Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-09
First Steps Toward Practical Reeu-
latiOn Of the Liquor Traffic.

yid'iou Oh the lIp tiOr faftic.
The initiative of a course of public
policy. looking toward effective regu
lation of the liquor traffic in Rock Is
land. developed in the proceedings OF
last nights session of the city council
This, in the presentation by Alderman
Louis Ostrom of two ordinances. tC
go forwards as twin measures in the
limitation of the number of saloons
existing in Rock Island today. Both
ordinances which are believed 10 have
the appreciation and hearty support OF
Mayor Schaifer. were laid over for
further consideration. To be of any
effect they must be adopted prior to
the renewal of saloon licenses May
Any tendency toward saloon regu-
lation that is deferred beyond tha!
date will prove farcical in its force.
One ordinance revives the $1,000 Ii
cense proposition brought before the
council some months ago at the in
stance of Mayor Schaffer. but which
failed through the strangely coincident
combined influences of the clergy and
the liquor interests. The Argus al
that time supported the measure as
a step toward proper government OF
the saloon. and the position then
taken, The Argus still maintains.
Apart frcm the conceded fact that
higher license viii prove so much OF
a hardship TO number of saloons
that they will be obliged TO close up
and retire. the only argument raised
by the liquor interests against the or
dinance is that the demand for in
creased license revenue on the part
of the municipality, will compel the
saloon proprietor TO resort TO abuses
that he would not otherwise think of
| in order to make his license money.
The Argus has never taken a great
deal of stock in this basis of reason
| ing. If the saloonlieeper who pays
81 900 year license cannot be made
TO conduct a decent. legitimate place
and eliminate evils that creep into
| the business. that man would, do no
better on a license of 5000 year for
he privilege of conducting saloon
| The whole solution Of this side of the
Question involves first, the inclination
| of the saloonkeeper and secondly the
disposition of the municipal govern
ment. The man who engages in the
saloon business TO make living Out
of it by fair means or foul is the fell
low the people are after in cam
paign of reformation of existing con
| ditions. And ii is i'll such a move
ment as this that the discriminating
force of argument appears as between
the legitimate saloonkeeper who con
ducts his business orderly and with
respect TO law, who often owns his
business and is sometimes a taxpayer
in other ways. and The dive keeper
who disgraees and debauches tht
traffic and brings ii into disrepute
One bad saloonkeeper in any commun
lily vii! kill dozen well regulated
zones. II is the saloonkeeper who I'm
der any stress OF circumstance will
permt disreputable- adjuncts and al
ford shelter to the concealed vice
that must cough UP protection
money in order to be allowed to exis
that the hand of the public is raise;
against. And it is the keeper OF thest
dives who nine times ont of ten il
staked in his business, who will dis
obey any form of regulation aud hal
Dor every sort of debauchery, whom
he community is seeking TO rid iisel
If. II is the dive keeper and the IN
lstitutions that establish him IN bus
lness that are combining 10 briu
shame and condemnation on the OF
tire business and Fastening the das
lif there is not a radical turning aboul
when the decent saloonkeeper wi
be Obliged 10 suffer because of III
disreputable practices Of his compa
Iitor.
The argument that saloonkeepc
because of a higher license would il
forced TO abandon himself to lawles
methods in the conduct Of his bus
: ness is 10 the mind OF The Argus bosl
: The entire conduct Of the saloon ira
! &c depends upon he attitude of I'll
municipal authorities. If the admir-
8 listration is weak and Facilitating an
: permits laxity OF saloon regulatioi
I THE man who pays but 5000 saloon
tense will. if that is his bent. go just q
i far in violation of the law and Il