The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-03-02
! wiIl De seen by thrse tigurcs lhat the

~ VIII NC seen ny THESE 0guftS that the
number Of licenses granted last year was only
thrty-threc larger than in 1882, though in
the meantime the population of tue city has
increased from 100000 to 100000, As there
were also in 1882 about 1,0O0paces in which
liquor was sold without license, the real to-
tai for that year was 4010. All the unlicens-
ed places have been closed by the High
License law. The proportion of saloons TO
population under low license in 1882 was
about to 1902. Under high license in 1887
it was l to 228. On the ratio of1S62 the num-
Der of saloons in Chicago to-day would have
been 7,S43 High license has, therefore, cut
down the actual number of saloons 067 from
what it was five years ago, and has kept it
1891 below the number which it would have
attained by natural growth under low license.
At the same time the revenue from the traffic
has been increased from $l82 900 to nearly
$2,00O000.
Compare these figures for moment with
those from other cities. Providence, with
prohibitory law, has sol open saloons, or
Tor every 2OG of the population, and there is
not dollar of revenue received from the
traffic. Bangor, after thirty years of prohibit
ton, has 225 open saloons, or for every II
of the population, and not dollar ofrevenue
Every other large city in Maine is in similar
condition, according to the statements ofthe
prohibition organ, the Voice. The city of
Omaha, on the contrary, under high license
law, has only $50 saloons or l TO every 400
ofihe population, and its revenue from them
is $2j0,000.
The city collector OF Chicago, from whom
our figures are obtained said in recent
statement concerning the general effect of the
high-liccnse law. that he was firmly convnc-
ed that it had operated to diminish considera-
bly, the consumption of spirtuous liquors,
and he based this view upon the experience
and observation of many local clergymcn of
different denominations with whom he had
discussed the subject He adds:
"The first effect of the law was to abolish
the acknowledged evils of bars in the grocery
storcs-lhat is, in shops and places where
provisions and household supplies were for
sale-places frcquented principally by the
families o.. the workingmen This brought
the bar or drinking place home, so TO say, to
the poor mans wife and children, and
naturally proved a constant danger and
standing menace to his home peace and a
certain drain on his scanty earnings. Many
home and family, doubt not, has been
ruined by this too familiar proximity to the
bottle and the barrel. The highlicense sys-
TEN likewise put an end to q large number
Oh WHaC may NC teTiheu nelEnDOrhO0n saloons
that is, small barrooms and groceries in
localities chiefly occupied by the poorer class
cs. Such places could exist and even thrive
under $52 license fee, but could not live
under $500 fee. l say emphatically that
high license has been for the well-being of the
community. There is but one opinion among
impartial and thoughtful citizens on the sub
ject. High license does not and will not
eradicate or cure the evil of intemperance.-
1t serves as u means to regulate and to con-
troll the saloons, and it does operate to limit
the number,