The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-18

HHl a tNNIN AnaA IARt'Nf1
omanated from the source which gave
Il publicity Sunday. and has been GO
ing the rounds ever since the cleo
ton. Mayor Smith was asked today
II Il was so. and he said there Is not
a particle OF truth in the story. He
never promised his salary as mayor
to the Home Of the Friendless and
had denied the story 10 everyone who
asked him about Il.
IL seems that the News-Democrat
Is approaching the affidavit stage OF
the license ordinance controversy,
anyhow. and few facts and names
may be OF service In showing up that
institution for the suppression OF the
truth.
paragraph contained In leading
editorial OF that negatively valuable
paper Sunday morning says: The
evening advocate OF the measure in
IT. issue OF yesterday had occasion to
fly clear OF the truth. in commenting
on a statement made by this paper
the previous day 10 the eject. A
merchant. who conducts book store
with a soda fountain In connection,
was told by city ofhcial that the or
dinance meant that he should pay a
separate tax on each department OPP
Grating In his place OF business The
Sun stated that the ofiicial in author
ny was George walters. This was
not the truth. The Official In author
lty was none other than the mayor
himself"
The only mistake The Sun made was
In referring TO the merchant indirect
ly The merchant in question is Mr..
ID. 4. Wilson. the well known book
store man, and he tolt a representa-
tive OF The Sun, that George Walters
told him he would have to pay 500.
Mayor Smith told him single mer-
chants license would do. That Is
why The Sun said the News-Demo-
Gratis carefully concealed "Ohicial In
authority" was George Walters. and
declared that George Walters Is at
tempting to construe the license or
dlnance IN such way as to make Il
irksome to the retail merchants.
Mr. Wilson declared himself inter-
ested in only one thing. ascertalning
what the retail merchants license
was. so he could pay II and have done
with Il. His objection was to paying
four licenses.
The License Ordinance.
The petition for the amendment OF
the license ordinance will be present
ed to the lower board OF the genera.
council. probably tonight. The prin-
clpal objection to the ordinance was
made at the Retail Merchants asso-
citation by a druggist.
Some OF the druggists are bitter
toward the license. They are
limited strictly to prescription liquor
business, unless they pay a license of
$500. In justice to the one in ques-
ton. Il should be explained that he
is not speaking for the few druggists.
who have been caught doing a splen-
did Sunday liquor business. while tho
saloons we're closed. Reputable drug
gists. no doubt. feel that in more
ways than this, they are restricted
in legitimate business; and whether
they are or not, anything The Sun
might say on the subject would not
change their opinion.
The real reason for raising the
druggists retail liquor license to
$500. was that the saloon men pay
that license to sell liquor, and re-
strictions are placed on their bust
ness. They are compelled to close on
Sundays. while drug stores are not
A few drug stores. well known to the
people Of Paducah, are known to dc
a rushing business on Sundays, and
when the ordinance was drawn II was
considered simple justice to the sa.
loon men TO shut OF this kind OF
competition. Whether injustice Il
done in return to reputable retail
druggists is another matter
The Retail Merchants.
The retail merchants license was
Increased $40 year lhich is slightly
less than 81 NOR The merchants