Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-14

HfLEAA league Is an
- whose active and associate
III members are men interested
~ directly and collaterally in
- the legalized manufacture
and sale OF alcoholic bever-
ages. 1t exists for the avowed pur-
pose of advocating the enactment of
laws designed ito take the liquor busi-
ness out of politics and put the law
breakers out of the liquor business"
The model license law was formulated
at q meeting of ten men in Louisville
in October, 1907, and was submitted to
the trade and to the public at a con-
vention held in Louisville in January,
1908. The latest meeting of the league
was in st. Louis early in February.
The leagues official solution of the
liquor problem" comprises four prin-
cipal clauses as follows: Permanent
licenses, automatic suspension and cam
collation. of licenses for law breaking,
limitation of licenses in proportion to
population and moderate license fees.
The first clause is the most radical of
the four. and is the most difficult to
advocate successfully in view of the
fact that it is SO readily branded as
an attempt to perpetuate the liquor
business. The league officers say that
the automatic renewal clause has but
one object and that is to take the
liquor dealer out of politics by max
ing him Independent of political Ii
censing boards.
1t is contended by the league that
whenever a mans right to enter and
remain in business is subject to a great
extent to the good will of a politician,
that man must necessarily take an
active interest in politics. 1t is sug-
gested that the licensed liquor men
who wolfe the law do so for profit, and
that If law breaking is made unproht-
able these offenses will cease. Much
stress is laid on the desirability of
passing no laws except those that nave
the loyal support OF all citizens. In
other words, If the law is fair to both
the dealer and his customer. neither
will have any desire to break it.
The theory of the league is that the
operation of a model license law would
prevent the continuance of an undue
number of licensed places by giving
full play to the law of the survival OF
the flttest. According to this view the
number Of permanent retailers would
adjust itself. If too many licenses were
issued the surplus number would be
forced to withdraw for lack of patron
age. If some yielded to the temptation
to violate the law they would be forced
"
mandatory clauses compelling the sus-
pension and cancellation of the licenses
of law breakers. The league holds that
If the retailer has political indepen-
dence, and a profitable business when
he can retain so long only as he con-
ducts it according to law, he will be
most anxious to obey the law.
The handbook recently published by
the liuuor interests contains sum
mary of every argument that may be
advanced by the anti-temperance peo-
ple. 1t claims that nowhere else can
such cleanliness be found as in the
brewery and distillery, and says that
the dairy people ought to visit an up
to-date brewery for an object lesson III
keeping things clean. Every pottle is
steriliZed in very hot steam, all water
is filtered and distilled and the beer is
then pastuerized to catch the stray
germ that might otherwise survive;
Then the bottle is made airtight ana
goes to the consumer about as germ
Trea as anytring can be. Since Lon
don committee of scientists ceclareu
beer To be a food, the brewers claim
TO offer the cleanest food on the
market.
Thia book also claims that in Italy
where men. women and children drink
wine at their meals, there is lesS III
ten1nerance than in America. FORMER
Ambassador White is quoted to thls
affect. and he declares that he founo
the same true in Germany, Where
evervbody drinks beer. The book also
claims that the men engaged III tne
manufacture of beer and whisky are
the hest paid workmen in the country
and offers statistics from the census
office TO prove it's statement. Inc
liouor interests claim to pay in state
ond federal revenues the annual sum OF
s950 OO0, 900, with an added $7o,ooo'ooo TOT
taxes. They claim to represent an III
1estment of nearly billion dollars'
rrhe capital tied up in the MANUFACTURE
of snirituous and malt liquors amounts
to more than 5000, 100000, and the retail
business represents the rest.
Tt is declared that While nearly
10 ono retailers and some 700 wholesalers
uJere nut out of busire IS by restrictive
LEGISLATION last year, the government
fi9ures show a heavier consumption OF
liouors during 1909 than during the
nrevious wear; and that the temper
ance legislation simply is restricting
the number of dealers but not tne
nunher of consumers. He" ever, the
nrevious wear was the panic year, and
probably that fact vas not taken INTO
the reckoning.
Advices from the producing
countries of the world indicate thar
Ia Of Years output Of wines amounted
to 4. S66. 900, 900 gallons, of which France
and italy produced two-thirds. The
wine output of the Urited States rep