Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-02
THE LICENSE QUESTION.

IhE LlC6NSE QUESIIUN.
At the meeting of the City Trustees this
morning there is to be passed upon the
question whether the license system of this
city shall be reformed-at least, so far as
the sale of liquors at retail is concerned.
So far as the submission of the matter to
the judgment of the people is concerned,
We scarcely believe that there is anyone
who gives rational thought to the subject
that can reasonably object. A large body
of citizens, representative of the homes of
Sacramento, have petitioned for such sub
mission, and the Board cannot, in common
justice to them, refuse to consider and
grant the request. As to the subject of
reformation of the system itself, we believe
that there is radical necessity for it. A
so-called high license that would amount
to prohibition cannot be approved Any
such thought is out of the question. When
the prohibition issue arises, let it be met
squarely, and let there be no attempt made
to accomplish the prohibition idea by in
direction. We are of those who believe it
TO be impracticable, and that in this State
any attempt to bring it about will result
in worse conditions than we now have.
What high license has done for Philadel-
phia is too well known to call for elucida-
tion here and at this time. Certainly its
financial and moral benefits are sufficiently
pronounced to Justify the Trustees of this
city in giving the people opportunity to
vote whether they wish to try similar
experiment. The proposition advanced
by the petition now on file is to reform the
liquor license on a scale between mini
mum of S75 a quarter and $125 quarter.
AT present the city license is the lowest in
the United States. The maximum would
not be high license as tried in other States
and in some of the communities of this
State; the minimum would not probably
effect the diminution Of drinking places,
which, in this city, are one to every twenty
voters, and therefore an excess that is ad-
mitted by all parties. But it should be
understood in bringing this subject before
the people that reformed license, without
the accompanying regulative features,
would be simply a means to increased rev.
enue-that is, as we understand the claim
of the petitioners. 1t should be considered
by the people, therefore, and should be
submitted, if at all, with the distinct un-
derstanding, and the Trustees should give
It to be understood, that reformation of the
financial portion of our system, if or
dered by the popular vote, will carry
with it new regulative features-that is
to say, requiring bond from those
taking license to sell liquors; not to
sell to minors; to keep an orderly house;
to be subject to the recall of the license at
any time for cause, and of which the Trus-
tees shall be sole and final Judges; the for
feiture of license paid if there is an order
OF revocation that no license shall issue
for retail shop for sale of liquors, ex-
cept upon petition of three-fourths of the
property owners in the block in which the
bar is to be located, and the property
owners along the face of the block imme-
diately opposite; and, finally, that the
Board will exercise freely the power it now
has TO refuse any petition for license
Without some such regulations the in
creased revenue from bars will not amount
TO much as means Of general good to the
city. As matters now stand. however, the
question is one of submission to the people,
and that, we hold, cannot be reasonably
denied by the Board We repeat, there
fore, that if the petition is granted it
should be done with the distinct and
orenly expressed understanding that a re-
formed license will mean such regulative
features as those indicated and which are
suggested by the law and the practice in
Illinois and Pennsylvania, where the bet
ter class Of saloon proprietors are the
warm advocates of such measures, and find
that it is to their interest to maintain
them. Mere sentimental consideration
should not govern action in this matter.
1t is question Of good government, of re-
ducing admitted excess that is not bene-
fetal to retailers, because it dilutes their
trade, and is harmful to the people be-
cause it does not bring in revenue pro-
portioned to the character of the business
and the necessary cost it entails u9on the
city. These are the grounds that the
petitioners take, with the additional one
that there should be regulation that will
close mp all the infamous dives and low
doggeries, that now disgrace the city.
Whether the people shall have the op-
portunity to vote upon these issues
is the one proposition before the Board.
As il is a scheme to bring government
closer TO the people, we favor the subnlis-
sion OF this and all other questions of equal
Importance concerning which there is a
division of sentiment among the people.
A AREMARKABLE exodus is going on from
North Carolina The best elements of the