Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1909-01-22
MODEL LICENSE LEAGUE.
Its Object ExnlAiaed by Head
U the Organization.

hoeSi b'Schoc tcobnc 10 III ocoSion
here
The avowed purpose of the league Is
to take the saloon out OF politics and
keep 1t there and exclude all law
breakers from the retail liquor busi-
ness whatever the law In their com
munities. The league would submit
to the people of each political com
munal division various questions as to
how the majority of them want the
liquor trade regulated
THE people do not want prohibition,
but they want a reform, and when we
prove that we, too, want reform, when
We gain the confidence OF the public,
the prohibition wave will recede ard
the Anti-Saloon league will find It's &C.
cupation gone" So declared Presi
dent t. M. Gilmore. Mr.. Gilmore dis
cussed reform movements and the pro-
hibition wave, which he declared to be
a protest against things that ought
not TO be; against conditions that
ought not TO continue. Mr. Gilmore
said he was satisfied that the prohibi-
tion movement will ultimately result
in good to the liquor trade and to
society, but he insisted that II should
be carried along in less radical way,
and that the reforms desired should
be brought about without such tire
mendous losses as are being entailed
through the passage of prohibitory
laws.
The people of this country do not
want prohibition" he insisted, nor
do they want the saloon unless the sa'
loon is properly conducted.
The saloon. II properly conducted.
is very good convenience, but the sa-
loon that is run in connection with
gambling, and that violates law. and
that sells to minors and to men who
are intoxicated. Is certainly out OF
touch with civilization; IL is an Of
fence to modern thought, and 1t should
be stamped out by mandatory pen
atty that is absolutely merciless in its
provisions"
Saloon Substitute Necessary.
Mr.. Gilmore said that If the saloon
should be permanently abolished 1t
will be found necessary to provide a
substitute. because the strenuous life
incident to modern civilization de-
mands a place of relaxation. where
friend can meet friend. and where wor-
res and cares and responsibilities OF
life may. for the time being, be put
aside.
The Anti-Saloon league" he con-
and 10 one who is familiar with the
situation all of this talk about dry
territory Is nothing more than an alb
surdity. There is no dry territory in
this country. although there are num-
ber of states and great many coun-
ties aggregating in area probably one
half OF the United States. in which
laws have been adopted prohibiting
the sale and in some cases the manu-
facture of alcoholic beverages. A law
merely prohibiting the sale of alco-
holic beverages, however, cannot af-
feet the purchase and use of alcoholic
beverages any more than law that
might prohibit the sale OF cigars would
affect the consumption of cigars"
The speaker said that since the pas
sage of prohibition laws in such
states as Georgia and Oklahoma ship
ments of whisky and of beer to those
states have been phenomenally large.
Alive to It's Weakness.
The Anti-Saloon leagne, he said. was
fully alive to the weakness of its
cause and that its leaders know that
the people of this country do not want
prohibition. He declared that the
Rose law in effect in Ohio was doom
ed to be absolutely nullified and in
time to be repealed, as it would not
bring the desired reform.
I'VE contend" said he, that II Is
absolutely essential to the solution OF
this problem that all licenses to retail
LIQUORS shall continue in this country
as they continue in Europe-that Is.
that the saloonkeeper's license to do
business shall continue without any
possible interference, or any power
OF cancellation, unless 1t be by ma
jority vote of the people or else by
conviction in a court of competent
Jurisdiction of the violation of law.
"A license of this character would
Immediately remove the saloonkeeper
from the realm of politics; 1t would
save him from the demands OF the
hlackmailer: it would give him feel
ing OF permanency and desire to con-
duct a business that is to be perma-
nent In the best possible manner.
We. furthermore. contend that no
more more licenses ought to be issued
until the proportion is not greater
than one for each 500 OF population.
so that each OF these licenses would
possess a very great value.
I'VE also contend that the price paid
by the saloonkseper each year for the
privilege of doing business should be
reasonable.
I'VE then insist that in considera.
tion of so valuable license. the pen
atty for the violation of law should be
mandatory. and that no discretion
should be lodged with any judge or II
censing board.
ut is our idea that for the first con-
yiction of the violation Of law on the
part of a saloonkeeper or Of his en-
ployees in the conduct OF his business,
his license would be suspended for a
period Of thirty days; and that for the
second conviction hts license should
be absolutely cancelled and that he
should not again be licensed TO re-
tail liquors in the state"
This. Mr.. Gilmore said, would solve
what is known as the liquor problem
insofar as the sale of alcoholic bever
apae is concerned. This problem solved