The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-26
SHOW EVILS Of
LIQUOR TRAFFIC
The Anti-SaIoon League HeIds
Meeting at Central
Union.

Ao sup Plco>4oH 01 the Evil teuuen'
cies of the liquor traffic and deter
mined efforts to prevent the passage
of the Moore whisky ring amendments.
at the present session of the Legisla-
ture, were the two subjects considered
at length at the annual meeting of the
Anti-Saloon League Of Hawaii, held at
Central Union church last evening. De-
spite the rain, there was a large at
tendance at the meeting, frequent APP
plause greeting the speakers WHO point
ed out the necessity of curbing and
suppressing the liquor business for the
general welfare of the people.
President of the Senate W. o.
Smith, John G. Woollev and George R.
Carter gave their views on the liquor
question. and while they did not agree
on the policy that should be adopted
in the method of liquor traffic regu-
lation, they were in accord on the ulti-
mate result to be striven for.
Rev. John w. Wadman, the retiring
acted as chairman. of the meeting, and
in the course of an introductory ad-
dress outlined the object of the League
opposition to the maintenance of sa-
looms and the determination TO labor
increasingly for the suppression of the
liquor traffic. He declared that,
judged simply from the commercial
viewpoint, the abolition of the saloon
was a direct financial benefit to a COM
mnnity. He quoted convincing figures
showing that in the city of Chicago
it has been proven that large amounts
are expended annually for liquor,
while the license revenue from the bus
mess is comparatively small. Dr.
Wadman referred to an address that
he heard by the Governor of Kansas,
in refea1ee TO the experiences of Kan.
sas in. the enforcement of prohibition,
The Kansas Chief Executive showed
that there had peen decrease In the
numbers of jails and poorhouses
through the enforcement of a prohib-
itorv law and that Kansas now ranks
high in the per capita wealth of its
citizens.
Carter's Speech.
George R. Carter was greeted with
applause when introduced by the chair
man.
"By observation through travel and
study of the question: said the ex-
Governor, 81 have become convinced
that the liquor business is public nul-
sance. / am also convinced that the
police control of the saloon is fail
ure and that those who are interested
in the business are incompetent to de-
wise measure that would be even sat
isfactory TO themselves.
81 have been impressed on my trav-
els by the general disregard of the
laws restraining che business. The
same was true when | travelled about
the Islands during my incumbency as
Governor, and from Kauai to Hawaii
I found a general disregard of the law
then existing.
".I tried to stimulate the police to
action. but found that they were not
responsive. They declared that they
could not gather evidence, and that
when they secured it by the use of
paid spies that jury would refuse to
receive it as unbiased.
ssIn an effort to enforce the law /
called upon the wholesale dealers for
assistance. Two local dealers frankly
admitted that they sold to vendors.
They declared to me that to drop that
side of their business would be only
at great financial sacrifice. Two other
dealers in this town-two that bear
the best of eputations-insisted that
they had nothing to do with unlicensed
firms or persons desiring to purchase
from them.
"About that time / went to the
mainland and inquired of the Pinkerton
detective agency what it would cost TO
have man come to Honolulu and re-
port on the liquor business. The con-
sequence was that Mr.. Halter came
to the islands and I was in daily re-
eeipt of his reports which showed con-
clusively that the local wholesale firms
regarded the law with contempt and
were selling to persons that were car
ryine on a business in fragrant viola
ton of the law received photographs
that showed liquor being served illicit
ly with the police looking on. Yet the
wholesalers would come to me and have
the face to say that they were not
standing in on the lawbreaking. At
the present time in the Executive of
fee there is a map with forty-eight
blind pigs marked upon it. However,
Continued on Page Five.)