The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-19
Liquor Traffic in rlaniIa.

H Is EASY to be inaccurate con-
cerning affairs at distance; and
l. that probably explains why some
badly exaggerated versions have
been current touching the condition OF
the liquor traffic in the Philippines.
Chaplain Pierce has done a good deal
to correct the erroneous idea that
American occupation OF Luzon has
been followed by a saturnalia of de-
bauchery and unrestricted license on
the part of American soldiers and civil
ians; and the government has done
more in making public report on this
subject from the acting provost mar
shal general at Manila, Colonel E. B.
Williston. This report refers especially
to the city of Manila, the center OF
business of all kinds for the archi-
pelagc.
THE number of places where liquor
is sold" he says, "is very small, COM
pared with the number of people re-
siding inside of the municipal limits.
Since the adoption of the license sys-
TEN the character of the saloons has
been very much improved, and they are
as orderly and respectable as such
places can be. The number has been
diminished and great care is taken in
issuing new licenses. The city is di-
vided into two districts. In the first
district licenses for six months are
granted upon such representations as
are usually required in the cities of the
United States, and after an investiga-
ton by a police inspector, upon the
payment of $500 in Mexican silver for
the sale of liquors, wine and beer, and
800 for the sale of beer and light wines
alone. In the second district, which in
cludes the more thinly settled por-
tions of the city, the fees are 500 and
$50, respectively, in Mexican silver
The sale of native drinks is absolutely
forbidden; it is forbidden to sell to in
toXicated persons; saloons are required
to close at $50 o'clock in the evening
and all day Sunday" In addition to
these saloons there are native shops
where nothing but wine is sold, and
the report says that they ARE always
very orderly and the trouble expert
enced with them is their violation of
the order prohibiting the sale of wines
to soldiers"
Colonel Williston reports that when
he became provost-marshal on May II,
1899, there were POI saloons licensed to
sell wine, liquor and beer, to sell wine
and beer and to sell beer alone, 617
wineshops, 1 brewery and 10 distil-
leries. At present there are 10 distil-
leries, l brewery, II wholesale dealers,
1jS saloons and $40 native wineshops.
Colonel Williston says that there are
no records "to show the number or
character of the saloons in Manila dur
ing the Spanish occupation. From the
| number of licenses the various distillers
| of native wine claim to have held dur
| ing Spanish rule, the number of native
| Wineshops may be placed at not less
| than 5000. l have no means Of ascer-
| tanning the quantity of liquor sold at
any time, but l know that there has
been an appreciable decrease in the
quantity sold since February /, 1899.
| or the saloonkeepers none are dis
| charged soldiers; 1876 are men and 43
are women; 25 are Americans, 81 are
| Spaniards and the remainder are ori-
entails. Comparing the number of sa-
| looms now and the number a year ago,
the foregoing figures show a decrease
of 20 per cent"
A condition Of hostilities does not
offer favorable atmosphere for the
rapid development of temperance re-
form. 1t would be unjust to expect too
much under the circumstances which
have attended American occupation Of
Manila; fairer test will come when
military yields to civil rule and con-
| structive administration is afforded
time to work out it's ideas and ideals.
But the showing as it is is not bad.
NO American who takes fair inventory
of the circumstances is called upon to
be ashamed of it.