The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-11-18
SALOON MEN AND CABINET
LENGTHY CONFERENCE BETWEEN
THEM THIS MORNING.
Government Outlines Its Policy-No
Small Side Rooms-One Bar for One
License

'Small side rooms must be abolish
ed; entrances to saloons must have
signboards over them, reading rooms
must have large arched doorways |
leading to the bars, for one license
there must be but one bar"
That is the conclusion of the cabinet
with respect to the future arrange
ment of saloons for the sale of liquors
as stated by President Dole to "A del
egation of wholesale and retail deal |
ers in the Executive chamber this
morning.
At the conference were President
Dole. Minister Damon. Attorney Gen
eral Smith, Secretary Hassinger, Chas.
j. Mccarthy, David II. Lewis, +. c.
Macfarlane, j. &. Rothwell, f. S. Gun
ha. James Dodd, Larry II. Dee, II. |
Klemme, and Attorney l.. A. Thurston. |
President Dole stated the objects of
the meeting. The government, by Ii |
censing saloons, became practically |
partners with the owners in the liquor
traffic. 1t was therefore best for all
interests that they meet and consult
together respecting measures for car
rying on the business and guarding
the general welfare. The original
scheme of doing away with screens
had as its object the doing away with
disorder and preventing the sale of
liquor to men already under its inf1u-
ence. 1t seemed, however, that a bar
keeper should be able to tell when a |
man has had enough and if he was
conscientious in upholding the law he
would refuse such person liquor.
Mr.. Dee reported that he was hiring |
policeman to stay in his place every
Saturday night The scheme had |
worked well. and he could recommend |
it as splendid safeguard.
Mr.. Damon said: 81 look upon this |
whole matter as one of business In
future our condition will be different. |
From a business point of view we
must consider that Honolulu will be-
come a center of travel and immigra-
ton. This travel will be largely from
countries where the people are ac-
customed to no screens, their beer
gardens. etc. We are between eN-
tremes here. 1t occurs forcibly to me
that it is to our best interests to have
the saloons conducted in the most re-
| spectacle manner possible. A spirit
trade is a necessity. ! am no prohibi-
ZIONIST. There could be nothing so
foolish in a community of this sort.
At the same time your saloons must
be conducted in a respectable man
ner. That will help the reputation of
the city and encourage travel and bus
mess. | am willing to go to any eX-
treme to ensure respectability. AS Il
member of the government | wish to
compliment the saloon men upon the
advance you yourselves have made
along this line There has been won
derful improvement in the way the
| business is conducted since ] was a
| boy. You should remember, too, that
in all the discussion there has been
no thought on the part of the govern
ment of injuring the BUSINESS of the
saloon men, except perhaps in so far
as the public interests might posti-
lively demand"
Mr.. Dee, in the name of the saloon
keepers, claimed protection of the
| government in the matter of collect
ing saloon bills. 1t was necessary to
give some credit. Frequently man
would not pay, however, and the law
would not allow a suit for a liquor uc-
count.
Mr.. Cunha could not voice this com
plant. He gave no credit in his
place, for the first reason that the ac-
counts could not be collected and for
the second that it encouraged abnor-
NAL drinking. He wished to kick,
however, against wholesalers being
allowed to cut into the retail trade. 1t
was n common thing for a man to pur-
chase a single bottle of liquor of any
sort at the jobbing houses. The re-
tail men paid big licenses and they
should be protected by the govern
ment in their line of business.
The matter of one bar for one Ii
cense was discussed at length. This
regulation was admittedly aimed at
the Royal saloon and annex. Mr..
Dole argued that the arrangement
there was contrary to the spirit OF
the law and unfair to other saloon
men. Mr.. Thurston argued for the
other side 1t appeared, upon being
questioned, that none of the saloonmen
present objected to the arrangement
inaugurated at the Royal. 1t was
merely a plan frequently resorted to
in the east, of separating the two
classes of trade any saloon would
have. Both bars were in the same
room, separated by partition.
This subject in all its details was
discussed at great length. The cab
met is to give the saloon men the adj
vantage of the information and opin-
, ion impaired to them.