The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-10-11
HIGH LICENSE HAS BEEN
WEIGHED AND FOUND
WANTING,

ANOTHER Mass OF Practical TEs-
TIMoNY-A TERRIBLE Story OF
TIE Low DIVES OF CuICAGo-THE
GRIP OF THE BREWERS IN THAT
RUM RIDDEN CITY-FACTs ABOUT
THE FAILURE OF 81 500 LICENSE IN
FALL RIvER-INFoRMATIo FROM
VARIOUS CITIEs-PRoGREss OF THE
PROSTITUTION LICENSING IDEA.
Special correspondence to Tho Voice.
CHICAGO, Sept. 28.-No section Of
any city is more notorious than the in.
famous Chicago "Levee." Any one
who still clings to the delusion that
High License drives out the low dens
should visit this region. 1t is far
worse under $500 license than it was
under $50 license. 1t is a swarmiDg
hive of criminals, prostitutes, gamblers
and drunkards, made up Of the off.
scourings of every nation and race.
Thousands of dark deeds are planned
there. Seven nights in every week the
wide-open saloous and the dauce-halls,
bawdy houses and gambling hells, each
the indispensable saloon attachment,
carry on their work without fear of in
terruption. These places thickly line
Clark and State streets, and Sd, 4th
and Pacific avenues, from Van Buren,
to 18th streets. In these dark and
narrow thoroughfare house after house
resounds with the laughs, curses and
songs of prostitutes and intoxicated
men. In the broader streets, with
their blazing electric lights, other dives
with other attractions tempt the way
farers. Elegant fixtures give them a
Furnishing appearance, and these ele-
giant fixtures constitute the only mater.
ial change wrought in the saloon situa-
ton by High License in Chicago.
On Clark street, for distance Of
half mile, there is hardly a place
that is not disreputable rum shop or
similar den. For the same distance in
I'd and 4th avenues the saloons are al
most equally thick. State street, with
its dives and variety theaters,. is almost
as bad. Hardly week passes without
a murder and several fights within this
district. 1t is comprised in the LIST
Ward OF Chicago, which contains 45O
saloons. The Ward is represented in
the City Council by Methodist deacon
and Republican Alderman, Dixon.
The Morning News is Investigating
the beer business and its revelations Of
the political power of the brewers are
startling. More than 40 firms are en-.
gagged liz the business in Chicago.
Many of these have become enormously
wealthy and Influential. If man
wants to start saloon he goes to the
brewing company and says SO. The
company selects location if the mains
character suits it, rents the room, puts
in an attractive front and fine bar fur
niture, provides good stock of liquors
and then goes to the City Collectors
office and takes out license. In re-
turn the brewer holds the allegiance of
the saloon.keeper at election time and
of course holds his trade.
City Collector Hoffman says that at
least three. fourths of the saloon licenses
are paid by brewers and the bonds are
almost invariably signed by members
of brewing firms or their agents.
"a MOST sCANDALoUs AND DISGUST
ING FAILURE" IN FALL RIVER.
The testimony recently printed i'll the
Voice showing the increasing drunken
ness and crime in the Massachusetts,
cities under the new 81 900 license law
is corroborated by much other evidence.
In Fall River the High License sys-
tenn reduced the number of saloons
from 2tO in 1888 to Is in 1889; yet the
most dismal complaints are made Of
the growth Of the evils of intemperance
there. Tho Fall River News Rep.)
says:
"Whatever may be the degree of sue
cess that has attended the experiment
Of the restrictive High License system
in other cities of this State, we are con
vlnced by the facts that come to our
notice that l. is a dead failure in Fall
River.........It is not success, but
most scandalous and disgusting failure,
in comparison with which unrestricted
liquor-selling would be decency itself
Talk of enforcing the law against IN
licensed rumsel,ing! Let our author
tiles first compel the holders of licenses
to respect the conditions on which they