The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-02
SAM JONES FIGHT ON WHISKY.
SalOOn-Keepers Must Pay Special
Tax to Sell Cocktails in Bottles.

SalOon-heepers Must Pay Special
Tax to Sell Cocktails in Bottles.
J. S. Evans in the Chicago Times-Her-
aid.
Since Sam Jones has been fighting sin
and whisky at Atlanta a new law has gone
into effect there, and a more drastic and
disagreeable one could not have been con-
ceived than the one which now prohibits
the Georgian from buying cocktails In
quantity as great as is contained in a pint
measure, BY court decision saloon-keep-
ers are inhibited from selling mixed drinks
in bottles unless a special license which
amounts to $500 is first obtained A vio-
lation of this act subjects the offender to
heavy penalty. The case decided upon
referred to cocktails only. but very wise
lawyer has advised the saloon men to re-
fuse all offers of purchases of mixed
drinks of any character in TASKS holding
more than eight ounces.
Think of Georgian being denied the
privilege of "toting' a bottle in his pistol
pocket containing a few dashes of An
gostura, a drop of absinthe, little syrup.
a pinch of lemon peel and the balance
in Bourbon. The courts have said that
away from barrooms straight whisky
ought to be good enough. Straight Mhis-
ky for the Brunswick,s Americas, Macon
and Atlanta gentlemen? Bah! That Is a
relic of barbarism. No gentleman takes
hisn that way these days. Even the
mountaineer, who gathers the juice fresh
from the unlicensed stills, mixes his'n
with water and a little sweetnin' these
days. If sugar is wanting, molasses will
do; but TO drink II straight, why, man
alive there are no negroes who win do
that.
Georglans were raised on "toddies." A
today means big glass with a lump OF
sugar and then a mixture of water and
sugar to suit. Then there's the dram"
Both are distinctly Georgian drinks. al
though the Virginian win tell you that the
dram belongs TO the valleys of the Poto-
mas and the Rappahapnock The dram
Is made OF sugar, some water, a sprig of
mint If desired, jigger of whisky. crack
ed ice, spoon which is used to stir with
and sprinkling of nutmeg. Then you lift
the glass to your burning lips tilt your
head backward somewhat, shut your eyes
and your soul is suffused with Joy This
mixture is also bottled and finds a ready
sale among all Georgians who start out
on railroad trips, fishing excursions and
the like.
But, speaking seriously, the average
public knows but little of the workings OF
the prohibition laws in most of the south
ern states Georgia and Mississippi have
adopted extremely stringent measures
against the sale Tennessee's system in
dealing with saloon men is far from be-
ing pleasant to the dispensers of cock
tails gin fizzes, punches, etc. Alabama
imposes a heavy tax as does also North
Carolina. South Carolina, as is well
known, has dispensary law. In other
words, the profits derived from the sale
of whisky goes into the state treasury
Louisiana and Texas have not caught the
prohibition fever Licenses are easily OBJ
tanned, and for a small sum at that. There
are in these two states more open saloons
than exist in the balance of the thirteen
seeding states put together. In the cit
les one may obtain a license by simply
paying the license fee There Is no petit
ton, no board, no agreement between
government and dealer. Texas has a local
option law by counties. That is, one-third
of the citizens of a county may petition
for an election to decide as to whether
saloons may be licensed or not But in
no county yet have the anti-ealoon peo-
pie won. A similar law prevails in Louis
lana, and some of the parishes in the
northern part OF the state have gone for
prohibition. In Alabama the Legislature
alone may prohibit saloons In any one
county or in all OF them for that matter.
But II is In Mississippi where the anti
saloon law works with strange and vigor-
Gus effect Each county can demand an
election every TWO years. II tlG PIHNlouH
election declared for prohibition, then II
requires a petition of three-fourths Of the
property holders before another election
can be held. Should the saloon men win,
il again becomes necessary for one to
open a bar TO get the signatures of three
fourths of the property holders residing
in his ward or precinct on his petition.
Should the prohibitionists secure the OBJ
lection Of even one-third OF the property
holders the candidates application Is de-
feated And, even should the board pass
favorably upon the application, the saloon
man must give bond in the sum of $4,000
that he will keep an orderly place; that
he will not sell to minors, Indians or men
of known Incorporate habits. He is not
permitted TO keep open after midnight, and
there are no screens allowed In his shop.
Any one finding a violation Of this law
and reporting II to the authorities Is re-
warded with half the fine imposed. Three
offenses make II necessary for the police
judge TO revoke the license. Then again,
each city has the right TO impose as heavy
a tax as desired. In most places this sum
reaches the enormous figure of 5000. In
consequence of this. there are less than
twelve dramshops in the entire state. One
may ride the length of Mississippi terri
tory on the Illinois Central. from Michigan
city TO Osyka, and not find a saloon.
Still this country does not suffer for
want Of stimulants. There are cough rem