Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-05


tions arise long after their passage
which were overlooked at the time
the bills for the law. were under dis
cussion,s There is mo question, how:
ever, that the frst section OF the Dali
prevents the increase OF the number
Of saloons in all communities to more
THAN one to a thousand Inhabitants.
have not much. question in my own
mind that within very short time
this provision for gradual reduction
| will result In the limit being reached
| In almost every community OF the
state. The stringent laws on our
books regulating the sale OF LIQUOR
will certainly result in different indf'
yiduals in almost every community
losing their permits because the tend
ency is always for some OF these men
to violate the law. Whenever one Is
caught in violation, it means one
less saloon in that community, and IT
\ will continue to- mean that until the
number is reduced to one to a thou
sand. After that limit is reached new
permits may be granted, but not to
the violators Of the law until after
1--WE years from their violation
law Endorsement Measure.
This statute Is primary q law en-
forceinent measure; The mere limit
of one saloon to a1thousand inhabi-
tants and the consequent lessening Of
part Of it's purpose. The limit Of one
permit to each thousand people in
| time will result in each permit gain
ing money value. Under the old con-
Idition no one would pay for permit
because he could go to the city council
and get one without cost. Under the
present law, If there be as many as
one saloon to a thousand people. a
man who seeks to enter the business
must buy permit and must buy
from one who Is in the monopoly. The
permits thus have money value, ana
this value will increase just as the
number Of saloons is reduced under the
provisions of the law.
"Now, this increasing money value
|Qf these permits can have but one eff
feet upon the men holding the same.
Such man, if he has any business
sense at all, will endeavor to protect
a valuable property. 1t is to his inter-
est to do So and the law thus gives
him the best reason possible for obey
ing all Of the provisions Of the statute
regulating the conduct of the saloons.
If he obeys the law. he has a permit
that is growing in value from day to
day. He can sell it, or 1t will descend
by the law Of inheritance the same as
any other property. This is true just 8
long as he obeys the law, but let him
sustain a conviction of a crime against
the liquor laws and the permit van
ishes and he has nothing which he can
keep or can sell, nor can he again en-
ter the business in this state within
five years; and even then he, must find
a town where there are less than a
saloon to "a thousand, or else he must
buy permit from someone who holds
one. !:
Makes Permits Valuable.
There are. some towns in Iowa
where permit is worth several hun
bred dollars, and, in some instances,
several thousand dollars. AS. time goes
on, and the number, of, saloons grows
less in proportion to the population,
the value attaching to these permits
will increase inevitably. believe,
therefore, that this increasing valus,
together with the certainty Of being
put out Of business in the state, II the
law is not adhered to, has resulted,
and will result in the best enforcement
Of the law that we have yet expert
enced in Iowa.
"A law seeking this result merely
by exacting high license could not
accomplish anything, A high license
never discouraged q large number Of
men from attempting to conduct the
saloon business, The higher the IL
|cense was fixed the more desperate
became the means adopted to pay the
license, resulting In the . sale Of all
kinds Of stuff to all kinds Of persons,
and at all hours A man in the bust
ness under such circumstances was
compelled if he remained in the bust
ness, to grasp every cent from what
"a into
trouble. his license was transferred to
his bartender and the business pro-
ceeded in the same manner. Sometimes
he would move to another town and
repeat his experience, but 80 long as
he held on, his desperate business de-
manded desperate methods. l believe
that the limit fixed by our present law
destroys this class Of business. BY the
provisions Of the law each man retains
his permit until he is convicted of a
violation. Then he loses it and cannot
convey 1t to anyone. He thus elimin-
ates himself, and no one can get per-
nit in his place until the number OF sa-
looms in his. community Is reduced to
less than one to a thousand population.
When this point Is reached the permits
become so valuable that no man can
afford to take any chances in violating
our stringent laws for the sale Of
liquor.
1T is perhaps natural to me, having
been the author Of the statute, to at
tribute to it a wider scope and great
Ter Importance as regulative meas
ure than many would concede it to
have, but l believe it will finally be
discovered if it is not now conceded,
that it's effect is to bring about a bet
ter enforcement of the laws, better
effort on the part of those in the bus
mess to obey the laws in good faith.
an effectual wedding out of men in the
business who disobey the laws, and a
more settled condition for business in
terests in those communities where sa-
looms are permitted with no change
whatever in the law in such communt-
ties as do not desire the presence of
saloons
GRANVILLE.