The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-31

sneaker at the evening conference in II
\ Y. NJ C. a. hall, speaking upon "Tt
. Saloon and Law" Following his &C
dress the meeting was opened to a ger
| eral discussion in which several pei
, sons spoke upon the burning question
commenting generally upon tn
speeches and addresses made at tn
i, morning and afternoon sessions. Th
proposition of W. c. Weldon that tn
| death knell of the saloons would b
sounded by prohibiting the traffic b
night, combining it to the hours of day
light, and closing the saloons a tn
same hours other business houses lock
ed their doors was well-received Mrs
n H Otis and Mrs. G.. NJ. Whitne
sang THE Beautiful Shore" as duet
liz a manner which was both inspiring
and effective. w. r. Castle spoke, il
part, as follows:
| w. r. CASTLES SPEECH.
J II think that the subject of the sa
loon, and what to do with it is mos
| difficult matter to tackle. 1t is Difficult
because the saloon is not only firmly
rooted in the habits of civilized races
! because it has acquired a place in the
! habits of our forefathers and is as
strong today in the position it occupies
as before, but the saloon has also a
| well recognized position in law 1t has
certain recognized rights that are
guarded by law until it has become
called the poor mans club Says one
writer: $500 admits some men to the
exclusive clubs in the great cities; 50
admits few men to the Young Men
Christian Association, a social club, but
five cents admits the multitude to the
warmth and good fellowship of the sa-
loom
Annexation has brought about some
new relations in the liquor question in
Hawaii. The laws which created Ha-
wall a Territory provide that all the
laws of this country not inconsistent
with the Constitution of the United
States shall continue to exist, but ii
also states that American laws not ap-
plicable to this country shall not apply
here. In Section 90 it makes the very
important point regarding the sale of
and dealing in intoxicating liquors as
prohibitory except as authorized and
restricted by the laws of the Territor-
ial Legislature. Taking these things
altogether we find our liquor traffic is
pretty much under our own control af-
ter all. Then there is not so much
chance for interference on the part of
the Federal government. By a series
of decisions the Supreme Court of the
United States has held that absolute
prohibition is within the powers of the
States. 1t has held that the question
of the right to sell liquor, that is, by Ii
cense, is one which the Supreme Court
will not review. The entire course of
legislation, or rather the action of the
courts of the United States, is such that
we may expect help in this Territory
revenue laws came here by the act of
annexation. The United States rather
looks upon the liquor question as
practical legitimate source of income
and the taxes that are put upon liquor
are really quite remarkable
The speaker told of the various taxes
put upon machinery for distillng liq-
uor, adding that about forty per cent
of the income of the country was from
liquor.
Our laws here Mr.. Castle contin-
ued, with regard to the importation
of liquor are repealed by the Act of an
neXation and everything that pertains
to duties is repealed. We undertook to
prohibit absolutely some things, but
that is now done away with. To begin
with the wholesaler. Our law says Ii
cense may be granted to any vender of
merchandise to a wholesale dealer in
liquors. For this a fee of $500 with
thousand-do dollar bond is required. The
next is the dealers license, for which a
$500 fee is required and a bond for
$1,000. The dealer can sell in lots not
less than a dozen bottles, etc. Next is
the retailers license and he is the man
who has the saloon. The tax is $1,000,
with a bond for $1,000. The laws regu-
lating the sale of liquor have almost
made the business respectable, as far
as this community is concerned. 1t is
hedged in in such a way that a great
deal of it that might be bad had been
taken away"
Mr.. Castle then read a license for a
retail dealer, in blank, which provides
that no women or girls shall be allow
ed in the saloon, that no music or dane
ing can be permitted and no gaming of
any kind. There was still another Ii
cense which the speaker said the COM
had to deal with.
This is for the sale of malt liquors.
There is one license for a distillery for
spirituous liquors, but there is no distil- !
was all shipped out of the country.
There is also a license to brew malt |
liquor, the one granted about a year |
ago and which has a life of fifteen |
years. For this a fee of $3.50 is paid. |
There is a full quota of licenses for the |
sale of malt liquors. The subject is one |
we have got to stand up against and |
fight. If we are going to make any |
progress in temperance we have to |
tackle the most attractive feature, and |
that is the saloon. L understand these
places are very handsomely fitted up"
The dispensary system in South Car
DINA, the Gottenburg system in Nor
way and Sweden and the restrictions
on the sale of liquor in Russia were re-
ferred to by the speaker. He thought
the Dispensary system was not entire
ly successful, as the selling of a bottle
Of liquor instead of a glassful as else
where, was not conducive to temper
ance. Man is a gregarious person and
likes society, which he has found in the
saloon. To supplant this place is to
open institutions to be conducted in a |
w1V TO attract nd