The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-03-20

The action of the Prlvy Council, IN au-
thorizing the issuance of outside spirit
licenses, having provoked a great deal of
unguarded criticism, it was deemed advis-
able by the ADVERTISER to obtain, in author
itative shape, An expression of Independent
and intelligent public opinion on the sub
ject. For that purpose represen tative Of
this paper was detailed to interview leading
citizens, and the report of these interviews
which were of uniformly agreeable charac-
ter, is given below
NIB. JONATHAN AUSTIN.
The experience of Mr.. Jonathan Austin a s
a planter in the Hilo district of Hawaii, and
his thoughtful study of this and other ques-
tons concerning the status of the Hawaiian
people, and the foreign labor element on
these islands, give more than ordinary value
to his opinions. In reply to the ADVERTISER
reporter, he said that he had very little
doubt that the issuing of liquor license
within three or four miles of any plantation
would operate injuriousIy. The police had
never stopped the sale of liquor, and never
could.
He continued &" 1 am not teetotaler,
and cannot fully decide in my own mind
what is the best plan to pursue on the liquor
question. I am free to say that believe
that the issuing of a liquor license for Hilo
would be disastrous. It would expose many
good, reliable natives to a tempta ton I a m
afraid they could not withstand. For in
stance, 1 have been in the habit of sending
reliable luna on steamer day into Hilo for
the bag of money 1 had sent for. If that
luna had the opportunity offered him to take
q glass of liquor in a saloon in Hilo, am
afraid the money entrusted to him would,
some time or other, be stolen. HoOdlums
are increasing in number, and they would
lie in wait for any chance to rob drunken
man.
&" I think the PACIFIC COMMERCIAL ADvER-
rIszR is sound on the question of local op-
ton. If left optional with the people living
in the various districts of the islands, I
think they would knock the license business
on the head. At the same time L think
majority of the native and Portuguese
females, if their sex were allowed to vote,
would favor license system. l also think
the resolution of the Privy Council should
be rescinded. That is the only safe way to
deal with the subject. One effect of licensing
the sale of liquor in the vicinity of pIanta-
tions would be that the labor each Monday
would fall off in effectiveness at least fifty
per cent, in consequence of DRINKS on Satur-
day afternoons and Sundays"
MR. W. c. PARKE.
The next gentleman interviewed Mr..
w. @. Parke Having been Marshal of the
Kingdom for over thirty years, he may be
said to be an authority on the liquor traffic.
Abiding to the question as to whether the
license system would regulate and control
the sale Of liquor in the outer districts, he
remarked that he did not think it would. In
all his experience he did not recall an in
stance where the information obtained from
a dealer in liquor had enabled him to secure
the conviction of a single illicit seller of in
toxicants He was sure that the holder of a
retail license. either in or out of Honolulu,
could not suppress illicit traffic. The Chi
namen would always defeat the law in this
respect.
MR.. S. B. DOLE,
Who has taken prominent part, in and out
of the Legislature, in the discussion of the
LIQUOR question, and who has studied the
operation of the free liquor law among
the natives in particular, believes that the
local dealer could protect himself against
the illegal dealer if he pleased, but would
depend upon the increased appetite, induced
by the facilities for gratifying it, for an in
crease of consumption that would render
him Indifferent to the trade done on the sly.
He thought that the number of drinkers
would be increased by the licenses. The
views of the PACIFIC COMMERCIAL ADvER-
TIsER on local option, he said, were sound.
Females ought to vote on it. The native
women would not vote for licenses; they
feel it to BE- a hardship to have the
money their husbands earn spent for
liquor. Again, the natives prefer to drink
in a legal way, and where they would not
patronize the illicit dealer they would the
holder of a license. Dir. Dole was clear that
,he license system would increase the con-
sumption of spirits.
MR. A. J. CARTWRIGHT
Was also interviewed. He said he would
favor total prohibition, butt if those in power
think it best to permit the sale of liquor
outside of Honolulu their issuance should
be lett TO local option. II naive women
we're allowed to vote they would favor the
issuance Of licenses. Many of them drink
IS much as the men.
MR.. P. C. JONES, JR.,
Said he was a teetotaler, and therefore had
very decided opinions on the subject. AS
such he was opposed to the issuance of any
liauor license. But as he did not think that
public sentiment on these islands was
worked up to the point where total prohi-
bition could be enforced, he was of opinion
that the best thing to be done now was to
keep the liquor traffic within its present
bounds. Mr.. Jones further said that he did
nOt think the issuance of licenses would di-
minish the illicit sales of drink.
In respect to the license proposed to be
issued for Hanalei, Kauai, Mr.. Jones did
not think that there were enough people
living in that district to warrant any one
paying thousand dollars for license. He
would not permit the granting of license
in any district where the best part Of the
community were opposed to it.
MR.. HENRY WAREHOUSE
Being interviewed on the subject Of the issu-