The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-05-22
HIGH LICENSE

One thousand dollars for a license
ana the elimination OF Aslatics from
the retail liquor business VIII be the
demand of the Retail Liquor Mems
Association upon the legislature in an
effort TO amend the present liquor law.
This was the policy in favor at a meet
ing of the Association at Waverley
Hall at o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Authority was given at the meeting
to the chairman to appoint a commit
tee of three, to consist of himself and
two others. to go over the old law and
amend 1t suitably to agree with the
sentiment prevailing among the retail
ers and prepare a draft of the same
so that before the next eecton, nomi-
nees for the legislature will know what
may be expected OF them by the liquor
interest.
Col. Mccarthy presided at the meet7
ing which was well attended. The
chairman introduced the subject as fol-
lows:
"As you are all well aware the pres
ent law is not the law of the liquor
dealers. 1t was drawn up by and for
Governor Carter, and, We are advised,
by the influence Of his missionary
friends.
1T suits nobody. My personal opin-
ion is that licenses should be granted
to, or confined to, citizens of the Unit
ed States. 1t may be said this is not
constitutional, but / find that the
supervisors of san Francisco a few
months ago turned down the applica-
tions Tor a renewal of licenses made
| by two Germans. l believe this course
has held in the District of Columbia.
1t holds, l am informed, because 1t is
a police regulation and may take pre-
cedence over the most-favored nation
| treaty clause.
Il further believe that licenses should
be $1,000 for retail business in the city
of Honolulu. In the country districts
it is impossible to pay $1,000. The is
land should be divided into zones.
Within a radius of three miles from the
post office make the licenses $1,000, and
| beyond that. say $3.50.
II am utterly opposed to the Sunday
selling and saloon-cafe business. How
ever, the law is so vague that those
who carry on the cafe business are
within their rights. l believe we
should all close on Sundays and If peo-
pie want to sell liquor on Sundays
| there should be an extra license for
hotels to do business.
This meeting is now open for the
discussion of the subject and l believe
| it would be well to obtain the opinions
of each of those present"
| Major Wolters advised postponing
the meeting until a larger representa-
tion of retail men might be present. He
| had gone about the city the day be-
| fore notifying the retailers of the de-
sire to hold the meeting and thought
| there would be more on hand. How
| lever. he said there was necessity for a
strong committee to be appointed to
| take steps to revise the present liquor
law. Such a course would be beneficial
to the retailers as well as to the COM
munity at large.
| Mr.. Hefferman said he was a new
man in the business but he recognized
| the fact that the present law is un-
satisfactory to all concerned. "It is
taking the business out of the white
mems hands and putting it in those
of the Asiatics. l think the law should
be changed. The liquor dealers ought
| to be able to frame a satisfactory law
Another retail man said that the
proper measure was to have the busi-
ness taken from the Japs and Chinese
and placed in the control of white men
The Chinaman sells a bottle of beer
for fifteen cents" he said, land he
sells a bottle of wine for fifteen cents
You cannot compete with that sort OF
business"
I 81, /, a..
the liquor business many years anC
had been in the islands "a littl,
twhile"
THE Jap and the Chinaman take tn,
lead now" he said, land the whit,
man follows them. l am in favor Of
having licenses granted to none ex
cept voters or citizens eligible to vote
l am in favor of high license, $1,000.
Governor Carter made a present o
a license to the Union Grill so yol
cannot make fish of one and fowl o
the other when 1t comes to the caf
business. You can blame Governo
Carter for starting that business off.
Mr.. Sullivan said he had the sam
opinion of the matter as Mr.. Dee. II
favored high license restricted to vot
ers.
p. F. Ryan said he favored tn
: thousand dollar license. "I was op
posed to this cafe business in connec
tion with the saloon business, but I wa
losing my trade under the present lay
! and 1 had to open up one to save my
self.
when l came to this country ther
We're few saloons and they were a.
1 Lac. ,s, g IL.