Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-01
LIQUOR QUESTION AT BERKELEY.
Enforcement of the Law Prohibiting
Liquor-Selling Near the University.

Liquor-Selling Near the University.
| EDS. RECORD UNION There is a law
upon the statute books of our State, pro-
hibiting the sale of malt or spirituous
liquors within two miles of the State Uni
versity of California, and such law has
never been repealed or amended When
| afterwards there was another statute passed,
they did not refer to this law-perhaps did
not know of its existence There is also
in the Penal Code of California, Section
l72, law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic
and vinous liquors within one mile of the
State University. This law has been pro-
nounced constitutional by the Supreme
Court, and is also applicable in prohibiting
the sale within two miles of the State
Prison, and one mile of the Insane Asy-
lum at Napa. To the enforcement of this
law the WQmens Christian Temperance
Union gave their time and attention.
through the active help of Mrs. Reid, Pres
ident Of the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union at Berkeley aided by her hus-
band, Prof Reid
The cases were tried in Oakland. They
obtained witnesses who not only bought
and drank the liquor within much less
distance than one mile OF the University,
but bought and carried it away in
bottle, and it was brought in as
evidence at the trial, passed around among
the jurymen, and they pronounced it
whisky, one man tasting it. The evidence
in this case was absolute and certain as to
the violation OF the law, and no attempt
| was made by the defendant to disproye the
! fact. The defense did bring up the town
| license, but the Court ruled it out. The
Judge gave the law of the case TO the jury
| as constitutional and proper, yet, notwith-
standing all this, two or three of the Jury
| men refused to join the others in a verdict
of guilty, and wrong prevailed and Justice
| and right were defeated.
The following facts have been given me
day by Mr.. Gaines, one OF the members
of the Citizens League, who resides at
Berkeley.
After the W. C. T. U. had tried to have
the law enforced, and President Reid had
resigned his position and gone from
Berkeley, the gentlemen formed them
selves into Citizens League in August last
Through their Executive Committee they
matured their plans, secured their witnesses
and evidence, getting men out OF Berkeley
to obtain the liquor. They obtained sixty
counts against the saloon keepers before
commencing the prosecutions in Novem-
Der. Of these, "a or % came TO trial, and
in three cases the jury brought in a verdict
OF guilty, and in two the defendants
pleaded guilty. They have closed six
saloons, two have been reopened by other
persons, and there are five saloons now at
Berkeley. When President Reid was there
he was sustained by the Regents, who
authorized him to prosecute the cases, but
since he has gone the citizens are deprived
of his support and influence, and they
| need the help of the w. G. T. u, and all
law-abiding citizens, morally and finan.
cially. The people at Berkeley are doing
all that they can to enforce the law. They
have paid out their money and spent their
time 10 rid their town of this stupendoUs
evil, in order that the sons of the Califor-
mans may come here and be educated
| without becoming contaminated and
ruined. They need the help Of every
law-abiding citizen TO assist in this
great work against the powers of evil.
They have already made great
reformation in public sentiment in
regard to the traffic. Six months ago any
one-schoolboy or citizen-could buy
| whisky at any of the saloons; now no one
can buy whisky. They can buy beer, but
the saloonkeepers dare not sell whisky, for
fear of the law The students no longer
have beer busts and q much better tenn
perance sentiment prevails among them.
They have passed resolutions among them
selves against the saloons at Berkeley. 1t
seems to me that there should be an appeal
made to the public to obtain funds to carry
on this work, and not leave few to fight
unaided The Berkeleyans are doing all
in their power to clear their borders OF this
evil.
Is it not for the interests of the State to
help in this maternity alone Berkeley
a State SO rich in resources should rise in
its might and remove an evil which threat
ems so much destruction TO all, where the
sons and daughters of our State. while
being educated, may be protected from
these communicating Influences. Who will
be the first 10 respond2
Mrs. H. II. Ravens, St. Cor. Sec.