The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-11
BOTH SIDES SATISFIED.
The Saloon Men Think They Got Of
Easy on the New Law.

Easy on the New Law.
The result of the city councils recent
acliou on .ne SAIGON oruin4uce appears 20
have had the remarkable effect of salts
fying both sides. The saloon men are
iubilant at what they consider the defeat
of the mayors ordinance.
Three OF the four sections which were
defeated were the ones to which the
saloon men specially objected. They
were the sections increasing the license
TO $500 limiting the saloons to one en-
trance and compelling them to close
at 10 o'clock atnight, Had all three Of
these sections gone through the saloon
men would have felt sad, indeed Though
the saloon men were given a good scare
they were not in as much danger as some
of them thought
Even Mayor McDonough did not expect
the section closing saloons at 10 o'clock at
night to pass, and the most that was ex-
pected by any of the aldermen was a pro-
vision closing the saloons at midnight to
which very few of the saloon men would
have objected.
The section limiting the saloons to one
entrance never had any show of passing
either Not more than one or two
of the aldermen agreed with the
mayor in his desire to make saloOn-keep-
ing strictly a distinct business. They
admitted that the idea was q good one
theoretically, but said that practically
applied it would inflict a great deal of
hardship upon the small grocery mer-
chants.
The saloon men bad good reason to
feel apprehensiye over the proposition to
increase the license to $500. Had there
been a full board, including the mayor,
present, in all probability the license
would have been increased, though, prob
ably not to $500 The two votes which
We're not present would both have
been cast In favor of an increase.
II is generally understood that this
question will come up later in the prep
aration of the tax ordinance for 1894.
The city wants more money for nextyear,
and the saloons will probably have to
contribute some OF it. The license will
very likely be raised to $500 as d compro-
mise. That was the saloon license for q
number of years, until it was cut down to
$500, during Mayor Testers administra-
ton. The result is said to have been a
reduction. instead of an increase, in the
city's revenues. An. increase of 500
in the license it is believed would
drive very few saloons out
OF the business, and would result in an
increased revenue to the city of about
$4,000.
The saloon keepers were divided on the
oNNllbl K lllS OllG llOllCC lllC IlFIb 10 GulCI
saloons. The shrewd men in the business
say that it was Il big opportunity to Guilt
yate the friendship Of the police. Alder
man O'Brien had this in mind when he
opposed the section for the protection of
the police" as he said. AS the Ordi-
nance stands now policeman
has no right to enter saloon while on
duty or in his uniform for any cause
whatever, not even to prevent a murder,
loss he IC f.o llnG nv tho n
OF the place. All he can do Is to put the
proprietor on the docket, if there is any
dlsOrderly conduct in the saloon. This is
another peculiar state of affairs.
AS one Of the policemen remarked yes
terday, after two or three murders have
occurred in the saloons. council viii make
some provisions for the interfl rrence of
the notice in saloon difficulties. The
wonder is that some case
OF the kind has not arisen before now.
Saloon brawls generally terminate upon
the street. however, and the policeman
has a chance to get in his work, provided
he is in the neighborhood at the time.
Alderman DixOn's suggestion that
council get together and formulate a sat
isfactory ordinance for the regulation of
saloons, is timely one, and may be acted
upon when Mayor McDonougn returns to
the city.
All the aldermen profess themselves as
satisfied with the passage of the section
compelling applicants for license to make
application to council. in order that their
tness to conduct such place and the
suita bility of the LOCATION named, may be
passed upon.
There will probably be some amend
ments to the ordnance, specifying when
and how application shall be made, and
providing for the advertisement of the
applications, in order that the public
may be put on notice as to the
names of the applicants and the places TO
which they desire to conduct saloons, so
that opportunity may be given to present
objections to the granting of the license
if any. TO do this it will be necessary
for applications made at one meeting to
lay over until the next meeting. No pro
visions of this kind have been made as
yet, however.