Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-29
THE SANITARY COMMITTEE
Considers the Mayors RecOm-
 mendation About Saloons.
QUESTION ABLY DISCUSSED
By the Mayor and Counsel for Parties Affected. Committee Will Report Next
 Wednesday.

1He punCe ana SalllatioH COiuiullleE oL the city council met yesterday afternoon at o'clock for the purpose of fixing sa- loon locations during the ensuing year.
 Present were the mayor and Aldermen Jones, Enslen, Pearce, MeCartin, Kettig and the members of the police commits sion A number of saloon men were in attendance also, represented by their att torneys, Lane & White. L. c. Dickey, John G. Moore and w. J. Gregg.
 Alderman McCartin took the chair and called the meeting to order. He suggest ed that the matter of licenses be deter mined by hearing from the mayor con corning certain ordinances which he had drawn fixing the licenses, and that an opportunity afterwards be given the at torneys to speak for their clients.
 Mayor VanHoose said. speaking to the subject that his views on the subject had been outlined in yesterdays State Herald. Continuing, he said:
 "There are certain saloons on the out skirts of the city where liquor can be sold on Sunday with little probability of detection, owing to the fact that the police force is not large enough to keep them under surveillance on the Sabbath. That is unfair to the downtown saloons. It causes them to lose trade and GUS tom not only on Sunday but also when
 
 open. This is not personal matter with me am desirous of giving every man, without regard to his creed or craft, his just rights. Now there are other saloons in the city that have been protested against by reputable citizens on the floor of this council chamber. Speaking of these places they said it was not safe for women and children to pass their doors. 1 have spoken to the sheriff about the matter and he advises me to use all my power to restrict these places and dis purse the loafers who assemble there. The superintendent of the public schools recognizes the evil influences arising from saloons located along the general route of the school children. The words of the man who has built up the public schools until they are awarded the first schools in the United States ought to come with solemn warning to us. There fore we have confined outSkirt saloons within certain quarters where the least evil influence possible may come to the women and children of the city I have found, too. that the police commission and the police force entertain similar views to those that I have advanced, and will ask you to accept my recommen- dations
 Attorney r. s. White of Lane & White then spoke for his clients. He said that no protest would or could be offered to the cancellation of licenses where just
 
 to cancel indiscriminately merely because complaint had been lodged against two of the outskirt saloons.
 Ut seems to me that the questions for you to consider are these:
 "1. Is it right to the saloon men? What right have you to say that whisky can f be sold in the city and not on the out l skirts?
 [ "2. Is it just to the property own I CTS to take away the tenants of their houses and stores?
 "3. How does it affect your revenue? "The mayor urges that the police force may be reduced. But you see by the line drawn fixing the localities that | some of the saloon men will have to move only short distance. There will be just as many saloons to be policed. Then consider also that a great many of the saloon men have leased their premises until next October. The land lord has a lien for the rent until that time. If you make them move now 1t means ruin in business to many of them. They have conducted their business with out complaint from any one. You li- censed them to do business and now you say they must get inside dead line within the next few days, which you know as all business men know, means ruin to a great many of them.
 q am not here for the purpose of de- lending any saloon man who has violat- ed the law, nor am I discussing the ques- ton from moral standpoint. but this is a question of right and wrong. You will see by the map that the ten saloons we represent are but a short distance from the dead line. Then consider another business problem to the saloon men. The outskirt man with his poor fixtures and small stock would be very unwise to bring his little shop into the city and place it alongside the handsome estab- lishments of the Bank saloon or the Peer less The man who wants to take drink will take it in style if he can get it that way and the small saloon man would have no trade at all. So of course they would not consider the question of entering business uptown for moment. In other words, you will break up abso- lutely about fifteen saloons and deprive your city of s5OO0 or $6000 revenue. And then you don't remove the evil.- You only concentrate it."
 Mir White then read list of the sa- looms that would be affected by the rule.
 Attorney Dickey spoke for his clients and offered substantially the same ob- jections to the establishment of a dead line that were presented by Attorney White. He submitted that the dead line would be a confiscation of property by compelling the saloon men to pay the balance of the years rental. Attorney Dickey estimated that the total loss to the city treasury would sum up $7500, each license being $500.
 
 posed proposition to confine liquor traf- fife to certain quarters of the city, con version of the power into local option.
 Attorney A. O. Lane followed with q brief protest against what he termed an injury and hardship to the saloon men.
 Attorney John G. Moore spoke in favor of establishing the dead line, and in formed the committee that they had a legal right to restrain and restrict the saloons.
 Mayor VanHoose protested against "the fireworks" used in the speeches as he termed it. He dsclaimed any inten- tion to prosecute the saloonkeepers.
 Chairman McCartin of the committee informed the mayor that none of the remarks had been directed personally to himself, but that they all applied collec- lively to the committees action in the event that the dead line should become operative.
 The committee then went into execu- tive session, and will make a report to the board of aldermen next Wednesday evening at the regular session of that body.
 The mayors recommendation touching