The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-02-04
MERCHANTS WILL
TAKE NO ACTION
Association Does Not Care to
Be Mixed Up in the Liquor
Dispute.

The merchants association viii not |
take any official action with regard to
the effort now being made by John G.
Woolley and his associates to secure the
passage of n federal law closing Hawaii
to the liquor traffic. The matter will
be left entirely in the hands of Dele
gate Kalanianaole, the association hav-
ing reached the conclusion that any
action on the liquor question is outside
its jurisdiction.
In discussing the matter last night
President f. L. Waldron of the mer-
chants association said
81 do not believe that the association
should take any action in the matter.
As far as the liquor question is con-
cerned we as an association have moth
ing to do with the dispute. l do not
believe that the federal government
should interfere in matters that are es-
sentially local and for that reason /
oppose the bill now being considered.
On the other hand, the liquor question
is something with which we have moth.
ing to do and should be very sorry to
see the merchants association mix up
in the matter.
cit is the Delegate Is business to keep
watch for just such legislation and
believe that the whole question can be
safely left up to him. / certainly shall
j take no further action of my own &C.
cord and | do not feel that the mer.
chants association should take any ae.
tion.'
Waldron' 3 views seem to meet with
the approval of most Of the substantial
men Of the community. Doubtless the
liquor dealers would like to have the
civic and business organizations take
the matter up, but as far as the prohi.
bition question is concerned there seems
to be a general tendency to leave it
alone. There would doubtless be strong
opposition to any plan which would, at
this time, place the police power over
the Islands in the hands of the federal
government, for while Hawaii has a
legislature it is generally felt that the
Territory should be allowed to do her
own legislating in regard to matters
concerning which her own people are
supposed to be the best posted.
The johnson bill, which proposes that
the sale of liquor shall be prohibited in
the Territory, but which allows persons
to have spirituous refreshments in the
privacy of their home, was the subject
of more than a little discussion on the
streets yesterday. The bill was sub.
jected to considerable criticism, the ar.
dent prohibitionists insisting that It
Toes not 60 far enough, and those op.
posing prohibition claiming that the
present laws are as satisfactory as
could possibly be framed.
with license board constituted
as is the present board, we have about
the best arrangement for the hand.
ling Of the liquor question which could
be provided" said q prominent mem.
Der of the merchants association yes.
terday. 1.-THE board has plenary pow.
er, can force people to observe the
rules of decency, and can close up any
place which seems to be or likely to
become menace to the welfare to the
community.
81 believe that the passage Of the
johnson bill would simply result in the
multiplication of the blind pigs of the
Territory and would accomplish abso.
lutely nothing. Whatever there might
be to say in favor Of total prohibition
would not apply to a law such as the
one contemplated
~ do not approve of that bill which
; Woolley is advocating at Washington, -
said Supervisor Jim Quinn yesterday
81 am not arguing for or against pro.
hibition, but this bill, should it become
law, would not prohibit; it would
simply take the liquor traffic away
from regulated saloons which are I'M
der police jurisdiction and would hand
it over to blind pigs. With such law
in force we should have blind pigs
on every hand, for so long as liquor
may be brought into the Territory PEG.
pie will get it.
81 have not entered into the argu.
ment at all, but certainly do not see
what is to be gained by closing up the
saloons, which in the main are orderly
and turning the business over to Illicit
dispensaries on which the authorities
can keen no tab -