The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-03-11
NO Saloons and Sixty Blind Pigs So Latter
Technical in Some Cases---LittIe
Drunkenness and Crime.
By Edward P. Irwin.

BY Edward P. Irwin.
Kauai has solved the liquor problem
to her own satisfaction if not, per-
haps, to the complete satisfaction of
some who are not fortunate enough to
own broad acres and reside on the
favored isle. And, therefore, Kauai
looks with slightly contemptuous, but
withal an indulgent, smile at the other
islands which have not reached her
own state of bliss, virtue and beati-
tude and which are still in the throes
of the long struggle to arrive at So
luton of the troublous problem.
Kauai points with pride to the fact
that she has no saloons. She does more
than point with pride-she boasts of
it and exults over those unfortunate
islands that issue licenses for the sale
of liquor. Kauai has no licensed sa-
score blind pigs. She has solved the
liquor problem-but the thirsty mortal
need not remain long thirsty if he has
the price of drink. The prohibition
question awakens comparatively little
| interest in Kauai-but Judge Hardy,
in his charge to the grand jury last
week confined his remarks almost ex-
clusively to the question of the illicit
sale of liquor and the terrible damage
done to the people of the Garden
Island by the power of booze.
Less Drunkenness.
And yet, it is but fair to say that
Kauai has, in measure, at least,
solved the problem. Her solution
might not do for all the other islands,
very probably would not for some of
them, particularly Oahu, but it serves
very well for herself.
1t is an undoubted fact that since
Kauai abolished saloons and refused
to grant retail liquor licenses, the per
centage of drunk enness and its attend
ant misdemeanors and crimes has very
greatly decreased. The grand jury sat
Just one day last week, and the next
day returned Just one Indictment
and that was for child stealing and
the crime was more or less of a tech
nical nature and had no connection
with liquor. The term of the circui
court lasted three days-and there wa
! not a single case tried. The calenda,
. i consisted of several cases, includin,
J three for the illicit sale of intoxicat
! ing liquor, but all the offenders with
| drew their appeals and pleaded guilt,
or forfeited their bonds.
1t is possible, of course, that tn
scarcity of lawyers on the Garde
Island has much to do with the com
paratively small amount of litigatio
and the decision of offenders convicte
in the magistrate IS court not to appea
to the circuit court. But it is ais
true that the absence of saloons is tn
chief reason for the small pereentag
4 of crime.
t Many Blind Pigs.
q So it appears that the tight littl
r island has some grounds for the air 0
n superiority which she habitually wear
0 and the Neutrality-suspicious. indulgence
which she extends to her sister islands
1t is likewise true that her holier-thar
!. thou expression is not entirely justife
by the facts in the case.
Q Kauai is full of blind pigs. Not q
L full, perhaps, as she was a year or tw
s ago. but still full enough for tw
s islands of her size and with her pop
3 lation. She has, according to Jude
:, Hardy's statement, NOTICES. than sixt
. places where liquor is sold illegally
L and many of these places are of con
y mon knowledge. That they are pr
= tected it would, probably, be too muc
!. to say, though there is no question bl
y that not so long ago some of the o
9 ficers of the law were fully acquainte
with the location of the blind pigs an
,, with the appearance, taste and effec
!, of the booze sold in them. 1t is, il
9 deed, question if in certain parts
= the island fine of $100 is not tant
4 mount to tacit permission to opera
\ for a certain or uncertain length
a time.
= That Revenue Tax.
W 1t should be stated, however, Thu
# the term "blind pig" in its general
accepted meaning, does not strictly a
e ply to all who, technically, at least, a
IS engaged in the Illicit selling of liquo
y Nor does the fact that a man has pa
" special internal revenue tax for ii
3. sale of liquor mean that he is nece
sarily engaged in the general dispens
d ton of the beverage that inebriates.
1t was explained by several Kau
of the temple, governing theI