Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-08

HE DAVIS regulating the wholesale liquor business in
this city should in judgment, be changed in
certain respects In the first place. the number of places
engaged in this business should, think be limited
just the number of places engaged in the retail liquor
business limited There at the present time
eghynne wholesale licenses existing in the city of
Los Angeles and that number would appear to be suf
cient for all purposes for long time to and the law
should prevent any increase in the number.
There is law in existence at the present time which
prohibits wholesale dealer from selling less quantity
than a commercial quart. This, have already
taken occasion to say editorials concerning the liquor
traffic, is, in opinion, very great mistake AS the
law stands now it compels any person who desires less
than quart of liquor for family use to go to place
where liquor is retaed to be drunk the premises to
make his purchase. This is all wrong No family de-
string purchase small amount Of liquor for family
should be compelled to patronize retail liquor
place. thereby exposing member of the family to
the Objectionable features which characterize of
these places in order to what is required 1t
known fact that families living on limited in
comes buy their supplies in small quantities. Such
families would probably, in the purchase of liquor or
wine for culinary other family purpose find it
venen and sometimes necessary, to purchase in guam
titles less than quart and frequently in quantities less
than pint 1t is certainly wrong that they should be
compelled to patronize retail liquor establishment
in order to what they require. We believe it
would be better to permit any quantity of liquor to be
sold by establishments where 1t IS not consumed upon
the premises We think such regulation would in
every way be better than regulation forcing people
against their wishes to paronize retail liquor establish
where liquor sold to be drunk upon the premises
Furthermore, the in which retail liquor estab
ishmens may exist in the city of Los Angeles is much
more extensive than the in which wholesale
adjustments permitted to do business Why any
law should exist which gives the greatest opportunity
to the kind of establishment which everyone knows pro-
duces the evils of the liquor traffic, is something
which have been able to understand. We be-
ieve that the present limits for the retail liquor
business should either be contracted the limit in which
the wholesale establishment permitted to exist should
be expanded to make it co-eXtensive with that in
which the retail liquor establishment is allowed Such
change would certainly be in the interest of decency
and clean living and not in appears to u.s. open any
objection.
With the reduction in the amount which the whole
sale dealer permitted to sell and the limitation of the
number of wholesale licenses suggested, the value of
these licenses would be materially increased and the
present license fee of SIS month charged wholesale
dealers should probably be doubled.
There has also grown UP i'll the city of Los Angeles
the custom among all brewers and some wholesalers of
pedding their from wagons throughout the city
That is wagons loaded with beer and liquors call from
house to house. the driver taking and filling orders at
the same time. This, believe, should be prohibited
No order for beer liquor should be filled unless the
is sent the brewery the house doing business
Any other method of conducting the liquor business
destroys the opportunity for proper regulation and
should not be permitted.
The prosecuting attorney of the city has lately made
some recommendations to changes i'll the laws
governing the sale of liquor in restaurants, which it ap-
pears worthy of careful consideration by the
council.
In some cities the sale of liquor in restaurants has
been provided for by the issuance of licenses of various
casses-one license for instance, authorizing the sale
of only beers and light wines in original packages of not
less than commercial pint of draught beer by the
glass Another authorizing the sale of all kinds OF
liquors in original packages, and another authorizing
the sale of all kinds of liquors in quantities small
glass; but only sold to be consumed with bona hde
meals
1t would appear be to the interest of every COM
munity and especially of California communities to
courage the substitution of beer and light winesdrnks
of the least intoxicating powen place OF the stronger
and more dangerous kinds of alcoholic beverages. A
classification of licenses of this kind might be arranged
making the lowest restaurant license charge the
use of only beer and light Wines and increasing the Ii
cense charge the privileges under the license are in
creased These all matters however, requiring con-
siderable study and investigation the part OF the law
making power of the city and believe that in order
to secure the adoption of "a complete and carefully
thougout of laws for the regulation OF the liquor
traffic suggested in the opening article of this series
committee should be appointed by the council to take
up the and go into in all its details, and submit
as result of its Investigations, complete revision OF
4,o1 1o13rco of f1a citN