Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-01-03
LICENSE QUESTION.
WHAT is TO BE DONE WITH
THIS MATTER7
Two Bius I'm Course OF Preparation 20
be Presented to the Legislature
or the State OF Della
ware

which will no doubt occupy the most OF
the time and attention of the present
Delaware Legislature, the liquor license
question Will boom up most prominently.
That something ought to be done, that
some change ought TO be made, is admit
ted even by all reputable dealers In
liquor, whether retail or wholesale. The
continued violations of the license laws
by those who are refused licer ses, and
even as has been shown since the ad-
tournament Of the last court, by soms to
whom licenses have been grantad, has
created q very strong conviction in the
mind 81 the public that licenses for the
sale OF lIGuof will at lea-t have to be en-
trusted to better and more responsible
hands, and to get this, the law will have
to be changed TO meet the case.
or c1urfe the Court don't know the
character of many 10 whom 1t grants
license when these characters are not
brought out in ths applications and there
| FIRE many unworthy people are vested
with almost Unlimited power to infiict
ious injuries upon community.
Licenses were granted at the last Court
to persons who are VIGOROUSLY intem-
pera'e and were Withheld from others
who seldom II ever drank drop of in
toxicating liquors. In o.e instance es-
| peclally, license was granted to man
who at the time was lying over at the
almshOuse to recover from an attack OF
drunken mania. There WAS nothing
| against him but general renors rstrance,
the same as there might be against any
place more reputable. Under these cir
cumstances reputable liquor dealers are
| demanding q change in the law. They
are willing 10 place themselves under
more rigid o, legations, to observe high
license law or any other kind of license
law, but they do want to be placed 10
the came category with those WAC have
no regard for law
Though Wilmington City would not at
any time vote either for prohibition by
local option or more direct laws, 1t is ad-
mlttcd by all that outside of the city pro-
hlbitlon would be so popular as TO con-
troll q majority of the voters Under
these circumstances reputa BILE people en- J..
gagged in the tIallice see that the bottom
has virtually fallen out of the present
system OF licensing, and the business Ia
at the mercy OF tbs rural counties.
Two bills are under course of prepara-
ton to be presented to the Legislature
covering this subject. One of them, it is
understood, will have the endorsement of
the Law and Order Society, and that OF
many reputable liquor dealers as well. 1t
embodies the principle of high license,
something after the Philadelphia laws,
and 1t is q debatable question whether or
not II will emhody local option clause.
The bill will still confine the granting
OF licenses to the courts as the more re-
sponsible and independent body to do
such work. The court 1t is well-llnown
objects to assuming such responsibility,
but where, 1t is argued, can better
source DO found IRON which licenses
should emanate The Judges are not eh.
gagged in active business operations; can
afford to be independent and cannot be
hurt by popular clamor.
The other bill under course of prepara
tion 1t is said contemplates high license
bat takes the whole matter out of court
and places il In the hands of commits
sion to be appointed by the Governor.
This scheme Is strenuously objected to
by many parties. At first it looks plausl-
bic, but when iospec ed closely, there are
very welghly objections against 1t.
A leading business man of the city re-
marked in reference to the last named
law that it would be worse than any pro-
jest yet proposed.
The men, he said, who should be ap-
pointed up5n such commission would
not be appointed by the Governor and
those who woald be appointed would in
all probability have political axes to
grind and might make more out of the
office than the mere salary allowed. A
liquor commission It is argued would be
very different affair from the other COM
missions of the city which ride over the
people rough shod as an almost unlimi-
ted amount of money could be raised for
other purposes than for paying for licen-
see. The gentleman referred to seemed
to think that proper commission could
be selected, but as liquor was such a
powerful element for controlling fran
chises the probabilities were that a
Governor In the appointment of a COM
mission might be governed more by poll
tical than moral Considerations.