The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-19
NO PUBLIC BARS In BOSTON.
Law PASSED ~ 1910 REVITED BY
COZ BRaCKE1E
After Tuesday Every Man who Takes n
Drink Must SIT at n Table and Order n
menl-The Democrats Making Political
Capital Ont of the Enforcement

BOSTON, May 1S.-Atter Tuesday, every man
who visits the Hub, and who wants drink
OF something stronger than water. must
sit ut table and call for n square meal,
and after that has been served he will be en-
titled TO drink OF bis favorite beverage. IIe
won't 10 obliged TO eat the food. but he cant
get his drink without it. That ia the situation
rs 1t is left by the Massachusetts Legislature
after n months tusse with an old law enacted
fifteen years ago but never enforced. 1t is n
remnant OF the old days of statutory prohibi-
tlon in Massachusetts. better known as
the days OF FREQ rum" and already
thoro is an energetic kick by politicians
and all men who occasionally take n
drink Only tho dyed-in-tho-wool Prohibit
tiUnists are happy at the turmoil which has
been aroused, and they find much enjoyment
in the discontinue Of tho liquor dealers and
their patrons AS the latter class includes n
very large majority of Boston's citizens rich
and poor. high and lowly-some idea can he had
| OF their state OF mind at the present time. No
man can in the future legally rush into u saloon,
toss nickel upon tho bar, gulp down glass
OF beer and dash across the street and catch
his train, as he has done in the past. Every
thing OF that nature hns been unlawful In tho
past, but no public official has cared to enforce
that clause in the act OF the year 1875 for
bidding the sale Of liquor over bars or other
| sumption OF food.
For fifteen years the public bar has been
popular institution in Boston. Now 1t is
| doomed and thereby hangs tale. When the
| people of Massachusetts decided that they had
| had enough of prohibition, according to the
| statutory definition OF the word they passed
| an act in 1875 repeating tho prohibitory law
| There was q red hot fight, but the Prohibition
lists were beaten. To do away with the most
Objectionable features OF the liquor business. a
clause was inserted forbidding tho sale of
liquor over u bar. This was considered the
next door to prohibition, and at the same time
1t enabled men to take liquor with their food
without skulking behind some barred door or
In some murky basement. During the war ga
looms were running full blast without any
thought OF molesting the proprietors. but af-
forward there was spasm Of virtue on the part
of the authorities. and the traffic WIS carried
on little less openly. Still there was enough
constraint to cause dissatisfaction on all sides.
and the law was repealed. The argument was
used at the time that there would he less
drunkenness liquor was used only In connec-
ton with the consumption Of food. At first
licenses were granted only to victuaers and
for awhile there was some pretensions ~ obe-
dience to the law. But all that wore off in time
and for more than ten years liquor has been
sold ovor the bar without any thought oil food |
or OF the law which was being broken:
therefore. that the Republican members of the |
Massachusetts Leg stature and such Republi- |
can politicians who were present at Gov. |
Brackett's Inauguration heard him demand |
the enforcement Of that ong-forGottcn clause ,
in tho iiuor law. Their surprise was the ,
greater because it was everywhere known that |
Massachusetts would now have Il democratic |
Governor but. FOR the intervention OF the liquor |
cure Gov. Brackctts election. As il was, the !
bemoeratic candtdate, the H9u. William =.
ll-nIl 4 va hal IL bal
contest. In view, of these facts. there was
a, c9!d Shill along the triupl columns
Bracket urge the enforcement of law which
Governors Robinson. Long and Amcs had per-
trouble, and they have had a they wanied, and
more. too. Tor three weeks the democrats
p1bGans whie tic ator Wcro e SSdnv shg rom 9
Pillar TO post aud from post 10 pillar in their
efforts TO find some neutral ground upon when
II large supply Of politlchi capital. which will
COM in handy NEXT tall nGG 'ney At least are
iamlarly ,callci by the ward workers inaugu-
rated as the next Governor Of MASSACHUSETTS,
Tint remains to I've seen, but 1t Is Il tact that
tho trubernutorial contest has aIreaIy com
ncnced here in Massachusetts. and that there
Tbo Inr0,rntS tnI snn,, ' a. ipTUiu,
Of their services from Gov. Brackctt. and II
came N dilerent shape from what they had
looked for. They We're rs much diSmayeu by
his reference to tho public bar clause OF the
liquor law as were the lieGubIican.. but they
! !
They did not dream that sufficient bar king
could to found TO block any repeal Of that OBJ
nuNIous clause. IN order was introduced early
IN tho session providing for the repeal of tho
clause in question, and about n month ago tho
wai in"xpeiicnt ' To- "GsatS thereon An OF
fort was made to substitute a bill for tho re-
port Of the committee. and that was defeated
In tho Scna'e no report went to the House
for concurrence, and tho!e; too, substitute |
bill was offered and rejected, Then the light
became red hot and tho Erpublicans split
The liquor dealers held n meeting and exerted
all the power they possessed to secure g recon-
Il ei by four v0e 0 Ther wa" Ss re-
hints OF big noodle for those who would !
change their minds. but nothing was seen of it
in tho vote. tor II WAS practically tho same as !
on the rc, ion OF the substitute !il.
Finding themselves bnaton, the Democrats
duccd demanding the rigid enforcement of tho |
law They were framed in such u manner as to
were Introduced for the deliberate purpose of
running hi, chances Tor reelection next fan.
This move nut the Republicans in a
worse box than ever. While many OF them did
not believe in 10Y Bc"GiHeIs vigorous S revival
him. as they would have done had they doptod
the. resolutions prepared 10y the Democrats.
But in shielding he Governor they laid them
selves open to the charge OF insincerity. and
while they we're wondering how they could bost
had lots Of fun nj their eNIenso. Finally tho !
Republican Senators prepared q resolution
which placed them on record H5 being In favor :
Tic law against publ, bars bur from which
all direct reference to Coy. Bracket was elim- }
mated. In that way they maintained the policy $
IF the itopublican party and also diverted tho '
attack from Gov Bracket.
Naturally all this discussion on Beacon Hin
~ and everybody is on tho qui vivo 10 know
low it will ond. When he time came to issue
he new licenses the Boston Board OF Police :,
'ont out notices e all leaders that after May21 :,
40 liquors should be sod over the bar a yiO- u
alton OF that order meant the loss OF the H. 81
,onse. and n rrst.claHs nnholders' lrensrs 4
,ost {. 800 each. it was not u matter to be T.
,nce ed mt. he new Licenses went mo effect Il
IN Nav l. and the hran"s had twenty days in v
which to cl"ui out their bars. Eomo OF tie bI: c
Iotels adoIlcd til" now regulations at once. G
md customers couldn't got thor drink Without T.
lr-t taking soH' n Il table. n
since then auo'her phase Of the case has Il
presented Itself 1t has been argued hy an tie Il
cadng lawyers In the city that tHbl" is Just 4
IL much bar rs j. any Other structure and
hat il VIII be illegal TO sell liquor NJ u table
lnless foo II eaten in connection herewith
I has been decided in this state that tho gpirii
If Tie lazy must be- carrIoi out in Tho matter Of a
ood and II will seem TO 10 the pri .icge of !;
very mln TO dItn, only with his meals. or dine I,
very time Ii" wants to drink. n
TI,.. dat, a