Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-16
MONOPOLY OF CITY SALOONS
Los Angeles Citizens OfFer to Buy All
saloons and Install New Goth
enburE system.


Twenty-Five prominent business men and
capitalists of Los Angeles, advocates Of tile
Gothenburg system of saloon regulation,
held conference recently and decided to
incorporate company which shall offer to
take In charge the entire retail liquor BUSH
ness of Los Angeles.
For this privilege the company will offer
to pay into the treasury OF the city the
present revenue derived from the sale Of
saloon licenses-S1s00O0 a year-and will
close all but seventy-five OF the 200 saloons
Here is the proposition Of the committee
OF twenty-five men, who represent almost
unlimited capital
The company will take the entire two
hundred saloon licenses issued by the city
and pay the present revenue of $4,000 per
annum. closing 125 OF the saloons and run
ming seventy-hve.
After having paid the license tax to the
city the stockholders shall be entitled to a
dividend not exceeding 6 per cent on the
actual amount Of their investment All the
profits above per cent per anntIm Will be
paid into the city treasury for the purpose
Of lessening taxation.
While the courts have decided that no
man has vested right to sell LIQUOR and
that the police commission can revoke
licenses without showing cause. we do not
favor anything that saYors OF confiscation
and would offer TO buy the furniture and
fixtures Of every saloon now running at
| their appraised value and would also ap-
praise the good will. paying for the latter in
| annual installments over series OF years
and out Of the profits; the payment for good
will being regarded as a purely moral and
not legal obligation.
| Among the advantages Of such a system
compared with the present system. az
claimed by those interested in the move
are:
! First-The reduction in the number OF
saloons from 200 to seventy-hve.
second-The closing OF all saloons OF the
disreputable class and the strict complianc,
with laws prohibiting the sale of liquor t.
minors and drunken men.
Third-The sale of only absolutely pur,
liquors.
Fourth-~The sale of nonintoxicatins
drinks and the preference given such
drinks over intoxicating liquors.
Fifth-The discouraging as far as posi-
BILE of the treating habit
Sixth-The entire elimination OF the pri
waite saloonkeeper and his organization
from local politics
seventh--The large increase obtained fl
the revenues OF the city resulting from
all the profits being paid into the cit,
treasury, causing a very substantial re
duction in the rate Of taxation, or per
hitting the Improvement OF roads an,
parks and building Of school houses to al
extent not possible with present revenues
The amount Of money at which tn
company will be capitalized was not state,
In the resolution, but leaders in the move
ment say II will be ample to cover al
needs.
The twenty-five men who, 1t is expected
will form the company represent probabl,
tloo 100000 at n conservative estimate
Members of the council say that II tn
proposition is formally submitted TO tn
city a special election probably will b
held and the voters will be given an op
portunity to express an opinion on tn
merits Of theGothenburg system.-Lo
Angeles Herald.