Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-23
GOVERNOR Dole
IS CRITICISED
j. G. RothWell Discusses
Liquor Question and
Licenses.
PRESENT HOLDERS SHOULD
HAVE THE FIRST OPTION
Limits Regarded as Arbitrary, With
Result that All Authorizations
Are Made Within Very
Small Radius.

license should De granted 70 any
wholesale liquor house, referred points
eddy to the fact that six saloon and
hotel licenses were held by w. c.
Peacock q Co., Ltd. John @. Roth |
well manager Of that corporation. was
therefore asked how the idea struck
him.
while Governor Dole may have eX.
pressed his personal opinions as re-
ported" Mr. Rothwell replied, 1T does
not follow that he would attempt 10
carry them out as law. ! do not think
1t is the Governors prerogative to set
up his views as the law, but to execute
the laws as they ore written.
First Option for Holders.
We are not opposed to seeing any
responsible man who Is able To satisfy
the Government demands Us TO re-
spectability and power OF putting up
an acceptable bond being given a full
license. But in view Of the fact that
| II has been the policy Of the Govern
ment in the past to Tx certain saloon
| limits, and by reason Of that policy
coping up the twenty one licenses
now in existence within Il very small
compass. II would seem to he reason
able that the holders of the present IT,
Censes should have the first option Of
securing new locations II they wish to,
provided that the Government has
now decided to extend the limits.
For the most part, they are men of
known standing and responsibility and
have paid many thousands of dollars
| in license fees to the Government, but
they would be at great disadvantage
should the Government decide to eX-
tend the retail license limits without
reference to their interests. There
may be any number OF new applicants
with whom the Government Is less
well acquainted.
I'VE can see no objection to all OF
them receiving licenses, but we feel
that the old licensees. who have been
compelled to accept, however unwill-
ingly. the sites approved by the au-
thorities, should have the first right OF
selection of location II they wish to
move.
There is no doubt that Governor
Dole Is conscientious in his desire for
the reasonable restriction of the
liquor business. but we submit. as al
ready stated, that so long as this busi-
ness is a lawful one It is not within
the Governirs province to impose I'M
reasonable and improper restrictions
uncalled for by the Legislature.
Present Limits Are Arbitrary.
THE present limits are arbitrary
with the consequence that the entire
number of the present licenses are Is
sued within very small radius. II Ii
: quite probable that II more judi
made, 1t would be found that yer!
few more licenses were needed for thu
natural demand Of the city.
This town or any other, where tn,
trade is licensed, can support certain
number of licensed establishments anC
no more. and IL would seem to be ad
visable that, instead Of Cooping up tn
present resorts in a very CONSTRUCTED
space. there should be distribution
over a larger territory. the probable
result of which would be that tn
present number OF licenses would b.
almost sufficient.
Survival Of the Fittest.
In any case, by issuing a license 4
every responsible applicant the Ii
censes, always at the present rate o
= thnnGnnH In,
would soon resolve itself into one o
the survival Of the fttest. 1t woul,
be found that within a short time som,
would have to go out of business. Ii
the meantime, II appears ridiCulou
for the Governor or any other offcia
, to advance the proposition that he will
or will not, reissue licenses that hay
been in existence for many years.
Y crowdne Hotel Street.
h "A man in Office long time is az
to become autocratical and think tht
whatever he says has the force Of Law
Our firm is not in any sense opposed I
the issuance of a license to anybod
so far as the law allows, but on beha
= of our Mainland connections we al
opposed to the issuance of any licens
10 which permits the sale of alcohol
" beverages of particular brands an
prohibits the sale of the products {
those we are representing.
The crowding of Hotel street wit
saloons, and then issuing new license
all around them, is not fair deal.
, 1T should be remembered tina
7 hitherto, the saloon interest here hi
held aloof from politics, but the att
tude of the Governorment is compe
ling saloon men to combine for PR
lection. They will not merely exc
d. their own local strength in this matte
but II pressed too hard can count upc
the material assistance OF the ass,
ciated liquor interests Of the Unite
& States"