Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-29
COUNCIL PASSES
UP LIQUOR LAWS
MOST PROPOSED MEASURES
ARE LAID OVER
DECLINES TO REFUSE PERMITS
FOR eRocERs
F. J. Zeehandelaar Arouses Indignation
by Charging Police Commission
with Playing Politics-San
Pedro Petition Filed

r. ]. Zeehandelaar aroused the in
dignation Of every decent man and
woman in the city council chamber
yesterday when he accused the police
commission of playing politics and
trying to win the support Of the whole |
sale liquor men for the candidacy of
George Alexander for mayor, by asking
the city council to pass an ordnance
forbidding groceries to deal in liquors
Several weeks ago the police COM
mission asked the city council TO So
such an ordinance, declaring 1t be-
lIeved il against the best interests of
the city that groceries should have the
privilege of selling liquor, as it encour- |
aged, 1t thought, the use of liquor in
the homes and made police regulation
difficult. The matter was laid over
until yesterday for discussion, as that
day had been set as the time for a gen.
eral discussion of liquor problems.
From the first it was evident the
council was not disposed to agree to the
dtmands of the police commission, only
Councilman Wallace favoring the
measure Healy summed up the an
fagonism the council, as a whole, feels
for the police commission because it
represents reform, when he said;
"Since I've been in the council this is |
the first experience I have had with a |
police commission that wants to come
IN here and do the legislating for this
city. Why don't the police commits I
sion enforce the laws we give em?
Why should they always want to come
In here and try to boss this council?' |
Police Commissioners J. J. Andrews |
and John Topham told the ideas of the |
commission in asking that the ordl- |
nance be passed and II. Jevne gave his |
side of the matter Then Zeehandelaar |
insulted the police commission by |
sneeringly remarking it was trying to |
play politics and make itself solid with |
the wholesale liquor dealers by taking |
the business away from the groceries |
and giving 1t to the wholesalers.
Mr.. Andrews. the police commission
err Immediately took the floor and in
a dignified manner resented the slurs
that had been cast on the branch of |
the government he represented, de-
claring the commission was only try
ing to do its duty towards the public
at large.
But the arguments of Commissioners
Andrews and Topham carried no
weight with council not in sympathy
with reform measurs and the recon-
mendation of the police commission
was filed, Councilman Wallace only
voting against this action.
Measure Laid over
Although yesterday had been set
apart as the time for the general dis
cussion of liquor measurers, the pres
sure of other business was SO great that |
It was after o'clock before the council
could get to the liquor business and
nearly every measure that was pro-
posed was laid over for two weeks.
a
council, except that concerning the
liquor selling in groceries, was that the
petition of San Pedro citizens to re-
duce the number of saloons in San
Pedro from twelve to four was also
filed. The petition requested that a
special election be called in San Pedro
to determine whether the citizens of
that suburb wanted twelve saloons or
four, but no notice was taken of this
request. The police commission will
meet tonight and will grant at least
ten Of the applications for permits from
san Pedro saloonkeepers. Two appli-
cations may be denied because charges
have been preferred against them.
But when the liquor matters come
up before the council in two weeks
there are number of matters that /
may have to be considered.
Councilman Dromgold wants to in
crease the license fee of every branch
of the liquor business. Councilman
Wallace wants to force all saloons,
wholesale houses and every other
branch of the liquor business to close
at 10 o'clock instead of l o'clock in
the morning as is now the case.
Ordinances emanating from Pros
eeutor Guy Eddie will be introduced.
enc TO prohibit any liquor being served
IN q restaurant that does not have a
liquor permit and another to prohibit
Wit from n
any place where liquor is sold after
o'clock at night.
Will Permit Drinks Sold
An amendment to the present res
taurant liquor ordinances will permit
restaurants to serve short drinks, such
as cocktails and glasses of beer. They
are now prohibited from selling in less
quantities than pint but they secure
short drinks for patrons by going to
the nearest saloon. which probably
ad1oins the restaurant.
IN the same way restaurants that
have no liquor permits secure drinks
for their customers and there is no
way 10 prevent it. These ordinances
were read 10 the council yesterday by
Mr. Eddie and laid over for two
weeks.
Another matter for action is an
amendment TO the wholesale liquor or
dinance. permitting wholesalers to sell
liquors in original packages of ten
ounces or more. They now are pro-
hfbited from selling less than a fifth
or a gallon.
This matter was argued at some
length before the council yesterday,
and the council had an interesting OBJ {
iect lesson In satchel full of i'm l
ported "hooze" displayed by a whole- s
sale liquor dealer. !
II was shown that many liquors OF {
the most expensive kinds come in I
small bottles, and the wholesaler can {
not sell these goods under the law. q
cxcept by evasion. He evades the i
fifth OF a gallon requirement by Civ 7
ing the purchaser a bottle Of beer to {
make up the required amount. This.
IL was argued, forces the purchaser to !
accept more liquor than he wants and /
Is not IN the interests OF moderation. !
II also Is moro expensive to the liquor )
dealer. for he cannot charge for the :
extra bottle. J