St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-20
have a population of 100. 542. And, by
the way. the Minneapolis directory of
last year contained over $4,000 names.
HIGH LICENSE EXPERIMENT.


HIGH LICENSE EXPERIMENT.
In Massachusetts it is presumed that
reformatory measures can be more
nearly computed at their worth math-
ematlcally than in less systematic, and
intelligent communities. The past year
or two, an experiment has been in prog
ress there to determine the value of
high license rather in its more palpable
police effects than its moral gravity.
Various expedients have been in vague
there at different times without reach
ing the ideal method of treating the per-
picking and very serious question. 1t
had became a matter of special annoy
ance and increasing peril to the doml-
nant party, For some reason, The theory
was adopted that high license was
the best attainable solution of
the pe%rplexity. The legislature en-
acted a law making $1,000 the
minimum of license, and also linn
iting the number of places to be
licensed to one for each 1000 popula-
ton; except in Boston, where 500 was
the figure. The licenses fixed by the
local authorities ranged from 81. 900 to
S1,S00, and sometimes much higher.
Under these provisions more than half
the saloons in Boston were closed, and
in the other cities a still larger proper
ton, as for instance in Fall River, tine
great mill city, from $50 to Sc. There
could hardly be a more effective and
satisfactory trial of the high license
system. 1t was predicted that it would
reduce drunkenness to very small fig
ures and inaugarate new era in tenn
perance reform. The politicians ex-
pected to be relieved of the embarrass-
ments that were t%hickening about them.
After the operation of the system
a year it was found that the results
were quite different from those in
the programme. Drunkenness and dis
turbances of the peace commenced to
increase, apparently at the beginning of
the new regime, and kept on. In Bos.
rose from 1850 in the same month of
the former year to 2, 239, and in the sum-
mer the Increase was over a thousand.
In Fall River, with its comparatively
few saloons, the same ratio of increase
was had, and so in all the cities. The
arrests were some 5000 more in the
state under high license than they had
been. This condition alarmed the tenn
perate, ~order-loving citizens, and they
gave a surprising evidence of their dis.
satisfaction at the polls. Lowell, as an
illustration. which had voted for high
license the year before by 1900. now,
for the first time in its history,
voted no license by 700 majority. Fall
River changed 1900 for license into
1,400 adverse. Twelve Of the twenty
five principal cities went against the
system, and the others gave reduced
votes for it. Even in Boston the change
in sentiment was marked, and an at
tempt was made to placate the dissatis-
faction with the revival of an absurd law
requiring persons to be seated to drink.
Perhaps there is some reason for the
balky course Of this recipe of the re-
formers for controlling the liquor bust
ness. Illinois has high license. Has
any reduction of intemperanee in Chi
a been noted? High license has
financial advantages, and perhaps in
some localities may minify the evils of
the drink habit and make it easier to
impose police constraints. But when it
is advanced as a reform system it may
be we'll to call for an exhibit of its
frnitS-