Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-31
TINES UP
FOR FAMILY
LIQUOR MEN
MUST QUIT OR MOVE INTO NEW
ZONE TODAY
HUNDREDS CROWD CITY HALL
CORRIDORS
Council by Decisive Vote Turns Down
Plea for Delay by Wholesalers
Attorneys---Wi Man.
damus

With the lobbies packed to suffoca-
tion the city council yesterday unani-
mously put itself on record as oppos-
ing a further extension of time in
which the twenty-foVr wholesale Gam
ily) liquor store owners must be moved
into the saloon zone or close up. Their
time limit expires tonight.
Hundreds of men and women, cler-
gymen and a few of the liquor element
were indiseriminately mixed In the
throng that extended out into the mar
BILE corridors and even along the stair
way at the big city building during the
afternoon session.
Attorneys Frank James and 1sadore
Dockweiler spoke for the liquor men
and suggested as a compromise that
the council pass a resolution suspend
ing prosecutions thirty days or until
the machinery of the civil courts could
be set in motion to settle the question
whether the city council could revoke
licepses granted by the police commits
sionerS.
Call Resolution Folly
Several ministers replying said that
such action would be folly, as 1t would
amount to a legislative body passing
law and then asking that the law be
violated.
City Attorney Leslie r. Hewitt
clinched this argument when, at the
conclusion of the debate, he said that
without disrespect to the council, his
sworn duty was to enforce the laws,
and he would feel obliged to ignore
such resolution if it were passed.
If the wholesalers carry out their
threat they will seek a writ of man.
date in the superior court to prevent
enforcement of the ordinance, and
dot froa frv1 in SiytV
or ninety days.
Counsel James said England has
different policy in regard to closing
similar places, for commons has prac-
tically agreed to q law under which
every establishment as fast as it is
closed is bought by the government.
He asked that the council agree under
certain restrictions to let the estab
lishments run until the courts could
settle the issues.
Council Granted Grace
Councilman Wallace suggested that
as most business men take vacations
the liquor men might at this time find
1t convenient also to take a months
vacation until the courts had acted.
He said the council had been marvel
ously considerate, as 1t gave eleven
months grace.
He said also that during the recent
furry there were many vacant stores
which could have been rented cheaply
had the dealers been disposed to abide
by the laws and move into the business
district.
j. P. Brockmeyer said in feeling lam
guage that he was losing hundreds
monthly, as he could not rent his prop
erty on Central avenue soon-property
kept vacant by the presence of fam
lily liquor store near by.
Attorney Dockweller then spoke. He
asked an opportunity to prosecute dill
gently a test case to settle certain is
sues. adding that it must be borne In
mind that liquor dealers were doing a
legal business under licenses properly
granted.
Would Push Test Case
Attorney Nathan Newby of the civic
righteousness committee of the Church
federation said Mr.. Dockweiler's sug-
gestion was the embodiment of an
archy.
"City officials are asked to disregard
their oaths of office" said Mr.. Newby.
THAT is the essence of anarchy.
Every court from the highest to the
lowest has held that the sale of liquors
involves no vested rights"
C. ]. Hall, for the Los Angeles Pro-
hibition union, said while plea was
made for fair play for the twenty-four
he pleaded for the thousands of persons
debauched by liquor. The moral at
mosphere of the community had been
polluted by these men and it was time
for change and for law enforcement.
"city Needs the Money"
Theodore Grumbach, speaking for
liquor men, said all of his neighbors on
Central avenue were "willing to go to
the bat'' for him. He called attention
to the fact that thousands of dollars of
revenue would be lost to the city, yet
the police and fire departments were
crying for more men.
Presiding Elder Atkinson replied
that if the liquor business were abol-
ished most of the policemen could soon
be dispensed with. Cities outside of
Los Angeles had tried doing away with
liquor and taxes there were smaller
than in Los Angeles.
Rev. E. S. Chapman invited the liquor
men to meet his friends at the ballot
box and then bow in submission.
A. Niemeyer, who said he had nine
children and had lived in one block on
Central avenue thirty-four years, said
the temperance people should abide by
the votes of the people rather than to
permit transient reverends who fit
here to mold their opinions.
The DockWeiler resolution was then
tabled amid cheers.