The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-04-24
THE SALOON
QUESTION
Discussing Prohibition
Amendment.
INTEREST IN HONOLULU.
Some Opinions From Those Who
Favor and Those Who
Oppose Amendment

Aut pIOuAblAt'll NAhhef ~ ~
Billy when the news Of the bills pass
ing the House reached here much dis
cusslon and agitation was caused. Has
the matter lost interest since? An
effort has been made to find out the
stand of Loose interested. Both the
LIQUOR dealers and their opposition have
been seen.
1t proved to be rather difficult to Sc
cure Information or an expression OF
opinion from the persons interested IN
securing the passage OF this amend
melt. Rev. Mr.. Pearson was seen, bu,
he refused TO talk for publication.
Secretary Coleman, of the Young
Mems Christian Association was asked
what ACTON had been taken or was
going TO be taAen by the friends JI
prob. bition here about the proposed
amendment. He said that they had a
meeting a. the OuAg Mems Christian
Association building, and that they
had drawn up letter which was
signed by several clergyLen and other
prom. nent persons Interested in proa!-
bltion, and forwarded it to Congress.
Severa. private leUters TO members of
Congress were sent at the same time.
This was all that had been done, and
the only action that would be taken,
since anything more would be too la.e
would come af,er the bill was passed,
either with or without the prohibition
clause.
Mr.. Coleman did not feel at liberty
10 allow anything more than the sub
stance of the letter TO be printed with
out the consent of other persons VINO
mad TO do with its drawing up. This
consent could not be gained. The SUD
stance OF the letter was TO the effe Il
that the slgners rejoiced in the fact
that the amendment had been intro
duced into the bill, and chat they hoped
the good work would be kept up. They
said that under the present system OF
regulation OF the Liquor traffic here the
natives were dying fast In view VI
the recent increase of wine and beer
shops, they were apprehenslye tina,
this death rae would be accelerated
They particularly urged that sine
Congress had provided universal SUI
frage for Hawaii, 1t was much more
important that this prohibition clause
should lie included IN the territorial
bill, in order that these weaker races
might be saved from themselves and
from their appetite.
l.. I. Mac.urIaLe who speaks for the
dealers says:
IL wish 20 deny the statement in an
evening paper that the liquor dealers
here have sent memorial TO Congress
against the prohibition clause. They
held meeting, and no action was TAX
en-, although the matter was discussed
in all its lights The California Wine
Dealers Association is going to fight
the proposed law; not because it will
make any financial difference to them
but for other reasons.
THE points of the whole matter are
that local option obtains everywhere
that every community in the Union has
the right to decide for itself whether II
will have liquor sod within its limits
and that this community Is abundantly
able to take care of itself in this re-
speCt. Not only each community, but
each part of most communities in the
United States, even in Massachusetts,
where the prohibitionists are so strong,
determines at the polls whether the
sale OF liquors beers and wines, shall
be allowed and under what restrictions
of license fees and hours In no other
state can whiskey be so readily OBJ
tanned. in small or large quantities rs
in Maine. Prohibition does not prohib-
It: that fact has been established
beyond peradyenture. The thing l. to
regulate II, not to abolish It, Electric
cars kills people; you try to regulate
their transit not to cause their re-
moval. High license and the present
regulations in force here now do that
satisfactorilv and the community Ia
perfectly satisfied with the situation as
il is, ard feels entirely Canahle OF run
ming its own affairs in this resnect as
do Other communities The thing Is
well managed and clearlv managPd
here now. VI this prohibtorv clause
goes into the hill in It's FINAL shane,
things viii, become more or Ices as they
are in Naive. We have no low dives
or dance halls or music halls here now
where lInuor ~ sold hnt we are threat
ened with cron of them and of Kitchen
barroor,s besides, such AZ they have in
Maine"
Just as much liauor will be sold as
now. II not more and theron he ten
times az many Illicit stills The intel
liRent ard rar-seeinp people here such
as DR. Snrono y pishor and mon ~ his
stamp know TINT all this Is the right
view ~ the matter. ard have so ex-
pressed themselves, either in print or
otherwise.
"no Won think thu clause was in
Irod,trea into the hin FIR the purpose
of PLAYING TO the gallery. and in full
expectation that Il would be cnt out
In conterenre7 II has hNen suggested
that the members OF Congress- who
voted for II desired "a pose before tNelr
constituents and please certain ole
without doing any real damaPe?"
ION that point II is necessary Ia
gpeak cautiously. II was done for Do,
iitical bupcomhe certainly; hut n
seems n me more than likely that the
men who voted for It meant II to &c
through II was debated long time