The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-03-26


ion on the dispensary bill now !
pending before the Legislature, .
the Advertiser yesterday ,
sought interviews with some of the !
leading men of the community concern
ing their views of the act and its
probable effect upon the liquor traffic.
While a great many were retcent in
expressing themselves without more
exhaustive investigation, Others had al
ready formed views which they were
willing to eXpound and which appear
herewith The leading interview was
with Rev. w. X. Azbill, who replied
seriatim to the queries made this morn
ing in the columns of the Advertiser.
Q-What ia best from the point of view
of peace and order-a few hiSh-priced
centralized saloons under the eye of the
police or a family supply of cheap liquor
in every shack in the suburbs which the
police cannot watch?
A-First let me say, il 1 fail to give
convincing and satisfactory answers to
your queries, ii does not therefore follow
that such answers can not be given by
others better able to deal with these
problems. The high-priced centralized
saloon has the advantage (in favor of
the saloon keeper in that it deprives the
drinkers family Of a larger share of his
earnings, and SO robs them of food and
raiment and the common comforts. As
TO the inability of the police to watch
what is going on in shacks and slums
will any method be successful in dealing
with the criminal class that does not
provide for vigilance in such quarters?
.gIstn all
on a false assumption. Every crime
known to the criminal code requires
shacks and slums to be watched, and this
efficient police will do.
OILS treating in saloons at fifty cents
for two small drinks likely to cause as
much drunkenness as treating in private
houses or our back streets from quart
bottle costing the same amount? WIN
treating decline in proportion as the op-
portunity to treat at small cost and in
great volume is increased?
All the older people will tell you
that the saloon has increased the num-
Der of besotted men. In Great Britain
and in Germany. where beer Is used by
the common people daily In connection
with their meals, and In France, where
all drink wine instead of water, you will
find fewer besotted drunkards than you
will find among the patrons of saloons.
The treating habit does more 10 ruin
men than anything else in connection
with the sale of intoNicants. Best les, II
was forbidden fruit that led to the first
fall. Odd as II may seem, high license
and high prices somehow stimulate the
desire to indulge. On the other hand, /
knew of a bright young fellow once who
was wasting his fortune and destroying
his health by visiting saloons who was
cured of the habit by his sister who
bought several barrels of liquor for him
and requested him to drink himself TO
be b.t nm
ly don't go to the saloon" He said, very
truthfully, I'm be - II / do" and
quit.
Off ii is morally wrong for the Gov
eminent TO license saloons and get a
small revenue from them, is il morally
right to set up dispensary for the sake
of large revenue?
A-The prime object of the dispensary
law, as l understand it. is not to raise a
revenue. 1t is a sort of act to mitigate,
and 1t provides for the expense of its en-
forcement. We of the Anti-Saloon
League do not consider it all that could
be desired hut believing that II tends to
lessen the moral evils, a measure OF
which will have to be endured in any
case, we choose the lesser measure OF
evil. And We shall continue to fight
'Gainst the wrong that needs resistance:
For the future in the distance
And the good that we may do
Q-Does the cheapening of the price of
liquor and the Improvement of its quail
ity tend toward a more moderate use OF
alcoholic stimulants and increase the
chances OF getting drunkards or occa-
sional consumers OF liquor to abstain?
A-The conditions observed where sa-
looms did not exist In the earlier history
of our own people. and in countries and
among men OF even the belated nations
whore they do not now exist, are most
instructive on this point. | say again,
and you know The force N hat =
ing greatly promotes the liquor habit.
Remarkable Advertiser does not ask
these questions 10 Indicate that II OPP
poses the dispensary bill. II Is ready 10
support that measure N IL can be con
WINGED that by so doing II would contrib
ute TO the moral wel-being OF the com
munity,
Reply-1ha Advertiser knows that airy
measure Il would be possible 10 devise |
and enact would meet with grave dim |
'uluoh when We came 90 put IL into op- |
Grafton, This dlsponsary law has been I
successful elsewhere and under oondi, |
N"hH similar 10 ours let uH try H.
LIQUOR MEN TALK.
Tho saloon mru when sron, expressed |
,n,ma"lsrs quite freely concerning enc |
You Gan drive a. soaeb and bsrs.s |
lhfHNFh D aH it nov stands" taIi q. a |
simpson Gf ifo r4nlhr0u "rnr whole .
lhinH lrrruiH upon iNr GpFrTuur lh4t
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llnn li WbH NaI fHu uHuU.lry Do ]
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iu iht arVfatHI NJ Nr sHsiH fa, md.
w1Hli 81 lpi0 rnn poi IHF #Hf
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