
The Tribune says: "The whole question
may be summed up as follows: While all IL
censes issued under the notification ordi-
nance will be illegal and void whether this
general ordinance to make the municipal
year coincident with the license year is passed
tomorrow or not, the Mayor will hardly uu-
dertake to sign single license, should the
ordinance not pass for he would then by his
own admission be guilty of an illegal act
But if the Mayor does not sign the licenses
before July no license can be Issued except
under the Harper bill and therefore the de-
feat of the municipal year ordinance coming
into the council tomorrow night, will be par
amount to the final and glorious defeat of
Mayor Harrisons notification ordinance and
to ChicagO's reaping at once the benefits ex-
pected from the Harper bill"
Cincinnati Saloon Men Paying the Tax.
CINCINNATI June 27.-The final day for the
collection of tax on liquor and beer-saloons,
assessed under the Scott law, was postponed
some time ago by the county commissioners
to July l. so there now remain but three
days to complete the payment without the
penalty. AS soon as the consttutionality of
the law became known yesterday, the saloon
keepers began payment and Sill 900 were
paid before night To-day the rush was
greater and the treasurer's office was crowded
The facilities for dspatching business are
good, atid'tqzniSht the total sum paid in is
slightly over $90'd9o. The total tax will be
over 100000. The saloon men very gener-
ally acquiesce. Some display cards: This
is a law-abding establishment" All who
have paid post their certificates conspicu-
ously to show that they are under protection
of the law. Hitherto all sale of intoxicating
liquors, except ale, wine and beer to be drank
where sold, was illegal, and though the law
was generally dead, its repeal and the substi-
tuition OF a tax gives the saloon men legal
standing in their business which most of them
appreciate