Evening journal., 1907-11-14
EARLY CLOSING,
NO FREE LUNCH,
HIGH LICENSE
These and Several Other Re-
forms Considered By
Liquor Dealers
NO DEFINITE ACTION YET

Many sweeping reforms in the conduct
Of the liquor business in this city will take
place II the suggestions considered at a
meeting Of the liquor dealers of Whining
ton yesterday afternoon are adopted.
They include early closing. the elimina-
ii of the dive" type OF saloon, abol-
ton Of the free Iuncn. exclusion of wo-
mon, doing away with side rooms, and
other radical changes, along with the adj
vocacy Of a license fee Of 5000, double
what is paid now.
More than one hundred of the men en-
gagged in the liquor business in this city
assembled in the F8ternal Eagles Hall
where reformatory action was discussed.
-lt will be recalled that in the recent cam
paign George Muller. who was in charge
of the educational and publicity work Of
the License Committee, advocated early
closing. the wiping out of dives" and
other changes he considered would tend
TO an elevation Of the business in the
rullic estimation As a result of his ex-
preston at that time Mr. Muller was in
vited to address the liquor dealers yester-
day. and it is understood he talked
straight from the shoulder TO the men.
Abolish "Haif- Pints."
While the meeting was behind closed
doors. some Of the participants to-day
were discussing the reforms suggested by
MT. Muller and other speakers yesterday.
one of the innovations broached was the
clceing Of all saloons at IL O'Clock at
night. not TO reopen until o'clock the
next morning, and with no midnight OPEN
ing as soon as the clock shows l2.0l
o'clock Monday morning.
Another reform considered was that Of
doing away with the sale of "half-pints'
over the bar. which would put an end
to the pocket flask of whiskey.
Tho abolition Of the back room,
where men and women congregate for
drinking at some of the saloons also
was advocated, and the death knell Of
toe free lunch also was suggested.
No More Free Lunch
II this should be adopted the famil-
lar sign Of snapper Soup Tonight"
-F4assenpeffer," and others on free
lunch days, would disappear from the
saloon window Music and other hi
larious attractions also are to be barred
from the saloons if the plan contem-
plated is adopted, and no drinks will
be sold to men who appear to have had
enough for their general welfare.
While no definite action was taken
on these reforms yesterday afternoon,
It is understood that they will be
adopted. One Of the radical changes
= suggested is that of having the liquor
license fee increased to $500 a year,
or double what it is now, and it is un-
derstood that many of the liquor deal
ers of wilmington are willing to go
before the Legislature and advocate
this change.
In the Boston Law
The reforms suggested are now en-
bodied IN the Boston liquor regulation
law. which is considered one of the
best in the country. In Boston, how
ever, the license fee is $1,000 a year
Mr.. Muller quoted the Boston law, and
it is understood that he pointed out
some of the objectionable conditions in
Wilmington, particularly the olives,
and told the liquor dealers that il
rested mainly with them whether they
would turn public opinion their way
and stem the anti-license sentiment.
1t is estimated that the increased IL
cense fee would put some of the sa-
looms out of business, unless they
would get the backing Of wholesalers
or breweries. 1t is understood that
many individual owners Of saloons OBJ
ject to the wholesalers and brewers
controlling so many places, and they
wish this condition done away with
This may provoke a clash between
these interests. as the breweries and
wholesale dealers control numerous sa
looms i'm various parts Of the city that
they would be reluctant to part with.
Another meeting Of the retailers viii
be held shortly to act on the reform,
under consideration.