National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-04
THE TEMPERANCE SIDE.
How tho Grand Chief Tempiar OF tn
District Looks Upon the License Law.

How tho Grand chief Templar OF the
District Looks Upon the License Law.
Mr.. A. Kalstrom, the grand worthy chief
templar Of the Good Telnplars of this district
whose reports and letters have frequently
referred to tho question of saloon licenses.
was met by a REPUBLICAN reporter yesterday
and asked If he had paid any attention to tho
recent discussions regarding licenses.
Yes | have endeavored to keep myself
posted, and perhaps have succeeded"
"Of course, yourself and the order you rep-
resent are in favor of the higher license which
the commissioners recommend"
only in certain sonse Neither the
Good Templars nor anyone else who has given
any thought to the matter and desires the
best results can seriously advocate license
in any shape or form, be it high or low"
"You have however, taken grounds in
favor of high license in your reports"
THAT is true, because high license is cal
culated to decrease the number of places from
which the miseries of the traffic will ema-
nate. If low licenses would bring about
like results we should favor low LICENSE. TO
decrease the number OF saloons is one of our
that direction is high license
While it is a fact that many of our promi
nent proprietors of bar-rooms really favor
high license, because the worst places will
own business acquire corresponding re-
speetability, yet they will doubtless unto in
demanding that the license be left at 500
instead of q higher sum, not because tho
money involved in an increase is any con-
sderation, but because they appreciate
the fact that the growing sentiment in
opposition to the saloon and its ruinous
influences eau be better resisted by large
number Of saloon keepers than n small one.
As soon as O saloon keeper retires from bust
ness. SO that the profits from 1t is no longer
soothing his conscience, he cannot be counted
upon to defend the business"
What do you think of tho efforts of the
commissioners in this matter ~
1.-THE commissioners have in the past shown
themselves equally earnest-on paper--in op-
position to the extension of the liquor bust
ness, and have retired from tho field, leaving
the liquor dealers in full possession"
"What have you reference to"
"You will remember that some time before
the expiration of the past license year the
commissioners stated publicly that they would
under no circumstances again grant license
to any saloon keeper who during the year
had violated the provisions of the license law.
As the law confers upon the commissioners
absolute power to grant or refuse license and,
as the commissioners were frank enough to
make public recognition of that fact. it was
presumed that a large number of saloon
keepers who during the year had
been convicted would not again be
permitted to continue in business. The
records of the police court showed over
200 convictions for violations of the license
law. OF these l do not think over half a
dozen were refused license. The people of
this district remember this, and have now
little or no confidence either in the ability or
purpose of the commissioners to protect tho
community from the Generalization of the
saloon"
"What do you think of the proposed grad
ing of tho liquor licenses?"
at is impracticable, and will only act as
the means for furnishing excuses for evading
the law"
at is urged by many dealers that it would
be hardship to a large part of the trade to
pay more than 500, as ut present. What do
you think about that?
"The most direct answer can give you to
that question will be to tell you what prom
inent attorney for several liquor dealers in
this city told me q few days ago. He said,
My client does business from which his in
come is such that he could afford to sell on
Sundays only, pay the fine for violating the
Sunday law every week, and close his bar
every other day in the week aud still net be-
tween $4,000 aud $4,000 year. 1t is a poor
bar room indeed that is not able to democrat
lie the people more than 800 worth a year."
what do the temperance people think of
the provisions of the senate bill, that sigma
lures should be required only .once?"
at would be just as sensible, and Just as
fair, to pass law declaring that member of
congress should only go through the worry
and trouble of campaign once and if
elected, should continue to serve until
majority of all the voters in his district asked
congress to Dust him. The granting or
refusal of their signatures to applications for
licenses is the only protection tho citizens
now have, and with that gone the rum traffic
would have matters pretty much their own
way"
"What improvements do you suggest in the
present lawW
~ am not prepared to answer that question
fully ut this time, but may say that the
fee should be increased, that conviction of
violation of law should vacate the license and
a party convicted should not again receive a
license for, say two years, nor be interested
in any other saloon; that police officers
should have access to all places whore liquors
are sold for the purpose of ascertaining il the
law was being violated"
The regular day and evening sessions of the
Spenccrian Business college Will DO resumed
Ian,