The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-05
REFORM Of SALOON
PURPOSE OF LEAGUE
License Plan Favored
in Convention Held at
Louisville.

LOUISVILLE, Feb. 5-"The people
do not want prohibition. Tut 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 and the Anti-sdlOOo
League will find its occupation gone"
So declared President ~. n Gilmore,
of the National Model License League.
today MI Gilmore discussed reform
movements and the prohibition wave.
which he declared to be protest
against Things that ought not to 81;
against conditions that ough, not 10
continue Ar. Gilmore said he was salts
fled that the prohibition movement viii
ultimately result jn good to the liquor
trade and TO society. but he Insisted
that 10 SHOULD he carried along in n
less radical way, and that the reforms
desired should be brought about without
such tremendous losses as are being en-
tailed through the passage of prohibit
tory laws.
The people or this country do not
want prohibition" he insisted. nor do
they want the saloon unless the saloon
IS properly conducted. The saloon. if
properly conducted. is a very good con-
venieuce, but the saloon that is run in
connection with gambling and that vio-
lates law and that sells to minors and
to men who are Intoxicated is certainly
ont of touch with civilization, Vt is an
onense to modern thought, and Il
should be stamped out by a mandatory
penalty that is absolutely merCiless in
its provisions.
The Anti-Saloon League, he said, was
fully alive 10 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, ia effect I'm Ohio. was doomed 20
absolute notification and that q would
in time be repealed, as il would not
bring the desired reform.
Urges kuTOpe's License System.
we contend" said ne, that it is Alb
sOluteIy essential to the solution of this
problem that AN licenses to retail liquors
shall continue iu this country as they
continue in Europe-that is. that the
saioonkecpeTs license to- do business
shall continue without any possible IN
reference or any power OF cancellation,
unless it be by "a majority vote of the
people or else by conviction in a court
of competent jurisdiction Of the viola
tion OF law
"A license OF this character would Inn
mediateIy remove the saio0ulSeeper from
the realm OF politics. it would save him
from the demands OF the blackmailer, 1t
would give hin4 a feeling Of permanency
and a desire to conduct a business that
is to be permanent i'm the best DOssIble
manner
we furthermore, contend that no
more licenses ought 10 bc issued until
the proportion is not greater than 1 for
each 500 of population, so that each or
these licenses would possess very
great value.
eve also contend that the price paid
bv tHe saloOukeepeT each year for the
privilege OF doing business should be
we insist that. in consideration or
SO valuable a license. the penalty for
the violation Of law should be mauda-
tory. and that u1 discretion should bee
lodged with any Judge or licensing
board.
III is our idea that for the first con-
vicfi0n of the violation of law on the
rart OF saloon keeper or uf hik en-
DIovcs iu the conduct Of mis- business,
his license would bc suspended for
thirty DAYS. and that for the second
conviction his license should he absO-
luteIv Cancelled. and that NE should not
again be licensed TO retail liquors IN
the State.