Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-23
LICENSE LEAGUE
ON SOLUTION OF
THE PROBLEM

10 Our Fellow Citizens:
Obedience to law Is essential To the
continuation of our institutions and no
fact in our history. as recorded day
by day, Is more lamentable than the
failure on the part Of states and muni-
eipalities to enforce the edlcts of so
ciety as expressly on our statute
books.
We shall not undertake to show
what causes are responsible for this
state of affairs, but shall go directly TO
the point We have in view, and say
that the failure on the partkof society
to enforce It's laws for the regulation
of the retail liquor trade mas brought
hat trade into d%isrepute, has driven
from its ranks many of the self-re-
speeding element, and is responsible
for a crusade against the entire traffic.
widespread, fanatical and destructive
to properly rights, to revenues and 10
individual liberty of action.
As citizens we deplore the non
observance of law. and as distillers,
brewers, wine makers, wholesale
liquor dealers, and reputable saloon
keepers. we protest against "a status
50 destructive TO u best interests.
financial. social and otherwise.
In a word, we insist that saloon
keepers shall obey all laws or else be
retired from this business. and 10 as
sist i'm bringing these things to pass,
we have organized The Model License
League.
OF course. the saloon keeper is No,
the only man who violates law, for IL
this were true "a very large percent
age OF our rich men would now
be clerks or mechanics. but some sa-
loon keepers do violate law and with
marked persistency.
Tho saloon kepUpr. like any other
man. g%ravitates instinctively, uncoh-
seiouslN, and in obedience To the inr-
mutable laws Of trade, toward than
line OF conduct which seems 10 prom
Use the most substantial rewards, ana
like other men, he Is Ofttimes persu-
AIDED. because of the force Of competi-
ton. or in obedience to the law OF
self-preservation. to do things which
he condemns at heart, and which do
hurt 20 the opinions, and ~perohanee
to the rights. Of others.
In doing many things that the laws
forbid the saloon keeper find protit-
and this because he finds protection
from the officers of the law.
These things are bad Of themselves.
but they are proving destructive TO
our trade in a thousand ways, anc
self representation demands that we
AXE a hand in putting a stop to
them.
To accomplish this our license laws
must provide an attractive reward to
those saloon keepers who observ"
laws. and "A drastic penalty for those
who violate II.
We have given this matter years 81
close study. and We submit as a result
of same. the Model License law, which
We trust YOU viii consider, and critf-
else. and it it is lacking in any respect
offer us NuuT suggestions
Model License Law.
First-All licenses now outstanding
10 continue I'm force unless canccllca
by % majority of voters.
These licenses should be transfer
able from one TO another, as any othc'
property h transferred. or LETT as =
part of an estate as the good viii or
any other business may be left. This
form Of license is similar to that en-
iuyed los an other lines Of trade. ano
If GRANTED to the retail liquor dealers,
IL viii. i'm our opinion. remove them
at once from active participation III
politics. Undci the present system the
saloon keeper is AT the mercy or The
political boss. and Of the authorize,
elected or appointed for khc purpose
nf ssuing licenses ach year. and As
long as this continues he must OF ne
ccSsity remain an active factor in az
political tights.
Second-No license should be ISSUED
iu the future until the proportion bce
comes not more than one for each 900
of population. and thereafter b g
should be issued IN such proportion as
society or convenience demanded.
Third-A license should yield .
good annual return to government,
hut it should MT be excessive for sew
cral reasons principally because II on
ruurages. and in some cases almost
compels the handling of impure liq-
uory. the sale OF alcoholic beverages
TO intoxicated men and TO minors. an !
the violation of laws in regard to clos
ing at certain hours, etc
n society imposes upon the saloon
keeper. the saloon Keeper viii impose
upon society.
Fourth-All licenses to retail hq-
uors Should De clear. unambiguous
contracts. between The statc-and the
individual. and they should provide
that conviction (frst unense) Of ia"
violation OF law. should carry with q
"a thirty DAYS suspension of the bust
ness % thf license and D second
conviction should work immediate
cancellation. and furthermore that
the holder could never be licensed
again 20 retail liquors IN hat state.
Flnh-A penalty should be pro-
yided i'm AN laws governing the retail
Huuor trgsle agatust any mintf over
rs years who represents himself 10 be
af age in order 10 procure intoXicants.
The dea that is paramount IN these
suggestions Is 90 give a. great value
and security to a license AZ possible.
80 as 90 encourage the utmost obedi-
ence To the Will ~ society as eN-
pressed ln the IaY- on the statute
books. 20 remove the liquor dealer
from politics by making his right to
continue business dependent on his
own VIII aud acts. and 70 provide the
immediate and inevitable csncellatioa
81 iicenss upon conviction 81 the vio-
lation Of law
n these Suggestions are embodied
into law. they will % interfere with
any provisions haf a state uf a NUM-
cipaiitV miay choose to adopt for the
regulation Of the liquor traffic. but
they will insure the enforcement -
fhca. provisions ny an automatic pre-
r Tho -alshn kerper vii enfarr. ,
the provisions because b. giu pas him