Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-16
PROPOSED RAISE
OF LIQUOR TAX
SPLITS COUNCIL
TWO MEMBERS DECLINE TO
VOICE OPINION
COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT
MAY DECIDE QUESTION
Vote on Increase at Present Stands
Three and Three, with Posi-
biity of Deadlock from
Remaining Ballots

deadlock on the question OF III
creasing the liquor licenses appears
imminent in the city council if the
public welfare committee reports in
favor of the measures not before it.
alterably opposed to increasing the
license fees They are Lusk, Gregory,
and Works. Three members are in
favor of an increase. Theye are Wash
burn, Andrews and Williams. Two
members, Betkouski and O'Brien, re-
fused to make public statements yes
terday of their position on the matter,
but it is we'll known Betkouski is
high license man. The question of
whether high license will be adopted
or the council split squarely in two
appears to be in the hands of OBrien,
and he said yesterday ne would vote
the way he believed was proper when
the time comes
Another public meeting of the public
welfare committee will be held tonight
and it is expected the proposed liquor
ordinance will be taken up and dis
cussed section by section. Capt. ID.
II. Smith of the National Model LII
cense league is in the city and Will
appear before the committee as
liquor license expert on behalf of the
liquor interests.
Members of the council yesterday in
dulged in a general discussion of the
new liquor ordinance. 1t was brought
up by a partial report of the welfare
committee presented by w. ]. Wash
burn, chairman of the committee. The
report was as follows:
Chairman Washburn's Report
Your public welfare committee,
60 whom was referred the matter of
liquor legislation, beg leave to
make partial report as follows:
Much apprehension has been ex-
pressed that your committee in
tended toAreport an ordinance con-
taining drastic and unreasonable
provisions that will interfere with
the proper conduct of the business
of those engaged in the sale OF
liquor, and in view of the wide
spread interest in this matter, and
the fact that a proper considera-
tion of the ordinance will require
some time, II is deemed by this
committee wise that the general
policy governing its actions may
be made known at this time.
defined to be those which maintain
booths or private rooms that are
used for gambling or immoral pur-
poses; those which are the redez-
vous for immoral women; those
which afford conveniences for de-
bauching young people OF both
sexes; those which are conducted
under the names of clubs but which
are not subject to police regula-
tion.
"Disreputable methods" may be
defined to include the purchase and
sale or lease by private parties of
permits for the sale of liquor
granted by the city.
II is the intention of this COM
mittee. to finally report an ordi-
nance that will, as far as possible,
compel those conducting disrepu-
table places to change their prac-
tices or cease doing business, and
to stop disreputable methods.
The ordinance which was pre-
pared by Guy Eddie, Esq, will
serve as n basis for the delibera-
tons of your committee.
We have had two or three con-
ferences with the police commits
sion and two public hearings at
which all persons interested have
been invited to be present and
point out InOSe ledtuItS Which, WtIc
objectionable, and your committee
has received much information that
will be of value when 1t meets to
consider the provisions of the or
dinance
As was publicly announced at
each of the hearings, no drastic or
unreasonable provisions will be In
serted. 1t will be impossible to
frame an ordinance, general in its
scope, that will not cause incon-
venience to some, but this will be
made as light as possible. We do
not intend to place the licenses at
a figure that will be unjust either
to the liquor sellers or to the city.
A question upon which a wide di-
vergence of opinion exists can not
be covered by an ordinance in
manner that will meet the views
of all. We intend to be fair. and
we feel that we have the right to
expect the support of those people
who feel that 1t is substantial
Improvement upon existing condi-
tions, even though 1t does not al
together meet their views.
In discussing this matter Mr.. Wash
burn said:
II wish to supplement this report
by a few remarks relating to the con-
templated raise in the amount OF IL
cenSe to be charged TO the liquor deal
er. 1 have received many communica-
tions from people who protested
against the raising of licenses upon
the theory that an increased revenue
accruing to the city from this source
will defer the day when prohibition
shall be adopted by the people of this
city, for the reason that the people
will be reluctant to relinquish this
revenue. This theory has also been
voiced at the public hearings which
we have had, by members of the Min
isterial union.
II do not agree with them. Opinion
is divided among the members of the
Ministerial union as to the effect 1t
will have. One of the most influential
clergymen of this city. not many days
ago, stated to me that he had been
for many years a close observer Of the
causes that lead up to prohibition,
particularly as to the effect of an
increase or decrease of licenses. He
stated that the cause of prohibition.
had been furthered by an increase of
license rather than by a decrease. Be
that as it may, the people of this city
not many years ago decided by vote
that they did not want prohibition.