The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-25
PLENTY OF CLUBS NOW.
THE sALOoNKEEPERs TO GO INTO
THE CLUB BUSINESS.

The Club Ordinance Opens a Way to
Evade the Sunday Law-Literary and
Social Clubs to Have q Boom-The
Mayor to Say To-day Whether Ee
Will Veto the Ordinance-The Liquor
Dealers Associations Position.
The saloonkeepers are still discussing the
action of the council in exempting the clubs
from the license tax.
IF the ordinance is allowed to stand
said a well-known saloon man yesterday,
"the result will be that the Sunday law in
Savannah will practically become a dead
letter. ., no, we won't keep our saloons
open, but what is to prevent us from selling
liquor on the club plan. Many Of the saloon
keepers will organize social and literary
clubs Of their own, take out government
license, stock a couple of rooms with the
necessary refreshments and open up
club. The membership fee won't be very
high, Of course, and the membership
won't be limited either Each mem
Der of the club will have the priyl'
lege Of buying all the liquor he wants to,
aud If he has any invited guests he can fill
them up also. The guests can't buy the
liquor, as a matter of course, but what is
there to prevent the guest and member
from having a little outside understanding
about the payment.
OUGHT NOT TO KICK.
"When / come TO look at it," continued
the saloonkeeper, 1.-THE liquor sellers ought
not TO kick very hard against the ordi-
nance because IT means to all who
feel like taking advantage Of 1t, a loophole
to get around the Sunday law. Unless the
ordinance is vetoed by Mayor McDonough
and the veto is sustained, Savannah viii
soon be the leading club city Of America.
The corner groceries will have colored
literary and social organizations, whose
literary feature viii consist in
being able to read whisky and
beer on the bottles, and the social part the
drinking of all they can stand. Maybe |
council did not take this into consideration |
when il passed the exemption ordinance"
From the saloonkeepers view it seems |
that Mayor McDonough's work in break
ing up the Sunday whisky evil is destined |
TO go for naught If the ordnance becomes a |
law.
PUBLIC OPINION DIVIDED.
Public opinion is rather divided Oh the |
councils action. Many have expressed
themselves that the council made mistake
in discriminating in the matter, while others
are equally well pleased with the action and
!
any one else's, for that matter, if they feel
like going to their club rooms on Sunday,
or at any other time, and having drink.
Mayor McDonouRh will decide to-day
whether or not he will veto the ordinance. |
An alderman said 10 a MORNING News re-
porter last night that he hardly believes the
ordinance will be passed over a veto. 1t
requires eight votes 10 carry it through in
such an event, and the alderman said when
the question narrows itself down TO whether
or not Mayor McDonongh shall be sus-
tanned some Of those who voted for the |
adoption Of the ordinance will be found
upon the other side
The Liquor Dealers Association, which
embraces in It's membership the greater part
Of the white saloonkeepers in the city, held I
a meeting last night The president of the
association, Mr.. George Meyer. asked the
MORNING News after the meeting TO state
that the association will not interfere with D
the action Of the council and will not file e
any protest against the club ordinance. 81