Amador ledger., 1904-02-05
RADIcALIsM IN THE SADDLE.

In the sweeping changes made in
the regulation of the liquor traffic
by the board of supervisors at the
meeting this week, Amador county
. has been committed to the most vio-
lent reactionary movement ever in
augurated in its history. We Wereserve
. our comments on the merits or de-
merits of the new ordinance for some
future occasion. While some reli-
gious devotees-cranks perhaps is
not too strong a term-will hail in
all sincerity this step as the dawn
OF moral regeneration along gospel
lines others, and we venture to
say the greater number of citizens,
will deem it of little practical value
from a moral standpoint. At the
same time as an economic measure
it is likely to prove most disastrous.
For the present we point out the
changes which have been made by
the new ordinance, which will go
into effect May 1st next The license
tax remains the same, $15 per quar-
ter, $3.50 for wayside, the practice
which has always been followed of
classifying saloons in small villages
like Pine Grove, Lancha Plaua, ETC.,
as wayslde places is to be discon-
tinued; they must hereafter pay full
fare. For liquor privileges at picnic
$40 per day-no improvement on old
rates worth speaking Of In this
connection, it is a moot question
whether the usual dancing platform
and lady mattresses can be tolerated
at these gatherings without the 5000
license penalty. But the bug in the
ordinance is that saloon in which
any female actor or dancer is en-
ployed therein or in connection
Herewith must pay 5000 per quarter
in advance. This provision is aimed
at Chinnsmusi hall, and is intended
to suppress that place of amusement.
Furthermore, gambling of every
kind is prohibited, and the saloon
business is to raised to a higher
plane. One peculiar feature is that
no license can be granted to any per-
son who has furnished or is about to
furnish liquor in dance hail. This
we take it, is another dig at John
Chinn, calculated if lived up to
strictly to shut him out of
business for the balance of his DAYS.
Hereafter saloon license is to be
hedged about with many irksome pre-
liminaries. The applicant must get
up petition, which must be signed
by at least ten out of twenty near
est freeholders and taxpayers, he
must publish notice of his inten-
tion in the nearest newspaper for
one week, and give bond for his
good behavior in the sum of $1,000.
And all this formula for the benefit
of the legal and publishing fratern-
tiles must be gone through with
every year. What foltherol -? If
there are too many saloons, the
straightforward plan to reduce their
number would be to raise the license
tax, as the supervisors were asked
to do by petition. But the board
declined to thus face the issue
squarely, but instead requires lot
of 'burdensome provisions, the tend
ency of which is to create privileged
class in this particular line.
To Jackson this matter appeals
strongly. Jackson has been singled
out for special regulation by this
ordinance. Whether this new deal
meets the approval of our citizens
or not is not the question now. The
fact is they were not consulted to any
extent. Only 16 names of Jackson's
population appeared on the petition
the smallest number of any town
ship in the county. And yet Jack
son furnishes one third of the voting
strength, and fully one third of the
license revenue of the county. We
have furnished the bulk of the road
money for this district, notwith-
standing the major part of the fund
has gone to the improvement of out
side roads. With anything like fair
consideration, this one-sided ar
rangement might probably be con-
tinued. Under present conditions,
have we not reached the parting of
the ways. Is it not time to assume
control of our own internal affairs by
Incorporating the town. The editor
OF the Ledger fought incorporation
before. He would do so again under
the same circumstances. But as the
game now stands a movement for
home rule by crowning Jackson with
the dignity of city will meet with
our earnest support. 1t may be
that Jackson as an Incorporated city
will favor more stringent liquor
law than the county ordinance. All
right, we shall not kick on that ac
count. We shall at least have the
satisfaction of knowing that Jack
sons policy in this respect is shaped
by majority of her citizens and
wel-wishers, and not by outsiders
who are unidentified with her ma