New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-30
THE RECORD ~ TWO CITIES.

Application has Just been made of High
License laws in two large citics-BoSton and
pittsbmg-undcr circumstances of peculiar in
terest. In the former city a law now goes into
effect for the first time under which the num-
Der of licenses is positively limited TO one for
every 500 Of the population, including men,
women and children. The knowledge that SO
stringent law was about going into operation
had q good deal to do with the decisive MA
iority against the Prohibition amendment in
Massachusetts, and the disclosure made in Pitts
burg of the effectiveness Of the Brooks law in
closing saloons is expected to have the same re
suit in Pennsylvania. The number of saloons in
Boston is reduced three-fouIths at 4 single
blow-frOm about 5000 to $50. The commits
sioners granting the licenses have considered
the character Of applicants, their observance
Of the requirements Of former licenses, and
the protests If neighbors. The result is that
many of the most costly bars have been closed.
In Pittsburg and Allegheny City there is a
still more surprising showing. BY the decision
Of single Judge the number Of retail saloons
in PittsbuIg has been reduced to 90, in Ale
ghcny City to 80, or total of 254, wholesale
and retail, in the entire county. There were
mere than 100 applicants. Two years ago
there were more than 1900 saloons in Pitts
burg alone so that the decrease there under
the Brooks law has reached the astonishing
figure of SO per cent. In fact, there is only
one flaw in the restrictive record of the Brooks
law, and that is in the rural counties Of Penn
sylvania where really low license prevails, and
the diminution is far less marked than in the
cities under high license. To remedy this it is
now proposed to prohibit Judges from granting
more than one license for every 900 of the
population.
In both the large cities named the sudden
closing Of so great number of saloons pre-
sents some new and troublesome questions
The liquor interest complains bitterly Of the
loss and hardship cntailed. Large numbers Of
men are thrown ont Of employment. A great
amount of capital invested in fixtures and good
will is much impaired if not wiped out alto
gether One estimate. for example puts the
number of persons thrown out Of places in
Boston at $500 and the loss in fixtures and
income at SIS, 900, 600, which last seems mod
crate estimate. in Allegheny cases were point
ed out where men who mad been refused IL
censes had aheady renewed Their leases, and
the announcement of the list was followed by
several executions. In certain instances the
hardship may seem to be great, but it is we'll
settled principle that the privilege of selling
liquor exists only upon the sufferance Of tho
community, and where it comes into conflict
with the public interest the latter must be
taken into account first.
Another and more important consideration is
that the effect is to give the comparatively
small number Of dealers who secure licenses
n monopoly Of the liquor selling business and
greatly increase their revenues. II has been
demonstrated that a reduction in the number
of saloons means a dmnution in the amount
of drinking but it would be too much to ex-
pect that reduction Of 03 per cent in tho
number of saloons in Pittsburg means that there
will be 90 per cent less consumption of liquor.
Il follows that the business Of the saloons which
survive will be enlarged, and one effect will
he 10 make few dealers rich. Under these
circumstances they could well afford to pay
much higher fees than they pay now. even
where license is high. "The Philadelphia
prcssn suggests that the privilege be sold at
auction to the highest bidder among those who
are Of good character and financially sound.