Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-15
Finally. Brethren, the Saloon Eegu
latiOu.

Finally, Brethren, the Saloon Isegu-
latiOn.
The far-reaching problem in all that
pertains TO the conduct of the saloon
in Rock Island in the present status OF
the situation is that which involves
the elimination of disreputable ele
ments The action of the council Mon
day night removed, for the present al
least, the possibility of accomplishing
this most desirable end by means of
restricting and regulating ordinances
based on increased licenses. The plan
of action thus contemplated was de-
feated through the hostility of the Ii
quor interests. whose counter argu-
ment was that it was in the power OF
the municipal government TO drive out
the destructive influences and regu-
late the traffic, and that if there was
any fault to be found it was with the
city more than with the saloons them
Selves The solution of the whole
question in Rock Island, in the light of
the last developments, is up to the
mayor. The conservative. liberal mind
cd citizen has always maintained that
the saloon should be dealt with as a.
business proposition. but kept in it's
legitimate place in the community, and
so regulated by license and otherwise
that the grounds for complaint as to
its conduct shall not exist.
To what extent the mayor will go
now in the exercise of, the functions
that unavoidably attach to his Office
tionary nature that are unquestionably
his, il remains to be developed. The
policy outlined by the mayor yester
Cay is manifold in its purposes. 1t
provides for strict enforcement of law
and such other forms of regulation as
are undoubtedly within the power of
the mayor to apply as will rid the sa-
| loon of vice. A few years ago, when
| the saloons were closed on Sunday for
a period, The Argus. while not in SYM
pathy with the spirit that prompted
the act, in the course of its comments
on tho policy then pursued. said mo
right thinking citizen. whatever his
views as to the exigencies or circum-
stances prompting the present proceed
ure. can or will raise his voice against
| the enforcement of law or of official
mandate. Yet back of the whole saloon
problem is an evil far greater than
j that at present at issue. The glaringly
Ideplorable circumstance is not so much
in the fact that the saloon is conduct
ed as how it is conducted One bad
saloon in a single day will do more
harm than dozen decent saloons run
levery day in the year Rock Island
has too many saloons, and worst OF
Jail. too many that are disreputable
and Ii is significant fact that may
be well pointed out to the municipal
executive a: this particular hour thai
the saloons where the greatest evil
exists are not those in the outlying
districts, but for the most part within
the fire limits, right under the con
stant surveillance of the city ~authori
ties. A policy that will clear out the
joints that harbor women. will accom-
lplish not only the most worthy ends
but those most sought by all classe.
. of people. The good citizen will nj
more stand for seeing public moral:
trodden under foot than he will TO,
seeing the law -trampled upon"
This view of the situation expressed
! then by The Argus applies with jus
: as much force to the developments o
today. Mayor Schaffer in addition tt
2 IdeclaRing his purpose TO enforce tn,
law. has given warning that the div,
must go. Consistent with this idea, ;
number of licenses have already beef
= lrevoked The mayor promises that h,
has a good sized list of saloons tina
) Twill be denied license renewals unde
: tany circumstances. The public vii
4 await the disclosure of that list May
!. The mayors determination to pu
$ Ievery saloon on It's Individual footing
J, by abolishing the bonding system il
vogue for some years is also commend
$ liable. The saloon that is held account
! able for its own acts, and which mus
b lget its security outside the liquor bus
liness. will prove the easiest to regt
slate.
II The city is the best whose saloon
al are the best regulated. regulated nc
always as. the saloons themselve
stwouid have them regulated, bnt in
I manner that the saloon owner VIII
wants the, business conducted respec,
'-sably will not object to- Let us hop