The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-16
ORIGINAL EAGLE
and 7 w. Washington St
PLEAS FOR LIQUOR MEN.
How High License Works in the Great City
Of Philadelphia Just at Present.

PHILADELPHIA. April 14.-Ths rigid enforce
ment by the courts Of the provisions of the
Brooks hiRh-liceuse law has been disastrous
to the liquor interests of this city that they
have combined for the purpose of securing re-
peal Of its most obnoxious features.
The first step toward this result will be the
publication in to-morrow's tapers Of an exhaust
i've statement showing how the law has dam
aged the trade the figures given being au-
thoritative. The next will be organization for
political purposes. It is proposed to have
every dealer whose application has been refused
act in harmony with the rest for the defeat Of
all legislative candidates who will not give
either private or public pledge to vote for the
repeal OF the law.
The bartenders who have lost their positions
In consequence Of the scaling down of licenses
will also DO enrolled. It is claimed that this
force, combined with the dissatisfied dealers
thronghout the counties, will be able TO give
the State to the Democracy, and they now make
secret Of their intention. The address.
after few preliminary assertions. goes on to
say:
The liquor and brewing interests are so firmly IS.
tablished business that their claims be treated
by the courts under the law any other business
would be treated cannot be Justly denied or safely
ignored An experience shows that prohibition is
not only impracticable, but impossible Regulations
Philsdelphs whose capital is invested n the iiouor
and beer trade convinced that the policy adopted
.ns s0ars or sn.s cy 70 oSsn aha no
governed not by rule of law but system of selec-
ton that is far from systematic This peculiar method
bears harshly upon many worthy men in the busi-
ness. and it win prove particularly unfortunate be-
Of its effect upon the business interests of the
At the present time Philadelphia is the place of dis
trbution for the product of 100000 capital in
successors to John S3ibsons Son & Co., nave 3 OoO
900 in this business and the Hannis Distlling Com
Sons about 81 600 600 each. The distribution of
the product Of these manufacturers may be measured
is business SO vast as TO be one of the most ipor-
tant interests Of Philadelphia.
The document proceeds to point out the fact
that Moore g. Sinnctt have their distilleres forty
miles above Pittsburg and the Hannis Distill-
ing Company have theirs in Baltimore and in
West Virginia. Philadslphia is now their dis
Sinnott, and Baltimore for the HARMS Company
would be fully as convenient. Under the pres
ent law Philadelphia must lose all this distrib
uting trade
In the city of Philadelphia there are 43O
wholesale liquor houses, y.ith average capital
OF $50. 900 each. about $25 600 900 altogether.
Fourteen million dollars of this the present law,
as it is being applied, would drive out of the
business. Hundreds of men would be thrown
out of employment and real estate would surely
feel the depression. Railroad companies. banks,
insurance companies, ice companies, machnists.
plumbers, wagon-makers and others would
come in for share of the force OF the blow.
The brewers would be as seriously affected as
the wholesale dealers. One hundred and thirty
brewers in Philadelphia turn out annual prod
net Of $40, 600, 600 worth of beer. John F. Betz
alone has plant valued at 81, 000,000 and two
other establishments are estimated to have
$3.50 900 each invested OF the total loss of 33 13
per cent a large share would fall upon real es-
tate-owners, wARon-maKers, farriers. harness
Makers ETC., only indirectly connected with the
liquor business.
There are s 500 retail liquor stores of which
the present policy would close 1000 Ten thou
sand people would be thrown out OF employ
ment Twenty million dollars worth OF real es-
Hate would be no longer available for the pur-
poses for which IL has been used. Twenty per
cent. of the total value of the property will be
lost through depreciation. Four millions of dol
lars will represent the loss to the city from this
source.
The dealers say that they are not protesting
against high licenses q policy, but only
against arbitrary refusals Of licenses to those
who are ready to pay for them. They claim that
they ask only justice and insist that all the inter
eats OF the city are involved IN securing q modif-
cation of the present law.