The Cecil Whig., 1886-07-17
GRAPE ON THEIR DOORS.
Atlanta Saloon-Keepers FaIl Back ON Lem
onade and ChocoIate-Old Topers
Are Puzzled.


character, is to night still and quiet.
The red lights and gas jet signs which
pointed the way into the saloons are
extlnguished, and the policeman walks
his lonely beat vainly looking for work
to do. Such transformation from tie
Saturday night of one week ago tells of
remarkable revolution that has Just
occurred here.
Leading up to this great change was
the insolence of the liquor dealers. In
no other city of the Union, perhaps,
has the liquor element been so firmly
lntrenched. To aspire to the City
Council, secure a seat in the Leglsls-
ture, to be honored with a seat in tie
inner circles of either business or poll
tics, 1t was first necessary to purchase
the favor of the Liquor Dealers Asso-
clatlon. Finally, many men chafed
under this rule-men, too, who were
drinkers, but did not feel like render
ing homage to beer kegs. The louder
the protest became the tighter the
liquor men drew their reins. The Pc
lice Commission, which had been Oh
ganlzed for the purpose of rescuing the
pollcefromthe control ofa whiskey-elect
ed council, was attacked, and Mr.. Paul
Jones, the head and front of the liquor
interest, was made member of tie
Board.
Then began the war for prohibition.
The town was ripe for it. Sam tones
had stirred it up with his rough-hewn
eloquence. DR.. Hawthorn added to it
his matchless oratory. The ladies made
the cause their own. The battle Of
ballots was fought, and King Alcohol
was routed. The liquor men appealed
to courts in vain. The Prohiblt1onists
insisted on the full fruits of their vic
tory, and at IL o'clock on last We'd
nesday night the red lights were extir-
guished, and the reign of whiskey was
over.
On Thursday morning people on
their way to business stopped mo
ment curiously in front of the numerous
saloons. For the first time they real-
lzed the change. Several saloons were
open, ostensibly to begin business as
VINE rooms but the uncertainty of the
wine clause induced them to hold back
until legal advice could be obtained.
On the doors of several saloons were
suggestive inscriptions, one notably
having a bunch of Grape tied On the
door knob, in token OF the death of
Atlanta. "Better that" said the Pro-
hibitionists, than weeping wives and
children"
Three days have now passed. and
they have been full of curious experi-
ences. Travellers, wh) did not realize
the full force of the prohibition. have
alighted from the cars, and, walking
boldly up to the adjacent counter,
asked for their favorite beverage, only
to meet with a refusal. They have Wis
tied saloon after saloon, and tried tie
efficacy of winks and innuendoes.
They have given up their quest at last,
realizing that Atlanta is indeed dry.
The Local Option law torbids the
sale or the giving away in any public
place or elsewhere of any spurious or
malt liquors, domestic wines alone be-
ing excepted. The sale of domestic
wine, however, is limited to the guam
tity, and cannot be sold by the drink.
1t is this feature of the law that the L.
quor dealers are contending with and
that the officers are puzzled to inter-
pref. If domestic wine" means only
wine made in Georgia, it is in violation
of the United States Constitution. which
forbids discrimination against the pro-
ducts of other States. If this should
be declared unconstitutional, the liquor
men hope to upset the whole bill.
The Prohbitionists, however. with
several court precedents to sustain
them, insist that the Legislature h. d
the right to pass the Prohibition bill;
that it was their intent to do so, and
that the wine clause, being in contra
diction thereto, should be stricken ont.
and the Prohibition bill pure and simple
would stand as law.
Thus several liquor men who had
taken out the usual business license for
the sale of merchandise in order 10
deal out wine hesitate to begin active
business under the threat of prosecu-
ton by the Prohibitionists. In tie
mean time they are dealing in many
colored lemonades, soda waters. chocc-
lates, and other drinks. Sometimes
an old topper will step up, and, givirg
the proprietor knowing look, ask him
to mix up something. The faces Of
such men, while drinking the mixture
offered them and falling to realize the
taste of the expected beverage, is a
study worthy the painter brush.
The chief points of interest are the
kimball House and the City Brewery.
The kimball House has to make SEQ
600 out of its bar-room in order 10
make ends meet otherwise it will have
to 60 out of business. Mr.. Scoville's
purposes was to open a wine room to
supply liquors IN packages to guests at
table or in their rooms. A close read
ing OF the law, however, shows that he
will not be permitted to do this. The
kimball Is public house, and even
the giving away Of wine would be a
violation Of law. The guests of the
| botal ara rao,1a ,,,,,-. IL. .,....-z.