Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-06-10
BREWERS FAVOR CONTROL
President Liebman Discusses Situation
at Milwaukee.
TAKE THE SAME VIEW
Report that Position of saloon Men
Is Not Understood by the EIe-
ments who Are Fighting
Liquor Trade.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis. June s--The United
States Brewers ASSOCIATION met here today
for the forty-eighth annual meeting. Mayor
David S. Rose Of Milwaukee who had
started a war against the dive saloons in
Milwaukee, made an address of welcome
and in the course of his remarks made ref
erence to the warfare being made against
all saloons which do not become within
the decent" class.
Mayor Rose said that Milwaukee was the
home Of personal liberty" He appreci-7
ated the fact that a great wave Of senti-
ment in favor Of prohibition was sweep
ing over the country and said that too
many good men are being carried away
by the consideration of that sentiment
and that they are committing an onslaught
against great interests and vested rights.
He did not believe in prohibition: does be-
lieve that prohibition is un-American.
President Lehman. of the association
followed with his annual address.
President Lehman said in part:
In spite Of the fact that our beer is
universally pure and that the leading
Psychologists are so thoroughly agreed as
to its food value. the brewer finds himself
held up to obloquy and scorn and in many
states his business is in danger OF con-
fiscation. What is the cause OF this
ciamor? II is, we believe, the fact that
very few of the men and women who
preach prohibition have any first-hand
knowledge of the saloons. They do not en-
ter them even for purposes Of observa-
ton and they certainly do not know that
by far the large majority OF saloons are
decent and respectable and do not tolerate
drunkenness or disorder.
1T 8 of the utmost importance that the
saloon keeper should respect the laws. but
the constant injustice meted out TO him
under the guise of laws is a force which
tends TO undermine this respect
''The problem OF the saloon is one OF
regulation, by statutory authority. OF ad-
ministration by the trade. From either
standpoint il is a complex problem. which
cannot be settled in the off-hand fashion
that seems so easy TO superficial OBJ
servers
The point which want to emphasize
in considering this question OF saloon ad-
ministration is that saloon reforms cannot
be brought about by the brewers individ-
ually. But the brewers as an organiza-
ton can accomplish a great DEAL though
their organized power has not yet been
fully tested.
Too Many Experiments.
n. The regulation OF the saloon has been
nesdlessly complicated by experimental leg
islation. party pnilucs. police corruption
and inefficiency. FIXED and arbitrary lin
itations imposed upon communities By the
state. without regard 10 local conditions
have only increased the difficulty To
keep the saloon out OF politics il must
first be taken out Of politics. And the best
way 70 keep Il in politics is 10 provida
by local option laws for the constant agi-
tation OF the license question, with the
element OF harrassing uncertainty which
this involves on recent years the saloon
has been growing 10 be less and less
political factor. Today II threatens to be-
come the biggest political issue in our his
tory
with a situation Of this character con-
fronting IA and with our property inter
ests involved with the millions and mil
lions OF dollars invested under the sane
ton OF the Law, can anyone expect 70 re-
main idle while this property Is being con-
fiscated?
1T is our duty 20 hasten universal en-
nEhtenment and 10 spread the conviction
that our industry stands for temperance
In the best sense OF the word and will
neither countenance nor tolerate anything
that is not Thoroughly in accord with the
moral and physical welfare Of the pso-
pie"
The board Of trustees submitted a report
CONTINUED on second PaEe)