Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-16
DECLARES DRUGGISTS
ENCOURAGE ILLICIT
TRAFFIC IN LIQUOR
Police Commissioner Saddler Would Take Off the
Limit on saloons, Clip the, Wings Of I'rug
Counter Tipping and Swell the
Cityo Revenue Thereby

Take the 200 limit off the saloons,
divide the increased revenue to the
city among the police and fire depart
ments, in order that the police may
have sufficient money to suppress the
existing Illicit traffic I'm liquor, Is the
crusade that Police Commlssione
Charles Saddler has begun in All open
letter, which he calls the Liquor Ques-
tion."
Mr.. Saddler is the latest member to
be added to the police commission. EIe
was appointed by Mayor McAleer to
succeed o. T. Johnson, resigned, and
his opinions ON the liquor question are
diametrically opposed to those ex-
pressed by Mr.. Johnson when he was
member Of the board.
In his letter Mr.. Saddler has made
grave charges against the drug stores.
Makes Changes
He declares they are violating the
law every day but that 1t cost money
to secure evidence and prosecute. and
that the police department has not this
money.
He believes that Il greater number OF
retail and wholesale liquor houses
would reduce the liquor business done
by the drug stores and that the city
would reap the benefit in increased
revenue. If this is impossible, he de-
clares, an Increased license should be
levied against those retail saloons now
doing business. HIS letter Is as follows:
"Of all the questions that confront
the interests of a municipality none
forms more dominant part in the
mind of the public than the so-called
liquor question i'm its various aspects.
Having recently been appointed
member of the board of police commits
sion ers-without solicitation on my
part | may add-but having now served
for a number of months, | have formed
some opinions on the subject. and as
an officer of the city sworn to protect
and advance it's interests | may be
pardoned if l bring them to public
notice.
Sunday Sales
For some months quite an agitation
has ensued on the part of the press as
well as individuals in regard to the
Sunday sale of liquors at restaurants
with liquor licenses.
'The ordinance prescribes that
meal should be served with the sale,
and much quibbling has been going on
in regard to what constitutes d square
meal
ITO me it would seen that too much
importance is attached to this question.
Appetites of people differ, and what
one would call a very respecta BILE re-
past might by others be termed light
lunch.
1T is difficult to draw the line here,
and in this regard l would favor n
liberal Interpretation and enforcement
of the ordinance. But while pursuing
minor evils. far greater crime, name
ly, the sale of liquors without license
by drug stores, goes on unabated.
Has Evidence
"I have positive evidence that from
| fifty to seventy-five drug stores in this
| city sell malt liquors as well as whisky
| in large quantities, reaping handsome
profit from these Illicit sales. 1t is to
this phase of the liquor question to
which l invite the attention of the re-
formers, trusting that they may turn
their batteries and wreak their ven-
geance on these hypocritical eVildoers
and lawbreakers.
"Quite a number of years ago the
limit of the number of saloons was by
regulation fixed at 200 but since then
the city has grown tremendously, as
everyone knows. Quite naturally the
consumption of liquor and malt bev-
erages has increased in proportion, as
is fully evidenced by the establishment
of two new breweries and a phenominal
increase in the capacity of the older
ones. But in regard to the retail trade
it is a fact that no more agencies Of
distribution exist now than at the time
when the city had $4,000 or 100000
people,
1t is here where the lawbreakers step
in and rob the city of thousands, even
ten thousands of dollars annually.
Takes Time and Money
zone may say arrest the guilty par
ties bring them to Justice and punish