Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-26
ABOUT TOWN.
The License Ordinance Rails
ing a Stir.
1t Will Be Tested in the
Superior Court.
Funds Raised for Emmanuel Presby-
terian Church.
Fifteen Thousand Dollars Subscribed in a
Few Minutes-Other Items of
Interest.

The operation of the license ordinance
passed a few weeks ago seems to be
stirring up small-sized war among the
various societies that give entertain
ments where admission is charged. The
ordinance provides that the license for
entertainments, unless given for charit-
able purposes, shall be $40 for single
night; and the result has been that
some of the entertainments recently
given have had printed on their tickets
"for the benefit of some charitable in
stitution. Those who gave the enter
tainments, however, were careful to
make the expenses cover the proceeds,
so that the institutions have as yet
reaped no benefit from the license law.
Some social organizations that give
performances at regular intervals
do not propose to place the words "for
the benefit of ON their tickets, and as
consequence they have been requested
to pay $40 per night license. The fact
was noted the other day in the HERALD
that the Illinois Association proposed to
resist the license ordinance, and last
night at a meeting of the nationalists
the following resolution, offered byN. j.
Judah, was adopted:
WHEREAS, The city council has an
nounced its intention to require
license of twenty dollars from the
lessees of Illinois hall whenever an ad-
mission fee is collected, and,
WHEREAS, The exaction of such license
fees would result in breaking up the ma
tionalist meetings in this hall, there
fore,
Reso1red, That in our opinion the
lessees of the hall shovld resist the pay
ment of any license fee unless so or
dered by court.
In connection with the same matter
the following letter has been received:
EDITORS HERALD-The article in
morning paper today concerning the
Illinois Association and the license tax
does injustice to worthy city official
Tax Collector Thompson. In what he
has said and done relative to the matter
in controversy Mr.. Thompson has treated
us fairly and in gentlemanly manner.
In demanding theater license from our
organization he has only acted in obedi-
ence to instructions from those higher
in authority than he. We have never
found any fault with MIR. Thompson,
and we regret that he is alluded to as a
"hard-hearted license collector" We
have abundant evidence indicating that
this attempt to break up the Illinois
Association by requiring a license fee of
500 night (Which it cannot possibly
pay was instigated and is being pushed
by those who evidently are trying to use
an official position for the furtherance
of their personal interests. This
question involves the very ex-
istence Of the Illinois Association
and similar organizations, in which
thousands of our citizens and visiting
strangers are interested. Hence our
determination to resist the demand and
have the question settled by a COM
petent tribunal. The wording of the IL
cense ordinance is ambiguous and sus-
ceptible of different interpretations.
Therefore it is best for all concerned
that the question be decided by one of
the judges. We have taken the neces-
sary steps toward bringing the Tease into
court, and will ask for hearing and a
decision at the earliest possible day. We
are not seeking to evade the law, but
only to secure judicial decision as to
whether the demand made upon our
association is really legal one.
RALPH E. HoYT,
President Illinois Association.
HENRY HARRISON,
Secretary.
Los Angeles Nav 25th