The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-02-07
TWO GREAT QUESTIONS.

NAL period, and contain suggestions
which their experience in dealing with
crime and criminals warrants them in
making.
There are two matters brought up
in these reports which will call for
very careful thought and to which
careful consideration must be given,
viz: The laws governing the dealing
in spirituous liquors and in opium.
There can be no snap Judgment upon
these two things, due weight must be
given to the opinion of the officers
whose business it is to carry out the
law
Upon the first point the Attorney
General in calling attention to the rec
concentrations of the Marshal and the
sheritfs, says:
"That changes should be made in the
laws regulating the liquor traffic, l
believe, is generally admitted, and
bills will doubtless be presented to the
Legislature upon the subject"
The Marshal in his report says:
Experience has demonstrated that
liquor licenses should be more liberal
ly granted throughout the Islands. 1t
is impossible, with the public senti-
ment now existing in favor of liquor
selling, to do any effective work in
preventing the traffic. i u
Spirituous liquor is bound to be sold,
and | believe it to be for the best in
terests of the Government and society
that it should be sold under license
where licenses cannot now be oh
tained.'
Sheriff Andrews says:
at is impossible to stop the Illicit
selling of spirituous liquors in most OF
our country stores" He recommends
low priced license for the sale OF
light wines and low grade beer by the
bottle, to be consumed off the premis'
es, to any one holding retail license
and to any one holding an hotel OF
victualling license, to sell or furnish
light wines or low grade beer will
meals. To this he adds: 'While per
sonally sympathizing with the idea OF
prohibition, | am convinced it is inn
practicable with the mixed population
of the country, and that it will be adj
yantageous to put the liquor business
under police surveillance, rather thar
have it unchecked, as it is under the
present system"
Sheriff L. NJ. Baldwin of Maui says:
81 am of the opinion that in those
places where saloons have been estab
lished there is no more drunkenness
than before, and certainly the business
is more directly under the control Of
the police. Licenses might be ISSUED
for the sale of spirituous liquor In
places other than those above mention
ed (Wailuku, Lahaina and Kahului)
and the fee regulated to the size of the
town."
Sheriff Carter of Kauai says:
There has been large number OF
arrests for selling liquor and while
there is some liquor sold, it is not done
openly. | think | am justified in say,
ing that the people of Kauai object
to licensing in any form
Whatever any ones private views up
on this question may be, it is very eV
ident that attention must be given tC
the subject. Out of five of the chic.
police authorities of the Republic foul
urge a reform, and point out their rea
sons for desiring a change and the ev
ills of the present system. The fifth
Sheriff Carter, acknowledges the exist
the people of Kauai, by which O
course he means the large property
holders, object to a license in any
form.
Certainly no government SHOULD
force liquor licenses upon any of it
people, but there does not seem an,
good reason, after a bill has beef
passed, to adopt the system of aloca
option, which would cover the case o
Kauai, and the case of some of the 9th
err districts on the Islands.
The whole question requires tn
most careful thought, and though it |
sure to arouse acrimony and rancor, j
is a pity that it should do so, for i
ought to be approached in judieia
spirit and the pros and cons CAREFUL.
weighed. The recommendations of III
Attorney General, the Marshal and iii
Sheriffs of Hawaii and Maui, it SHOULD
be remembered, are made in perfec