Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-28
TELEPHONES.
LIQUOR LICENSES.

The time is now at hand for the
FINANCE Committee of our City Council
80 take ND for consideration the Crenshaw
ordinance which proposes to put into
force here a high license system. lie
names 81 600 per annu1n as proper sum
for each saloon to pay. That, Of course,
would be in addition to the license taxes
cxacted by the State and Federal gov
ernments-about $500 additional, we be-
lieve.
Whether the Liquor Dealers Associa-
+ioo would be represented before the
committee has heretofore been matter
of doubt At one time it was said they
would not be: that they would make 1helr
own fight before the City Council, where
they believed they would have a better
prospect OF winning. Our opinion has al
WAYS been that they would have erred in
adopting such policy as that. We holo
mat they would do well to arm COM
u7ittee. or counsel, with all the favorable
facts and figures they could gather, ana
let them appear before the Finance Com
there. the facts they relied upon could
20 before the public and might influence
councillnen. At their meeting last night
the association decided most wisely, as
re think, to make whatever fight they
propose first before the Finance Commit
tee.
The people of Richmond, in our juds-
mcnt would like to see the number OF
bar-rooms here reduced and more revenue
Than is now paid gotten from the licenses,
put certainly they mean to be fair, and to
some extent they and their representa-
tivcs in the Council would be guided by
what is being done in other cities Of our
size The popular impression is that the
sale of liquor brings very little TO the
treasury of Richmond. Is that so? Do
other cities of our class receive mora than
we do and do saloonmen in those States
also have to pay a State tax?
These are things worthy of inquiry, and
we are sure the Finance Committee and
the City Council would like to have any
Information on the subject the Retail
Liquor Dealers Association may be able
20 furnish.
For our part we should like to see a
less number of bars here even if we didnt
make a dime by the change. A license
then would be looked upon. q privilege
os great value and the holder Of it would
pc careful not to violate any law. Not
rnly would he not dispense liquor on Sun
gay. but he wouldn't sell liquor to minors
Or allow his place to become the resort
If rowdies. In short, in neighborhoods
chere there are now too many bar-room:
Mere would then be a less number-fewel
nd better ones.
We are not optimistic enough TO believe
hat the high license system would prove
10 be perfect. Far from it; but we are
sincerely convinced that it would be al
Improvement upon that which we hav.
now Three hundred and twenty place:
where liquor is sold are too many fol
Richmond. especially as many of then
are in localities Were criminals anl
'pistol-toters or noisy fellows resort
No, We do not expect to revolutionz
altogether the morals of the immora
class by the adoption of a high licens
system, but we should expect consider
able good to come from it and we urc,
It's adoption as conservative course. bet
jer suited to our condition than the pres
ent system is or prohibition would be
Hence we say the liquor dealers will max
20 mistake in having calm cool. capa
Die representatives to appear before tn
Finance Committee and discuss terms an
Their details with them.