The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-19
UNIFORM S24OO ADOPTED
 AND SALOON AREA LIMITED
Majority in Council Defends It's PosifiOn On
 Prohibition Question

The majority members of the council made statement of their position at tho council meeting last night. It was read by Alderman Klotz and was as follows:
 There has been much misrepresen- tation and misunderstanding of the atti- tude of the majority of the City Council which has just passed the ordinances raising the liquor license to $240O per an mum. and strictly regulating the same, that we feel 1t proper to make a state ment with a view to removing misappre- henslon and clearing up statements in regard to this matter.
 When the proposition to increase the license to S2500 was first advanced there was bona fide, honest difference of opinion in the council, as to the reason ableness of so large an increase at that time. This opinion was not confined to members of the council who doubted the wisdom of prohibition, but it included members who ardently and honestly, then and now, advocate prohibition as a mat ter of principle. Upon the question of fixing the license at much higher than the present rate there was no difference of opinion whatever. The controversy was solely upon the point as to whether the increase should be to $15OO or whether it should be s2500, and the lines were in no sense drawn between the prohibition ists and the ti-prohibitionists on this subject After the long, continued dead lock on the subject, and in view of the condition of the public mind, a number of members of the council became of the opinion that the demand for a high H. cense and strict regulation should be met at this time and not deferred until the usual time for making up licenses for the succeeding year. In pursuance of this idea, it seemed to them that it would be equitable and fair to place a higher license upon those saloons doing busi- ness in the heart of the city, where the volume of business was much greater and where it seemed that they could more conveniently afford it, In consequence of this the ordinance was prepared, fix ing the license for the outlying dis tricts at $160o and that for the more cen trai property at S320O
 
 nance it was discovered that the validity thereof under a provision of the new municipal code which had not been called to our attention would be doubtful and hence it was found necessary to abandon the idea in order to comply with what seems to be the requirement. of the new code. This change in the condition of affairs and the great variety of opinion i in the council, which has always ex- isted with respect to the proper amount of license, caused the subject at that | time to be laid on the table; the prohibi- | tionists in the council voting solidly tc that end. But since that time, aftei earnest and conscientious effort to gel l together and to do what was believed to be the right and proper thing, a l majority of the council have agreed upon the ordinances which have been adopted tonight and it is our confident belief that the adoption of these ordinances will dc more to promote the real cause of req l temperance than anything that can be oi l has been done. The council, in the fullest and amplest detail, have met tn, demands of every citizen who honestly desires strict regulation, segregation and high license.
 Tt has been suggested by those whc are unadvised upon the subject, and wh; hesitate to give credit for sincerity tc others than themselves, that the attemp of the majority of the council to ac