The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-27
THE HIGH-LlcENSE QUESTION.

NOW rs THE TIME TO INAUGURATE THE SYSTEM
| Philadelphia Press.
| A bigh-license law has been proposed and will
| shortly be introduced into the New York Legis-
lature, which has been drafted and will be
/ pressed by the temperance as distinguished from
| the total abstinence people. IL fixes the charge
for general iauor license at 81 co., and ale and
| beer license at 800 year in New York city and
| Brooklyn. while elsewhere throughout the State
LIQUOR license is rated at $500 aad ale and beer
$50 The bill, if adopted. will place higher tax
on liquor sellers in the two largest cities of New
| York State than any other State has yet seen
| fit to impose. The favor with which the idea OF
| high license is received in every quarter except
among the free drinkers and the total abstainers.
| its uniformly wholesome effect and the large
revenue which has been derived from such a law
| wherever tried, are guarantees OF It's general
adoption in course of time throughout the Union
We are certain to have it sooner or later IN
Pennsylvania. and we no reason why the
present Legislature should not inaugurate the
system at once.
ESTABLISHED IN PUBLIC FAVOR
st. Louis Republican.
The high license system is firmly established
in the public favor. 1t is regarded with emphatic
and almost universal approval 1t has not pro-
voked a saloon keepers opposition; it may even
be asserted that three fourths of the saloon
keepers earnest supporters of it. and only
ask that it be made more stringent and effective,
so to protect them from the lawless competi-
ment find fault with it, for, while it certainly
diminished the temptations and facilities for in
diligence, 1t is not in any sense prohibitory And
1t Is supported by compact public opinion, be-
it accomplshes two good results; it trebles,
and in some cases quadruples, the local revenue
from the liquor traffic, and it strlklngly reduces
intemperance. These are fruits which society
can not afford to surrender
TINE FOR UNION ON HIGH LICENSE.
New York Tribune.
It is time for the intelligent and progressive
elements of society to unite in behalf of temper
ance, but how their union shall be made most
effective is problem not yet solved 1t GER
tainly will not be through the agency of a third
national political party, doomed to defeat the
very ends which it is pledged to secure Per
haps the best way to meet the problem is by
means of high-license law, which compels
liquor dealers to bear great share Of the bur-
dens which their trade imposes. in connection
with local option law, which makes every com
munity its own master. A union of temperance
feeling and effort, quick to skilful to foster,
and earnest to carry out In any locality what
ever method of attaining the desired result pub
lie opinion will sustain is the sort of union from
which we should expect the best results.
FREEZES OUT SMALL SALOONS.
Racine (Wis.) journal.
The money, cost or capital necessary to start
low grade saloons is very small; add to this low
license the enormous profits of the business and
the ease with which legal restrictions have been
eyaded, and we find that out of such crcum-
stances have grown the crying evils of the liquor
trade. The people have come to believe that
high license will reduce the number of saloons,
leave the trade in the hands of more reputable
class of dealers and produce revenue that will
be some Offset to the evils growing out Of the
business.
THE HARPER BILL IN ILLINOIS
Philadelphia Record
What is called the Harper high-licens law in
operation in Illinois, requires not less than $500
per year for license to sell sirituous liquors other
than wine and beer. and $l50 for wine and beer
license The law has worked splendidly as a
promoter of morals and measure of reve-
nue. Even the liquor dealers do not object to
its provisions, except for the difficulty expo
rieneed in keeping the wine and beer saloons from
vending more potent beverages.
NO POLITICS IN 1T.
Philadelphia Record.
There is no politics in the high license dis
cussion. Cheap whisky is misery that invades
the household without reference to political or
religious opinion. 1t should be cast out as it
comes in, without any entangling consideration
of other matters not pertinent to the main
nunStiOn