The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-11

The National Model License League
: h an organization whose active and
associate members are men interested
directly and collateraliy In the legal
lied manufacture and sale OF alco-
holic beverages. 1t exists for the
avowed purpose Of advocating the en-
Aetment of laws designed to take the
liquor question out OF politics and to
put the laW.bFeakefs out OF the lkfuer
Business" The model license law
was formulated at a meeting OF ten
men In Louisville in October, 1877.
and was submitted to the trade ana
20 the public at convention held In
Louisville in January, 1908. the
latest meeting of the league was ,,'
1t Louis last week y.s,
The leagues ofacial solution OF tine
Hquor problem" comprises four
principal clauses. as follows: PermA-
nent licenses, automatic suspension
And cancellation Of licenses for Jaw
breaking, limitation OF licenses In
proportion to population and mod
crate license fees. The first clause
II the most radical of the four, ana
In the most difficult TO advocate sue
cessfully. in view of the fact that 1t
Is so readily branded as an attempt
to perpetuate the liquor business. The
league officers say that the automatic
renewal clnase has but one object,
and that IL to take the Haaor Aerter
out of politics by making him indie
pendent of political licensing boards.
1t In contended by the league that
whenever q mans right to enter and
remain in business Is subject to a
great extent to the goodwill OF a
politician, that man must necessAf..s
lake an active interest in politics. 1t
Ii suggested that the licensed liauor
nIen who violate the law do SO for
profit, and that II law-hreaking is
made Improbable these offenses Will
cease. Much stress Ia laid on the de-
sirabiiity of passing no laws excerpt
those that have the loyal support OF
ell citizens. In other words, IL the
law ~ fair to both the dealer and his
customer. neither will have any de-
wire to break II.
The theory of the league Is that
the operation of model license law
would prevent the continuafice OF an
undue number OF licensed places ny
giving full play 10 the law of the
survival of the fittegt. According to
this view, the number OF permanent
retailers would adjust itself. II too
many licenses were issued. the sur
plus number would be forced to with
draw for lack OF patronage. II some
yielded 70 the temptation to violate
the law, they would be forced out OF
business by the operation OF the mai
datory clauses compelling the sus-
pension and cancellation nj the H.
censes OF iaw-breakefs. The ieague
holds that II the retailer has political
independence. and a profitable busl-
ness. which he can retain SO long
only as he conducts IL according to
law. he VIII be most anxious TO obey
the law.
The handbook recently published
by the liquor interests contains a
summary OF every argument chat
may be advanced by the anti-teTn-
perance people, 1t claims that
hewiaefe else can such cleanliness he
found as In the brewery and dis
pie ought to visit an Gp-to- date
brewery fer an object lesson ii, keep
Ing things clean. Every bottle is
sterilised In very hot steam. all water
= filtered and distilled, and the beer
u then pastuertxed to catch the stray
Term that might otherwise survive.
Then the bottle Is made air. tight and
Ices TO the consumer about as germ
Tree as anything car be. Since a
London committee OF scientists de-
shared beer to be food, the brewers
claim 70 aefrer The cieaness food on.
he market.
This book also claims that In italy,
where men, women and children
rink wine at their meals. there IL less
entemperance than In America. Ex-
Ambassador White is quoted to this
fleet ana he declares that he found
~ same true In Germany. where
>rybody drinks beer The hook also
s.aisns that the men eagas l In the
manufacture OF beer and whiskey
IRE the bert paid workmea In the
country. and offers statistics from the
census Office to prove its statement
The liquor interests claim to pay
n State and Federal revenues
the annual sum OF $3.50. 100000, with
m added s7o.eoo.0oo for taxes They
claim to represent an investment of
nearly billion dollars. The capital
tied up in the manufacture OF
TO more than 1900. 600 600. and the
retail business represents the rest.
It II declared that while nearly
IL, aal retailers and same 100 whole
AAlers were put out of business by
restrictive legislation last year. the
government figures shcw heavier
consumption Of liquors during 1902
than during the previous year: and
that the temperance legislation sim
ply Is restricting the number OF
dealers but not the number or Scn-
surners. However, the previous gear
was the panic year, and probably
that fnct was not taken into the
Reckoning.
Aavices from the wine producing
countries ~ the world indicate thai
last years output of wines amounted
10 3.sss.ou0.000 gallons, Of which
France and italy produced two
thirds. The wine output of the United
States represents only one per e~nt
II the Mnrld,s vintage It Is said