St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-05-07
LEAGUE PLEADS FOR
MODERN LICENSE Law
Mayor HaIBhsn Asked 10 Use als lnflasaee
Ia Blrsell0s 81 Proper
SAFEGUARDS FOR LIQUOR.
T~rafle..saYs the PFOhlbiilon Ravs Is sub.
siaIsg, and inst People Demand
Regulation.

Sl9t0St eAu eAaA Ae0RIs U9m4a4M
Regulation.
Mayor Halphen, of 0pelousas, is in
receipt Of the following letter, issued
by the National Model License Lea
que, with headquarters at Louisville,
KY:
To His Honor, the Mayor:
The prohibition wave that has been
passing over the country is showing
unmistakable signs Of subsiding be-
cause the people are finding out that
prohibition, whether BY State or
county, does not prohibit.
The indisputable evidence Of Che
internal Revenue Department proves
beyond question that putting over
half OF the United States under pro
hibitory laws has increased the per
capita consumption of distilled and
fermented liquors fifty per cent.
Prohibition destroys millions of
property and Of revenues, but it does
not check the demand for whisky,
beer, wine, brandy, gin, alcohol in
the form Of patent medicines, etc.,
and while this demand exists the mail
order houses. the druggists, the boot
leggers and the ~moonshiners will see
that it is supplied.
A nation that consumes each year
tWenty-three gallons Of alcoholic bev-
erages per capita may pass prohibit
tory laws, each voter favoring them
for the other fellows, but it will not
be denied these beverages by any
edict Of law and it will not fos long.
nor seriously, prosecute the men who
supply them.
The question, therefore for the
future is to regulate the sale Of these
beverages and i is the part Of Wis
dom to adopt regulation that will
regulate.
The people and the press Of this
country are demanding obedience to
law and the liquor trade will vel
come the adoption Of license laws
that will both encourage and compel
obedience 50 far as their trade is con-
cerned.
P%erseeutien, excessive taxation, ex-
cessive competition and nominal penal
ties may compel the sa~loonkeeper in
his fight for existence to do things
that are wrong, but it is a great mis-
take to suppose that brewers, distiIl-
ers, wholesale or retail liquor dealers
favor law violation or that they would
not welcome a law abolishing such
practices.
] ask your consideration, there
fore, of what are known as Model Ii
eense provisions and should they APP
peal to you | urge that your influence
be employed to engraft them into
your liquor ordinances.
We recommend:
First-That all licenses must be
renewed SO long as the holder is moi
convicted the second time of the VIC
lation Of law and the business is NOT
prohibited by a vote Of the people.
Second-Tha licenses issued 10 the
future shall not be in excess Of one
license for each five hundred Of popu.
Iation.
Tnird--That the license shall b
reasonable, fair and just and moi
represent d penalty.
Fourth-That for the first convic
ton by a jury of the violation Of Law
the license shall be suspended fol
thirty days and the place closed foI
that period; and for the second Xix,
conviction the license shall be can
eelled, and the holder never again
licensed 70 retail liquors in that city
The permanent license will remoy,
the saloon-keeper from politics, 70
the political boss could no longe
cancel his right to 90 business;
would be > valuable asset and espe
Chilly II limited ID number u sug
gessed. and the holder Of such j Il
Genre would hesitate . lnng time be
. fore he would invite its destruction
by violating i law.
The mandatory penalty which q
indgs rauld set aside would do ava