The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-25
HIGH LICENSE OR TAX.
How 1t Has Worked in Iliinois-Refutation
of Stock Assertions of Third Party Men.

ILICENSE Oh ian.
How 1t Has Worked in IlIinois-Refutation
of Stock Assertions of Third Party Men.
Christian Union, Nov. 10.
There are certain very honest temperance
men whose aim is to secure such legis-
latlon as will relieve them of all re-
sponsibility for the liquor traffic. This done,
they are content. They desire to cast ballot
which will enable them to wash their hands and
say: THE blood of the murdered be upon you
ard your children" Such men uninfuenced
bv any information respecting the practical
working of law; and to such men the information
contained in this article is. therefore, not aG-
dressed But there are great many, we think
vast majority, of temperance thinkers and
workers who are not particular to embody in the
statute book their own notions on the subject of
temperance, who desire, before everything. to
secure such legislation as will be practically
most efficient in reducing the evils of the drink
traffic. Such men will be interested to know
what has been the practical effect of the high
license law in the State of Illinois. Official in
vestlgations have been made as to the result of
this law, and it has been in operation long
enough to produce results which, If not decisive,
are certainly significant The reports which lie
before US, and from which our information IS
gathered are partly official the latter being
gathered by The Chicago Tribune. They beaE
date last March
The license is fixed by what is known as ths
Harper law, at $500. In the city of Chicago this
law has increased the revenue to the city from
$2UO QUO to 81 500, 600, and reduced the saloons
from $500 to 9, 300. In Hyde Park, suburb of
Chicago, though the population has increased,
the saloons have been reduced nearly one-half,
while the income and the consequent reduction
OF taxation have been multiplied ten fold. What
is more significant is reduction in the number
of arrests from ], 895 to CTS IL Springfield, the
capital of Illinois, the saloons have been reduced
50 per cent. in number and the revenue from
them has been increased 23l per cent. In Peoria
the saloons have been reduced nearly one-half;
the revenue has been trebled These are re-
ports from the larger cities In the smaller
towns similar effects have been produced. In
some of them no licenses are granted and prohi-
btion is secured by local option. In nearly if
not quite all the others the number of saloons
has been somewhat reduced, the amount Of rev.
enue to the State largely increased, and the
amount of drunkenness and disorder notably di
mnished. From six columns of reports that lie
before us we take some specimen reports at
haphaZard:!
Cairo, nl.-Increase Of revenue so per cent. :;
decrease of saloons nearly so per cent; decrease
OF notable intemperance 30 per cent.
QuiEcy-Increase of revenue nearly 40 per
cent; decrease of saloons 80 per cent.
Tolono-Revenue doubled; business Of police
urts diminished so per cent.
Toledo-All the low groggeres shut up.
Nandalla-No decrease of Saloons increase of
revenue 66 per cent; fewer cases of drunkenness.
and fewer disturbances.
Morris-Saoons reduced from twenty four to
sixteen; revenue increased from So 400 to S. coo.
we need not perhaps, continue these reports.
Inc general result is expressed by the facts that
in the State at large the revenues have been in
creased from 500, 900 to over 81, 800 000 the
number of saloons has been reduced from - 900
to less than 5000, the best elements of both
parties unite in supporting and enforcing the
law, and disregard of it apparently finds little
sanction from either the people or their natural
representatives, the courts, the sheriffs and the
juries. Moreover, in county after county and
in the small villages. high license has had the
effect to close up all liquor shops The report
from Fayette county may be regarded as a typ
ical one in this regard: I'm several small towns
in this county the high-licenSe law has practi-
cally resulted in prohibition, there being no one
in these places willing to pay the required fee."
In the reports before we do not find a single
town or county which indicates unfavorable re-
suits
We desire readers to keep constantly in
mind the fact that the object of legislation is
practical result, while the object of moral agita-
ton is a general elevation of public sentiment
That it is in the great cities that the greatest
evils of the drink traffic are felt will DE ques-
toned by few, and that it is in the great cities
that the greatest difficulties are experienced in
enforcing any temperance legislation will be
questioned by none. The disadvantage of
State prohibitory system is that it is not en-
forced in the great cities, whether in Maine
Vermont, Kansas, or Iowa. The advantage of
high-tax or high license system is that it can
% anu Is DIT once @Iorceu ID the cities, whether
in the States of Illinois Missouri; that it shuts
up, If not the worst saloons, certainly those
which are most productive of disorder and of
crime, while it has tendency to shut up all sa-
looms in the smaller villages, and, If accompanied
by local option gives the people in the rural dis
tricts absolute power to close them. At all
events, we think these definite reports from the
various counties of Illinois are quite conclusive
as to fact-that high license or hig tax,
whatever may be thought of it n theory, does
practically have the effect to limit the liquor
traffic and diminish the evils which flow from it,
Those who oppose this method Of dealing with
the drink traffic must either shut their eyes to
the facts or oppose the system on some other
ground than the asseveration that high tax in
creases the evil which it is intended to reduce