The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-04-13
Special Committee Holds Inter-
esting Meeting at Cham.
bers Last Evening.
ORDINANCES CONSIDERED
Belland Ordinance Closing Saloons
on Sunday Defeated on Account Of
the Provision Forfeiting License
Upon the First Conviction.

Pursuant TO a call issued by the
chairman Of the committee appointed
by Mayor Smith at the last council
meeting to consider two liquor IL
cense ordinances, and other matters
referred 10 the committee, about rs
prominent business men and liquor
merchants assembled at the council
chambers last evening The Mayor.
city attorney, auditor and Messrs
Curtis, Karinen, Belland, Lienenweh.
er and Prael were present. At the
suggestion OF the chairman Of the
committee, Mayor Smith presided
over the meeting
Auditor Anderson read both ordi-
nances through, after which Belland
made motion that his ordinance
providing for closing the saloons n
Sunday and providing for forfeiture
Of the license upon the first convic-
tion, be recommended by the commit
tee for passage at the council meet.
ing Monday night
The question was then discussed by
members Of the council after which
Mayor Smith called upon Mr., Paul
Wessinger OF Portland, representing
the Weinhard interests, Mr.. Wessin.
ger made an excellent and conserya-
tive address, He stated that he was
not an EXTREMIST. but a conservative,
That he believed in all reasonable
regulations governing the liquor traf-
fee and when the council had finally
agreed upon and passed an ordinance,
1t should be strictly enforced. He was
not in favor Of wide open town,
neither a closed town. He believed
the question Of Sunday closing be left
to the people, not the extremists, but
to men engaged in various mercantile
pursuits and those that bore the bur-
dens OF taxation, The people, said he,
should be taught to respect the law,
and law and order on Sunday, as
we'll as every day in the week,
w, F. Schimpff of the North Pa
cifc brewery was called upon. He
considered the Belland ordinance too
drastic. An enforcement of its pro.
visions might entail the loss of thou
sands of dollars to people who could
least afford ii. He believed in a rea-
sonable law and strict enforcement
OF it, He stated that in Germany and
other countries, where the laws were
very strict, saloons were permitted 10
be open on Sunday during certain
hours, and he believed an ordinance
framed along those lines would meet
with the approval Of the public and
would be obeyed by those engaged in
the business,
Several other gentlemen spoke on
the question, many OF whom were in
favor of Sunday law but ii there
was such law it should be enforced.
That no special privileges or conees,
sions should be granted to anyone,
but all should be treated alike.
Speaking of the provision in the
ordinance forfeiting the license, May
or Smith stated, that he was not in
favor of it, that forfeiture laws which
existed centuries ago we're now ohso-
lete, and many of the states had de-
clared against them and he doubted
the constitutionality of such a provi-
sion, He believed an ordinance should
be enacted that would meet with the
approval Of majority Of the citizens,
and one that could be lived up to-
After the discussion vote was
taken on Belland's motion which was
defeated, Belland and Leinenweber
voting for it. The Curtis ordinance
was then taken up, Mayor Smith out
lined several suggestion he desired to
present to the committee. The sug,