The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-03
REDUCE THE FEE TO
$500.
THE RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS
DISCUSSED THE SUBJECT AT THEIR
MEETING In ST. PAUL YES
TERDAY,
REASONS FOR ASKING A CHANGE
Other Legislation Which the AttOr-
ney of the State Association
Is Expected to Frame.

Among the matters which will be
brought to the attention of the state
SolonS at the coming session of the
Legislature is an amendment to the
liquor law. The Minnesota Retail
Liquor Dealers association, which has
local organizations in the larger cities
of the state, are now discussing the
question of asking the legislature to
make several changes in the present
law. The liquor dealers, especially
those in cities where the license is fixed
at $1,000, are unanimous in the opinion
that the license is $500 too high. Any
number of arguments are advanced to
support this position, the most con-
vincing one to those engaged in the
retail business in cities, being the fact
that 1t is almost impossible to make
expenses no matter how economically
the resorts are conducted.
Another change in the state law de-
sired by saloon men, not only in the
cities, but all over the state, is in re-
gard to the hours Of closing the
saloons. Under the state law saloons
are required to be closed at IL p. M.
but in the cities the ordinance makes
country saloonkeepers want the extra
hour which those in business in cities
have the advantage of and the pro-
prietors Of saloons in the cities want
the law changed in order to protect
themselves from unnecessary legal
troubles AS it is now a certain class
Of cranks, as they are termed by the
liquor dealers, can secure complaint
and have the proprietors Of saloons ar
rested for violating the state law by
keeping open after IL o'clock at night.
This action is frowned upon by the
county attorneys in the larger cities,
but numerous complaints have been
taken out against SaloonkeeperS In
both Minneapolis and st. Paul and the
defendants put to considerable expense
and time in escaping convictions undel
the law of the state, which is not a
violation under the ordinance Of the
city in which they are doing business.
1t is to prevent this and make the
closing hour uniform one throughout
the entire state which has brought UP
the question or rather the ACCESSIBILITY
Of asking the legislature to amend the
present law so as to make the hour for
closing at midnight. The matter is
in the hands of the state association
attorney, Lars Rand, of Minneapolis.
The above matters were brought up
at the regular meeting of the st. Paul
Liquor Dealers association held yester-
day afternoon. There was an atten-
dance of ninety members at the meet
ing and nearly all the discussion was
on the ACCESSIBILITY of asking for legis-
lation such as outlined above. The
executive committee were instructed to
confer with the attorney of the state
organization as to bringing the ques-
items before the legislature. There was
no action taken in regard to the en-
forcement Of the ordinance closing the
saloons at midnight the sense of the
association being that the liquor dealers
were accorded every courtesy from the
present administration. The aSsoci-
alton has secured a permanent meeting
place and after Jan. 1, will hold its
meetings in the hall at Seventh and
Jackson streets. The annual election
of officers of the local association will
occur at the next meeting.