The record-union., 1895-01-22
THE UNIFORM LICENSE BILL AP-
PEARS.


The looked for uniform license bill has
put in its appearance. It is not exactly
what was expected-it is little worse.
The measure provides that in counties
of the first class the liquor license shall
not exceed $50 a quarter, in counties of
the second class it shall not exceed $50
quarter, and in all other counties it shall
be held down to SO a quarter.
a county license is to apply only to
territory outside ofcitIes and incorporated
towns, but cities may fix a license rate
not exceeding that of the county, but,
and this is a very large sized but, in no
case shall double license be collected Of
one person by city and by county au-
thOrities. That is to say, then, a single
license issued by either jurisdiction is
10 give one the privilege of conducting
saloon. The advantage of this nice little
provision is that county revenue from
licenses is to be cut off to the extent of
the sum heretofore collected for county
A4CCHSSS N4IA1h CiIE 1lIALIo' OuI 4IIGnuS
in rural parts will, of course, be delighted
with this fine prospect of increased taxa
tion along their end of government.
One of the oddities of the bill is this,
that in communities where there is largest
opportunity to make money in the liquor
traffic the lowest license rate is pre-
-
density of population and the smallest
opportunity for the retailer to make
money, the heaviest license rate may be
imposed. That is to say, large cities are
favored, but rural districts are not.
The Constitution now gives to all mu-
inequalities and town communities the
police regulations, as in their own will
seems best. That is wise provision.
but, like many another one, there is a
loop-hole in it, namely, the proviso that
such regulation shall not conflict with
general laws. Now comes the low-license
or uniform-license men and propose to
erect a general law that, SO far as regula-
ton of the liquor traffic by license fee is
concerned, knocks the life out of the Com
stitution and makes the local police reg
uIation clause but sounding brass.
In this way the doctrine that it is the
part of wisdom to bring government
close to the people-and the closer the
better-is to be given black eye, one so
dark of hue that it viii practically destroy
the usefulness of the organ Of community
vision. We are not much concerned
about the final fate of the vicious bill
But it will prove bad trading and bull
doing bit of cowing weaponry. Ifin the
wisdom of the Legislature it is passed; if
to redeem pre- election promises men vote
for it who know it to be a viIlainous
measure, we shall hold to the belief that
the Governor will strangle the thing be-
fore it can blow its tainted breath upon
the statute book, and that there are not
men enough in the Legislature who be-
Meve in it, or are tied to it, to pass the
bill over the objection of the Governor.
We would like to be convinced that it
will never pass the ordeal of a vote in
either house; that it cannot be in this day
and age that such a revolutionary and
retrogressive measure will receive forty
votes in the Legislature.
What is the matter with the people
anyhow? Since when did it become un-
safe to trust them? When and by whom
was it discovered that the people Of Sac
ramento, Los Angeles, Stockton, San
Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, Alameda,
Santa Rosa, Fresno, Pasadena, Redlands,
Riverside, Marysville, and all the other
cities of the State, are incapable of attend
ing to the license rate question, and OF
ascertaining what is best for them in the
management of their domestic affairs?
By what moral right. and by what logical
process of reasoning, will the Legislature
reach the conclusion that it, and not the
people who created it, desire to surrender
their right to locally govern themselves
in this matter of the regulation of the
liquor traffic?
We think the bill is safe to be beaten.