Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-03
TIE HIGH LICENSE LAW.
HOW IT WORKS IN THE METRoP-
 OILS OF PENNSYLVANIA.
A Wonderful Decrease in the Number of Saloons Expected Under It's Operations in the Keystone State-N early 4,OO0 Less in Philadelphia.

PH1LADELPHIA. Feb. 3.-Previous to the passage of the Brooks high license act by the last legislature the liquor laws of Pennsyl- vania were extremely lax, and it is doubtful if in any other state saloon keepers enjoyed such immunities. The amount of the liquor license was presumably in pro portion to the amount of business done. but was in reality $50, as not 100 liquor dealers in Philadelphia would admit that they sold over $5, 900 worth of rum in year-the minimum figure for which the license was $50 Any one could take out a license and open saloon if no objection were made to him and he paid the money.
 As a result of this loose system groggeries have fourished in Philadelphia like weeks. In this respect, if in no other, it has re- sembled New York. The number of the licensed places is between 6, 6,OO0 and 1000, or the same relatively as New Yorks quota, the difference in population being taken into ac- count. The number of unlicensed places can not, of course, be given with any accuracy
 but it is doubtless sufficiently great to bring the aggregate of all the saloons up to 1000.
 These rum mills have fourished everywhere and still do flourish.
 Driven to act by the increasing evils of the
 liquor traffic and the growing arrogance of 5he liquor men, the legislature passed the law
 which is now being put into operation. It in
 reased the amounts of the license to $500,
 irrespective of the business done, in cities of
 he first, second and third class, to $500 in other cities, to $50 in boroughs, and to S75 in townships. Other stringent provisions for the regulation of the traffic were added.
 The law has proved far more effective than even its most earnest advocates had hoped it would be. The time for receiving applica-
 ions for licenses expires on the 11th inst. and the prospect is that instead of over 5000 saloons, as in 1887, Philadelphia will have but little over 1000 in 1888. The cause of this sudden wiping out of 4,00O saloons has not been the increase to $500, but the operation of a section requiring every saloon keeper to have two bondsmen. The courts have put upon this section the interpretation that the
 ureties must be actual residents of the ward
 with the applicant
 The Sixth ward is almost entirely occupied with business houses. Its less than 2,0OO vo- ters are most of them very poor, living up alleys and in funny little streets laid out in
 Penns time, and 5000 is beyond their wild est dream of wealth. Yet this ward now supports nearly 300 saloons, or one to every seven voters. Of the pfoprietors of these places only 56 had succeeded at the close of court last week in finding bondsmen. The case of the Twenty second ward, which in dudes the fashionable suburb of German own, is even more striking. It has now about 160 saloons. The applications for licenses under the new law number 9.
 High license, operating in this way all through the city, will keep the number of saloons down to Z, ,5G0 at the outside Its bene- fits in the interests of good order and morality tn thus cutting off about l, 900 saloons are toe obvious to dwell upon.
 Another point about the law is that it gives 5o the city $4O0 out of the $500 received for a license. Hitherto all liquor money has gone 70 the state. The city authorities, passing their ,stimate upon {, 900 licenses being taken out lave figured upon an extra revenue this year ,f about $1, ,600,00o They will be disappointed ,s it is doubtful if the amount will react s1, ,OOO ,OOO; but nearly every one else in the city, except the saloon keepers, the brewers ,nd the wholesale dealers in liquors, is pleased with the workings Of the law so far.