The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-22
The Wine and Beer Bill.

Mr.. EDITOR: am glad to see !
my esteemed clerical associates, !
M. Peck and Dr.. Hyde, writing so :
pointedly against me Wine and
Beer License bill. May l attempt
to add point or two?
would not seem to question the
conscious sincerity of desire on the
part Of the many reputable gentle
men who advocate this measure, to
promote the welfare of the COM
munity by restricting the sale OF
gin and whiskey. But the fact Is
quite conspicuous that while the
honorable members opposed to the
bill are all undoubted temperance
men, all the members who are
doubtful in their allegiance to ear
nest temperance principles, ana
especially all those who are drink
ing men" are rallied to the support
of the bill. This fact does not en-
courage one to believe that this bill
is in any kind or degree a temper
ance measure in its true inward
ness" When we get to the bottom
of it, it is simply convenient az
rangement to enable anybody ID
get nip in a respectable way IN
any part of the country when he
feels thirsty.
Through the laxity of publja
sentiment, and consequently of p0
lice administration intoxicants arr
everywhere to be found by those
who are in anxious search of them.
l have no doubt that some sincere
opponents Of the traffic, in their
despair of checking the prevalent
illicit sale, are honestly misled "a
support this bill in the delusiya
hope of substituting a lesser evil
for the greater.
1t is quite possible that in corr,
munities of thrifty Germans OF
Frenchmen, with their ubiquitous
and efficient police, beers or light
wines may be sold without muck
visible intoxication ensuing. Bn
our population is not of that sort
l They are largely Hawaiians wht
drink to get drunk. And we have
large numbers of white mechanic
, who wish to be sober, but who's
diseased appetites for alcohol ever
: glass of beer will render uncon
/ trolable. How shall we answer 70
i placing this tempting devil in ol'el
+ view at every cross road to trip tn
hating steps Of these weak people
rob them of their hard earning
/ and incapacitate them to ear
q more?
r Think Mr.. Kanealii and Mr.. BalC
win were palpably correct whe
they declared that these wine an
beer shops would be "Prinoar
" schools of drunkenness )" and d
is Hyde and Mr.. Peck are right i
3 showing that stronger drinks a
=, certain to be sold therein. \
u legislation that can be enforce
he will be stringent enough to prepel
or it. How can you keep the 6a
" tender from adding to the glass
70 wine the desired ''thimblefull
~ gin? In shops already full of be
) ties, hiding places are easy f
v special varieties of the good stuff
ce AS to the licensed shop helpil
it, to support illicit drinking place
~ that is q delusion and a snare
is directly for the interest of t
er wine dealer to have as many p
he soned appetites for drink as pos
ly bic under cultivation, and at
rs many places as possible. I
-, more customers will be led by tn
- thirsty threats to his open bar.
rs am certain that three-fourt
is of those who favor that pernicio
in bill do so because they want
Ie- plenty of places at which to graf
/, their own unwholesome thir
The rest are misled by nonser
ol about wine and beer being hariol
a drinks. S. E. Bishop