The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-01-04
Friday. Jan. A. 1859.
High License and 1ts11;o si.,er

NerS OF the ne
publican party aTeseriously contem-
plating aoopslg High License" as
tue 'empeS&ce plank of the party
ana manyof the good sincere tenn
PeranI members of the party are
a's3as seriously settling it as their
Xty to accept this result, it is we'll
that they should be made better &C
quainted with this saloon siren and
her scarlet sister. The. following is
sketch of this deceiver as she ap-
pears in real life in Omaha for the
last years. furnished by cores
pondent from that city to temper
ance paper The 'landlady' referred
to is the mistress Of the brothel.
II was recently stated in Chicago pub
LEGATION that ''there are 240 self-confessed
prostitutes in Omaha, who make to the city
officials monthly payments and receive re-
ceipts therefor amounting to $24, 900 a year."
and that the revenues thus derived 90 to
support the schools. This statement is not
strictly correct. but it is uncomfortably near
the truth. When asked the Chief of Po-
lice about the report, he said he ''guessed"
the figures we're about right, but the "6nes"
on prostitutes did not all 90 to the public
school funds He referred me to the Clerk
Of the Police Court.
This official was not prepared TO give ex-
act figures, but said: 1.-THE average number
of prostitutes from whom tie city collects
fines is 215. From each of these the city
collects Sc a month, and from each land
lady $40 month, making total of about
81 800 month or 5000 for the year.
One half of this sum goes into the General
Incidental Fund, and the other hall, along
with all the liquor license money, is paid
into the School Fund"
This shows the demoralizing tendency of
High License liquor laws. Omaha takes
ST LOCO each from her saloons, and has found
il so easy to raise big revenue from vice
that the principle is extended to the social
evil. Prostitutes and satoon-keepers stand
side by side to uphold the City Government,
and in return for their support are given
legal sanction. The license principle as APP
Piled to prostitution in Omaha is not, how.
ever, called license or even tax; the officials
prefer to call it "a system Of fine !"
With license fee Of 81 900 year for
every saloon, Omaha is more thoroughly
under the control Of the rum power than
eyer, and the saloons are more numerous,
more defiant and insolent than they we're
under low license. When the High License
law went into effect in 1881, the city had
$50 saloons. This number was reduced at
once to 80: but that was only temporary
reduction, for there are now POI places
where liquor is legally Soda number "A
per cent larger than under low license.
The business part ofthe city is thickly COW
cred with saloons. many blocks having
three, four, five, and six. In one block on
Douglas street, between 18th and 14,h
steets, there are eight saloons, four OH each
side OF the street.
Under ST. 900 license the power of the
saloon in politics has augmented, and the
stencil of its offensiveness fills the nostriis Of
every decent element.
The saloons have been permitted to do ex-
actly as they please in Omaha. All features
Of The law that do not suit them are made
dead letters. The 81 900 feature is not one
of them; they uncomplainingly submit to it,
for they know that it gives them tremen-
dous "pull." The law of the State requires
each saloon-keeper to pay the whole Of the
$1,000 when he makes application for
license. This provision has been ignored,
aad the liquor men have been permitted 10
pay their license fees in quarterly install
m snts.
There is, indeed, not city of the Union
where the saloon-keepers are more reckless
or more persistent and successful in denying
the law. One of the plainest and most ex-
plicit provisions of the law is that requiring
all saloons to close on Sundays; and yet the
saloons sell openly every Sunday. I have
seen policemen standing in front of open
saloons on Sunday mornings while beer
wagons we're unloading their freight. The
law also forbids the use of screens ia saloons,
but there is not a saloon to my knowledge
in the city that does moi violate this pro-
vision.
The brewers of Omaha have not been
made good temperance folk by the 81, 900
system. They "plant' saloons as systemat-
icaIly and hearilessly as brewers do in other
cities, taking chaltel mortgages on saloon
fixtures, etc. Any scouDdrel will DO set up
In the saloon business by any brewer Of
Omaha il the authorities can be persuaded
o give him liceuse-aDd the authorities