The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-12
BELIEVES SCREENS A REMEDY.
ALDERMAN KROUsKOFF ON THE
SALOON SITUATION.

Amused at the stand Some of the Al
dermen Take, and Thinks what
He said Before Council Was War
ranted-A Screen Ordinance Was
In Force From 1884 to 1898, and
He Believes Would Solve the
Trouble Now.
Alderman Krouskoff is particularly
struck with what he calls the pretended in
nocence on the part of some of his fellow
aldermen. When the Sunday saloon law
was brought to the attention of Council by
Mayor Meldrim at the last meeting, and
several members expressed surprise at
even the suggestion of its violation Alder
man Krouskoff was amused, and he does
not hesitate to say So
when parents fall out and quarrel, the
children suffer-" said the alderman, land
when branches of the city government do
not work in harmony, the people suffer
This Is the way put it, and when matters
pertaining to good government, such as
the saloon question. are officially brought
20 Councils attention, l am for speaking
The aldermen should bear in mind that
they represent the citizens of Savannah,
and not individuals who may want the law
stretched in their behalf"
1t is not the first time attention has
been called in Council to Sunday law
violations in Savannah. The question was
sprung during the early part of the pres
ent administration, through Alderman
Krouskoff, but he was unable to accom-
plish anything, he says, toward getting
the officials TO take notice Of the evil. At
that time the matter was trivially dis
missed with the suggestion:
Lets appoint him a committee of one
to investigate"
What is puzzling many people is why
the Sunday law question was dropped so
suddenly in Council, after Mayor Medium
and the police committee had spent almost
an entire day endeavoring to find out
something one member of the board de-
clared was a known fact" Some of the
aldermen decline to be quoted in the asser-
ton that the object in bringing Mr.. Nc
ellis, who summarized interviews and
practically declared saloons were running
rampant, before the committee was 20 seal
his lips by making him and the public
believe that his assertions were untrue.
These aldermen say the proceeding looks
like an effort to cater to two elements
is soothed with the impression that they
will not be disturbed while the other,
clammering for a closed town, Is told that
the administration has no control over the
police department, and cannot therefore,
change the situation.
1T seems to me a good way to remedy
the saloon evil" Alderman Krouskoff said.
els to pass an ordinance requiring the sa-
looms to remove screens from front win
!. . IyNv,y,
there would be no further trouble. I DO
hot approve of spies watching the saloon
men, and this is a way to avoid it, if it is
determined to rigidly enforce the law"
There was formerly an ordinance against
screens on saloon doors and windows. 1t
became a law in 1854. This ordinance pro-
vided lit shall not be lawful for any re-
taller of spirituous liquors to have before
their doors or bars any screen or other OBJ
struction, which may prevent persons from
being exposed to view while trading for or
drinking liquor on the premises, under
penalty of thirty dollars on conviction be-
fore the Police Court" This was the law
until 1893, when the following passed:
"An ordinance to repeal an ordinance,
passed Sept. 2s, 1854 relative to screen
connected with barrooms, said ordinance
contained in section AIS, MacDoneE's Code.
BE it ordained by the Mayor and al
dermen of the city of Savannah in Coun-
ell assembled, and it is hereby ordained by
authority of the same, That section ATS.
MacDonelFs Code, which refers to screens
connected with barrooms, be and the same
is hereby repealed" Another section is the
repeating clause.
There are many politicians inclined to
| believe that at least one of the issues of
The coming municipal campaign will be
the enforcement of the Sunday saloon NV.
1t seems probable the saloon interests in
tend TO see that their candidate is IN
accord with an open policy.