The colored American., 1899-12-09
.ouA1.LLAW BE ENFORCED?

coo Business Men Under Public
License Elect what Laws they
Care to Obey and whar tney
Choose to Ignore-Che NE"
Grand Theater Issue FIalhiy
stated BY Mr.. Daniel Murray
.so ad,tor Of the Colored Ameri-
IN view Of the recent trouOle d.
tns Grand Opera House, 1t may not
-ino,nortune that some Of the legal
s.,,cinles involved be stated ana
arview Of the rights OF both parties
- the controversy be discussed MI
Cbase the lessee Of the theater, re
- . license to carry on the same,
-. r,rs+ Obtain said license from the
C.7,,,,fs.foners who grant it III the
,Isroa of the public whom they repre-
ryow Mr.. Weatheriess and Mr..
raro,son are botn u part OF the entity
nDbIic. and must JOIN in granting Mr;
r,ssa his license. Therefore. Is II al al
>o,z-ztent with any form OF common
sanza tn suppose the public would
l,+ Mr. Chase. or anyone else, the
rfobt TO discriminate against l'seii!
NJ The fact that a license Is required
orisea from the desire Of the public 10
.o,sarve its rights, or in other words
70 retain control Of Mr.. Chase's ousl-
ness and prevent him from lessehing
the privileges belonging TO the pubic
II no license we're required the inner
emf right of Mr. Chase to conduct DIS
business as he saw fit could not be in
tarterad with. Every business under IL
canse il subject to inspection TO see
that il is conducted in harmony With
evfsting laws and that none of the
laws are violated.
/ know an idea prevails that man
ougbt to be allowed TO conduct his
business III the form most conducive to
mis- profit, but this is not so, and one
moments reflection will show the fal'
lacy Of such an idea. Take the law
against the smoke nuisance; few, if
any, would put in smoke consuming
apparatus, if 1t were not for the law
made in the interest OF the public. A
man cannot violate the law to increase
his profits, or discriminate against those
who grant him q license even though
he increase the profits Of his business
thereby. a saloon keeper may not
sell liquor to minors, and yet if he were
so permitted, he might greatly increase
the profits arising from his business.
Every man of intelligence, before en-
gazing IN business will investigate the
question of legal limitations bearing on
the same, and consider whether he
can meet the legal requirements and
yet make profit, and 1t is no hard
ship to hold Mr.. Chase TO d strict COM
plianCe with the law, since he should
have made himself familiar with its
provisions before leasing the theater;
in faci it would be an injustice TO every
other manager Of a theater or Other
licensed place who are conducting
their places in strict compliance with
the law, to allow lin TO violate it. The
idea is the basis OF the High License
SYSTEM" the theory being that pro
pTietors who pay S400 year will be
active auxlliaues'to prevent violations
Of the law to their injury. A man
selling without the license tax could
easily underseIl the man who was
Obliged to pay it.
The true and proper course for the
people Of Washington is TO stand for
an honest enforcement of the law at
all times, and when laws are found to
work hards MP, to petition for their
repeal
All other places of amusement are
being conducted in conformity with
law. Mr. Chase, it seems, wishes to
conduct his place so as to psnder to
prejudice, the handmaiden OF ignor'
ance, and it is matter of supreme i'm
pOTtsnce that he be not allowed to do
so, and that the matter be kept con
tinually before the courts until he, like
other citizens, be compelled TO observe
existing laws. ! am bound to OBJ eIve
the law, and am greatly interested that
neither MIR, Chase nor any other per-
son shall set himself up as above the
laws, to obey only such laws as suit
him.
This, believe to be the only es-
senee OF good citizenship, and urge all
law abiding citizens to join in main
tsinngit DANIEL, MURRAY.
s34 : street, Il. ".