The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-12
DRUNKENNESS
INCREASING
The Anti.SaIoon
League Hears
Report.

were discussed. A report of the agita-
ton committee of the league met with
the unanimous approval of all present
and it was recommended for publica-
ton The report resulted from ques
lions which were sent to representative
Hawaiians and haoles asking for in
formation concerning the increase or
decrease of drunkenness with the in
crease of saloons during the past four
years. The report is as follows:
Your Agitation Committee would pre-
sent the following report as a result of
the questions sent out during the past
month:
Of about three hundred letters, 200 to
whites and 100 to Hawaiians, the an
swers to the total number were in the
ratio of twenty-five per cent and six
ty-three per cent, respectively.
AS to the character of the persons adj
dressed, it may be said that they are of
the conservative class of people, of the
partisan, non-sectarian element.
To support this statement of ours by
giving names or illustrations would be
to betray the confidence reposed in us,
and to break the promise which we
made. No refusal to accept the value
of these returns, based on uncertainty
as to the character of the persons vot-
ing, can be valid as long as any i'm
portance is placed upon the value of
% i,ryi
this or any other question, this jury of
ours being four or five times as numer
Gus and certainly as fairly drawn. The
comparatively small number of replies
from white men seems to us to be
significant either of apathy on the sub
ject, or fear that an expression of opin-
ion would commit or involve the writer;
or, again, there might have been a
wish to keep the question in the back
ground for political reasons. These in
ferences seem to be fair and more likely
to have been operative than positive
antipathy to the Anti-Saloon League.
The report of the answers previously
published in The Friend will give rise
to various conclusions. We would make
the following deductions from it:
1st: That the natives and the whites
differ Numerically as to the influence
of the saloon on drunkenness, illicit
| selling, and increased immortality in
other directions resulting therefrom.
We give it as our opinion that the ma
| tives are in a better position to judge
| of all of these things. Independent evil
dence corroborative of Lneir view comes
| from other sources, that is, the report
| of the Hawaiian Evangelical Associa-
| ton and an item in the September
| Friend" from Kona.
| End: We note that most of the argu-
ment and agitation on the liquor ques-
| ton has centered around interest in the
natives. We would urge the reason
ableness of the view that their opinion
is worthy of consideration.
| 3rd: We would again call attention
to the answers on subject now re-
Fceiving most of the popular attention,
viz: the influence of the light wine and
| Primo saloons on the use of stronger
drinks. Here the Hawailans are over
whelmingly of the opinion that the use
of strong drink has been promoted
rather than decreased by the increase
of these saloons. This is in the face
of opinion to the contrary by promin-
ent public officials in the town. 1t must
be remembered that this native view
represents country vote as well, an6
would seem to be explainable on the
grounds of the educating influence OF
the saloon in a community. For ex.
ample, licensed saloon suggests profit
in that line of business; others in thai
neighborhood see no reason why they
should not derive some profit from the
same source. But more important still
is the fact that drinking begets drink.
ing, and the tendency of the licensed
saloon is to create sentiment in favor o.
drinking. This we append as an ex
PLANTATION of the native vote. We fee
at liberty to say, from our knowledge O
the individuals, that prominent whit,
men in the districts, who are, by tht
character of their position, best able Il
arrive at correct judgment on this sub
ject, coincide with the native view.
4th: We note a quite general state
ment as to the amount of Illicit sales o
liquor. Both whites and natives unit
in the almost unanimous opinion (wher
I they express any at AID, that liquor il
sold and publicly. In many instances
we are informed that the police max,
no effort to prevent it. This being tn,
case, your committee wonders as to tn
| support of the argument generally pre-
sented that the enormous increase o
| these saloons during the last few year
4 has decreased illicit sales.
l Fifth: Among other interesting fact:
we note that the policy suggested mos
! frequently as best suited to our con
: ditions is a government control in some
such way as by the Gothenburg OF
South Carolina system. In this connec
ton there seems to be the consensus
of opinion that it would be unwise tt
make the liquor question a political is
sue. In sympathy with this latte
opinion we are all the more SURPRISED
and disappointed in the attitude of tn,
Republican party in their late issu
ance of a platform. First they hav,
prejudged with but very little consid
Grafton large issue which was promi
Iiently before the public during the las
Legislature. 1t will be remembered
that a bill. modelled on the lines of TIL
South Carolina dispensary bill, nearl,
passed the Senate, and clause in tn
Republican platform declares the part,
against any Territorial control, whicl
commits the party to no further con
slderation of any of the great system
IN vogue in Russia, Sweden and Soutl
Carolina. The circumstances unde
which this was done leave room for bu
one conclusion, viz, that this actor
was instigated by liquor men in the in
terest of liquor houses. 1t appears t