The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-10-29

High License in Massachusetts
Rev. o. r Miller of Holyoke, Mass,
spoke in the Congregational church,
Friday evening, last, upon dow High
License and LEGAL Option work in
Massachusetts," He said, "In Massa-
chnsetts we have learned several things
about high License.
First-High license does not drive out
the low dives. The licensing OF open
saloons does not stop the Illicit sale OF
liquor The licensed liquor dealers
never prosecute or drive out of business
the unlicensed and illegal liquor dealers.
Why? There are two reasons. First,
because he licensed dealers continually
violate the law themselves, hence do
not dare prosecute the low dives lest the
latter IN turn should prosecute them.
secondly the licensed dealers do not
care TO prosecute the illegal dealers be-
cause the latter buy their supply OF
liquor of licensed dealers. Did you
over hear of saloon keeper prosecuting
one of his patrons for buying liquor OF
him? In many Massachusetts, license
cities we have as many illegal rumshops
as we have licensed saloons.
"oecondly. High license is constant
ly and fagrantly violated. The licensed
dealers of Massachusetts shamefully
violate many of the provisions OF the
very law under which they are au-
thorized to do business. This IL the
testimony of all who have made any in
vestigation on the subject. Probably
ninety nine out of every one hundred
licensed lquor dealers of Massachusetts
violate those provisions of the license
law which forbids their selling to minors,
to drunkards to intoxicated persons or
to persons who have been intoxicated
within six months; and many OF them
also violate those other provisions OF he
license law which foIbids their selling
Cd Sundays or on holidays, or before six
o'clock in the morning, or after eleven
o'clock at night.
"Talk about the farce and hypocrisy
of unenforced prohibition In Maine, 1t is
not one fourth as big farce as the non
enforcement of the provisions OF the
high license law in many Massachusetts
cities and towns.
"Third, High license is much harder
to enforce than prohibition. WhyP Be.
cause it is harder to get evidence OF
violations under license than under pro-
hibition and because it is harder to get
a jury to convict licensed dealer than
an illicit dealer. Under prohibition the
place where liquor is being sold can be
raided by the local officers and the
liquor seized and the dealer arrested,
prosecuted and convicted, without any
further evidence But under license, if
licensed dealers are violating the law by
selling on Sundays or TO minors or
drunkards, C you can not raid their
places and seize their liquors for they
have a right to have the liquor there.
"Fonrth, High license increases
drunkenness That is, the amount of
drunkenness under license is much
z ealer than under no license or prohi-
bition 1t is only reasonable to suppose
that a man who pays large license lee
aud must furnish mp An expensive saloon,
must sell much more liquor to make
living ,han a dealer, OF dive keeper, who
does not have to pay any license fee, anh
who pays but little rent And the easier
we make 1t for men to get liquor tue
more there will be sold
Fifth, High license increases taxes.
Carroll d. Wright when chief Of the
Bureau of statistics and Labor in Mass
achuse to. said as result of his investi-
CATION: For every dollar OF revenue
derived from the liquor traffic, there IL
a resultant loss of twent-one dollars
Licensing open saloons increases the
pauper, court and police expenses and
thus increase the taxes.
".5ixth, High license increases the
political corruption. The saloons al
ways corrupt the politics of town and
drive good men out of politics and make
1t very difficult to get the best men TO
to run for office. The more open the
saloons are and the more privileges that
are given them, the more defiant they
become. When licensed, they always
enter boldly into local politics, and by
brides or threats generally run the at
fairs of a town in their own interests.
Mr. Miller also explained the diff
culties of local option, saying, ut is too
local aud too optional. Under 1T prohi.
hilton is too hard to get and too easy to
get rid of Every year in Massachusetts
under local option the temperance peo-
Pile have double fight at the same time.
First, they must work hard to carry the
town for no license or prohibition, and
secondly, they must at tne same tlme
work to elect officers to enforce it. If
the liquor men carry the town for
license they of course open their saloons;
but if the town goes for no license, and
the liquor men elect their mayor, then
they sell about as they please. 1t is
hard to win two such fights at once.
In Maine under prohibition there is
only one fight, that of electing your
officers. Better hold on to your present
law, but elect officers to enforce It."