The San Francisco call., 1896-03-18

OF the ASSOCIATION and the Board or F0nce
Commissioners to take up the matter"
President EdoM then explained more In
detail how the association expected the
measure that it advocated would take the
liquor traffic question out of politics.
I'm the past when an election was ne al"
he said, ''it was not unusual for the whole
sale liquor-dealer to be approached by
candidate for election as a member of the
Board of Supervisors of some county with
a request to render him assistance in his
political fight. This was not always made
directly by the candidate. but more fre-
quently came through one of our custom
ers in the particular county and district in
which the candidate resided. If we re-
fused, which we usually felt it our duty to
do, and the individual whose fight We re-
fused to aid was elected the newly elected
Supervisor awaking some morning with a
bad taste in his mouth remembering our
failure to give him support and being
aware of the public sentiment against the
liuuor traffic would introduce some drastic
measure aimed at onr interests, and the
chances would be that it would be passed.
with the traffic regulated, as we sug-
gest, all this will be done away with, as
only reputable men will be able TO go into
the business, and the local legislators will
wholesale liquor dealers.
ut is not the purpose of our association
to encourage the infraction OF the laws
that have been passed to regulate the re-
tail liquor trade. On the contrary, it is
our desire TO see those laws strictly en-
forced. and we shall do everything to help
the authorities in that regard. Let
me recite you q case that will well
illustrate what our position in this
matter is. Not long ago a saloon-keeper
in Oakland named Eananee was arrested
on charge of selling liquor to a minor.
He was member of our ASSOCIATION and
at once hurried over to this side and called
on me to aid him. | asked him if he had
sold liquor to a minor and he tried to evade
the question, but insisted on an answer.
He finally said: I guess 1 did. I at once
ordered him out of the office and told him
that | would instruct the counsel of the
kassoclation to aid in his prosecution, which
1 did.
'If the law providing for a $500 minimum
Is passed State commission should also
be provided for to act as board of
licenses, whose duty it will be to deter
mine who are proper persons to hold
licenses. Senator Sherman has said that
it was only measure of this kind that
removed the whisky traffic from politics in
Ohio. The passage of such law would.
of course. Obviate the necessity of the
existence of our association.
1--WE have now in good running order
ulTly-ciRnb equity Auxiliary aSSOCidtlOHS
in the State, in as many counties, and hope
to extend the branches to every county.
Zone of the important qualifications for
membership is that the applicant shall be
of good reputation and shall never have
been convicted in any court of crime"
According to the bylaws of the associa-
ton its power is permanently centralized
among the wholesale liquor dealers Of this
City. The board of trustees, which is the
governing body of the organization, can
only be elected from the local wholesale
merchants in the liquor business. The
trustees at present are: j. P. Edoff, presi-
dent; E. r. Lilienthal, vice president;
William Alfs, treasurer; j. Il. Mundy,
Fred Staude, Joseph M. Loewe, Thomas
Kirkpatrick. Rudolph Taussig, Henry M.
Campo and John Wolf. Winfield Scott is
secretary of the association and George w.
Baker is the attorney.
Absolute and complete control over the
entire business of the association is vested
in the board of trustees. One of the by
laws says: 'They shall determine its
policy, shape its course and manage its af
fairs in such manner as shall seem to
them to be most conducive to the welfare,
auvancem ent and business prosperity OF its
memb bers.'
Another bylaw relative to county aux
iliary associations reads: "They:shall. .un-
der no circumstances in the name of the
association espouse the cause of any polit-
ical party or candidate, unless such action
is necessary to protect the interests of the
association, and then only of such candi-
dates for such Offices as directly affect this
association or its members"
The political restriction on individual
memb bers is thus prescribed: s'All mem
bers of this association are absolutely pro-
hibited, under any and all circumstances.
from taking up..as firms or individuals,
any matters of State or local issues.
In the event of any member of
the association violating this article the
penalty will be fine of not less than $500,
ard, if not paid, expulsion from this asso-
ciation.'