The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-19
THE IMPORTANT
MEETING Of AUG. /

The meeting of the Board of License
Commissioners on August 5, the meet
ing at which the policy of the board
was finally adopted and the present
license issued, was one of the most i'm
portant public meetings ever held in
the island, according to all accounts.
The best men from all over the island,
besides others, were there. There was
a very considerable gathering and
there was a free discussion of the
whole situation and of the whole prob
lem and the various proposals.
The board consists of George N. Will
cox, chairman; George s. Fairchild,
Walter McBryde, Samuel Mahelena.
rsecretary of the board; and William
All Rice. Mr.. Rice is visiting In South
ern California, and so was not present
at this or any of the meetings of the
board. 1t was at this meeting that
the public hearings on the applications
then before the board were given and
1t was in these hearings that the dis
cussion arose.
SEVERAL PROPOSALS.
There were several proposals. Rev.
J. Nj. Lydgate had canvassed the is
land pretty thoroughly both to feel
public sentiment and to develop it. 81
felt, and those who agree with me
felt" he said in speaking of the sub
ject and of this meeting, ''that this
new law and the commission appointed
under it, offered an opportunity to the
people of Kauai to correct very seri-
Gus condition of affairs. The liquor
traffic had grown during very few
years to enormous proportions. A keen
and reckless competition had been de-
veloped in the business which, while
it reduced the profits of the business
to a very low basis brought about
abuses and conditions that were de-
moralizing and damaging. All classes
of the community and all races We're
being debauched. Public drunkenness
was common and increasing. Fights,
disorder and more serious crimes due
to drinking and drunkenness were
alarmingly frequent. The arrests for
drunkenness Increased in two years
over two hundred per cent. Drunk
enness undoubtedly increased more
than that, for so common had 1t be-
come that the police as well as the
rest of the community had become
caAoused to 1t. and arrests were fire.
qfentIy not made unless there was
more than the usual cause for arrest.
NOT THE WORST FEATURES.
1.-The fact that the liquor bill OF
Kauai had increased to more than a
quarter of a million dollars, and that
the arrests for drunkenness had In
creased more than 200 per cent. were
indications of the growth of the traf-
fic, but were not its worst features
These were the debauchery that was
increasing among all races and among
both sexes. The increase in the num-
her of the idle and the dissolute. The
suffering imposed on women and chill
dren. The decentralization that, begin
ming on the plantations and first telt
there, extended to every branch OF
business and employment.
s.Feerng that who knoweth but this
hoard NAV have come for such q time
90 +hisq, I travelled pretty well over
the island to find out how the senti-
ment was. AS a means or testing anu
formulating sentiment 1 drew up two
petitions. The first one was as IoiioWs
and represented what appeared TO De
very strong sentiment in the comInu-
nifty and to be practicable:
TO the Honorable Board Of License
Commissioners for the County OF
Kauai. Hawaii.
We the undersigned residents ana
property holders of the County OF ma,
ual respectively urge upon your ooaFu
the following considerations:
1. We believe it TO be for the pest
ipkerests of the county that no retain
" saloon licenses be granted for the
County of Kauai.
?. We believe 1t is also for the pest
interests Of the county to restrict the
number of licenses granted. on the