The record-union., 1891-08-12
The Liquor License Again.

JnG Liquor License Again.
EDS. RECORD UNION: / have been
waiting to see if some one would not re-
ply to the article in the RECoRD-UNIoN of
August Sd in regard to the meeting of the
Liquor Dealers Association OF Sacra-
mento. [ was greatly amused at the idea
of the liquor dealers thinking the ''Trus-
tees had gone too far in raising the license
from $l5 to SIS per quarter" the greatest
fault 1 have heard found with the ordi-
nance was that the license was not high
enough. Say 3i5 per quarter, that would
make only $50 "a year. Who could call
that a high license?
No wonder that able lawyer, G. l..
Johnson ''spoke without his usual fervor
and warmth" No man with good sound
judgment could advocate the S45 as being
100 high license. l would suggest to
the saloon men that they look up the
! high license laws Of other States, and I
have no doubt they will conclude they
have been easily dealt with and have no
cause for litigation.
am from the high-license State of Ne
| bTaska. While the liquor laws OF Ne
| braska are far from being what prohibi-
! tionists would desire, they certainly are
| far superior to those of California. In
| Nebraska, licenses are 81 900 year in
| towns and cities, and $500 in the country,
| but during my twenty-five years resi-
dence there / never knew of a saloon be-
! ing located in the country, and have
! Travelled all over nearly every county i'll
! the State.
But l suppose there are few, but do
not think would average one saloon in
| twenty counties. All saloons are closed
on Sundays, holidays, and election days.
! Each SalOon-keeper has to furnish pc
tition signed by two-thirds Of the resident
| taxpayers in the precinct, and all saloons
are closed at midnight.
The consequence Is we do not have a
saloon at every crosS-road and so numer-
| Gus in towns and cities as they are here
in California. Here in Elk Grove pre-
| cinct we have seven regular saloons, and
! two others that sell by the bottle and
| quart; also one winery in this precinct,
and only 900 inhabitants in the precinct,
while Red Willow County, Neb., only
! has six saloons in the entire county, and
they are all located in the city OF Nc
| Cook. The citizens of Elk Grove Except
| the saloon-keepers) have hailed with Joy
| the new ordinance, and if the Trustees
stand firm by it they will have the es-
TEEN and good viii Of all the true loyal
and law abiding citizens.
II the ordinance is sustained by the
! Superior Court, as I believe it will be
and the taxpayers do their duty and use
| their influence for the suppression Of the
saloons, there will be a marked improve
ment in the county in few months, but
| 1t has taken years for intemperauce to get
such hold upon the county and it will
take long time to get it IN reasonable
bounds. | do not believe there is another
county in the entire United States, of the
same population, that has so great num-
Der of saloons, and what good are they
doing?
No wonder we need additions built to
our County Jail and Hospital, and it will
be so until the laws are-mOre stringent
If the Trustees have the power to refuse
to license disreputable places, also say,
why not do o?'' and also close all sa-
looms at midnight, but by no means
lower the license.
II the saloon men cannot afford to pay
it let them go out Of the business; there
are plenty kinds of employment to be
bad, and most anything is more honor
able than selling that which ruins the
sons and daughters of our Nation. /
sincerely hope there will be many, and
many who can not afford to pay the
license.
Those who have been raised here, and
those who have been accustomed to this
great intemperance of California for a
great many years, can not possibly
| realize the feelings of people coming here
from the Eastern and Central States,
where the laws are so stringent to find
that here their childen are not even safe
in the country from the evil influence of
the saloon. / felt proud of the people of
California for appropriating $500, 900 to
the Worlds Fair, to advertise the State
| in prospect of securing Eastern imrni-
grafton, but this little ordinance, simple
as it seems, if sustained, and taxpayers
do their duty in refusing to sign petit
tons, will do more toward securing
Eastern immigration than the $500, 900.
Many families from Nebraska, Kansas
and Colorado would sell their property
| there and move here, on account Of the
fine climate and delicious fruits, were it
not for the almost unrestricted liquor
traffice. Each familyswould have from
$1,000 to $4,000 to invest in Sacramento
County. Here in California we have one
| of the most delightful climates in the
| world; the valleys clothed in green the
year round, and mountain tops glistening
| with snow, makes wonderful lovely
| picture for Eastern people to look upon.
Our yards are an Eden of flowers the
year round, and delicious fruits of all
variety in profusion, vegetables which
| no country can surpaSs are produced
| with very little effort. The soil of Sacra-
mento County is surpassed by none in
| the State. All kinds of grain do well.
Then, what is the reason that California
| does not prosper better, and population
| increase, like Nebraska, Kansas and Colo
rado, where the climate is not near so
| good? In my openion there are two
causes; the first is, that real estate is held
too high in both country and city No
matter how much people admire coun-
| try, and its climate, in moderate circum-
stances they cannot afford to pay for any
climate.
/ The second and greatest cause is the al
most unrestricted liquor traffic, the
numerous saloons being great obstacle
in the way of immigration. 1 am sorry
to say it, but California is noted al over
the Eastern and Central States for her
poor and few liquor laws. Sacramento
County ought to be the banner county of
the State, and California the banner State
Of the Union, and would soon be, were
j the liquor traffic given back seat. l DO