Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-06-17

i
the "prohi'' is not only unfair but
does not object to receiving ground
rent or house-rent where the liquor
business is carried on, nor spurn div
idends from the stock.
| We fail to note that the stock of
the brewery with which Mr.. Hooking
is connected has suffered any serious
reverse, and II his views. on local op-
tion are unconsciously Influenced by
private interest he is not more hu-
man than those by whom he is 80
quickly attacked.
The vested interest" involved in
the liquor problem is not set aside
with a sheer by the sensible men OF
the community who are aiming to
strike fair solution Of the liquor
traffic. II vested interest becomes
a predatory interest It is entitled to
all the condemnation II gets. Under
any circumstances, 1t is entitled to a
fair hearing and to justice.
In considering the brewery, we
have always to remember that very
good-sized section OF the community
does not look upon It's existence as
an evil, was pleased when It was pro-
NOTED as local industry, and found
satisfaction in the fact that men
gained employment through its con-
struction and profitable operation.
The men whose interest Is vested in
this enterprise cannot, all of sud-
den, have become vile.
Where the Bulletin believes
the radical temperance people are
making their mistake is in heading
the movement to tamper with the
liquor law, when we have law now
on the statute books which is about
as perfect local option as anything
can be, and keep the liquor business
out OF politics.
The temperance men and the liq-
uor men are practical unit in adj
hitting that the present law is the
best Hawaii has ever had. The liQ-
uor-license boards are Independent,
and, being appointed from among the
citizens Of the Counties over which
they have authority, they are in
touch with the local sentiment.
In granting licenses there has not
yet been case where the public
sense Of decency has been outraged
by Indifference to the methods OF con-
Quoting liquor shops. Professionals
are granted every courtesy, and we
know Of no instance where major.
. ity against the existence of saloon
has been overthrow or scorned.
This law has had two years. trial
and the people generally appear sat
isfied. The supplemental local-option
feature will unquestionably tend to
bring the whole liquor matter into
politics. from which, as we under
stand, the radical temperance people
are first to assert 1t should be always
far removed.
The enthusiasm for local option
seems to be inspired by the fact that
some Of the liquor men oppose 1t.
Perhaps some of the liquor men Or
pose 1t because the ''prohis' want 1t.
The practical fact is that. once the
fat of liquor legislation Is in the fire,
there is no telling where It will wind
up. When you start tampering with
a law Of this character, you are as
liable to discover in the end that you
have wide-open law as you are that
It turns out Just as was intended by
, Its friends.
Local option is American when the
people are allowed to vote whether
they shall have saloon as we'll as
} vote whether they shall not. The
local-option program seems to be tina,
the people shall vote only when they
wish to wipe the saloon out Of their
precincts.
, The real question for the average
, citizen to decide is whether the con
! ditions of the liquor trafic will be
improved by starting on on a new
tangent before the present law has
been given fair trial, and while II
is favorably commented on as far as
II has gone.
We w nut uciicVe that tne peOpie
of the Territory view Mr.. Hooking q
enterprise as nuisance or that any
thing he has to say on the regulation
of the liquor traffic Is justification
for a brutal and insulting reference
to his enterprise as a public null.
sance. 49,.
1t is true that any free-born
American people may grapple an en-
terprise by the throat and throttle II
to death.
1t has not proved good policy Il
do 30. And We doubt that Hawai-
will experiment.