The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-05-04
AN ADDRESS
To the Citizens of Shreveport and Cad
do ParisI-Law Enforcement Against
Law Defiance.

Law Defiance.
At last those favorng license for the
sale of liquor in this city and parish
have spoken by a page article in the
Shreveport Times of Sunday, April 80,
and we feel that some Of the statements
therein contained are so misleading to
use no stronger term. as to require no
tice at our hands.
Their committee expressed the opin-
ion that prohibition has not decreased
the consumption OF alcoholic beverages
OF course they have a right to entertain
this opinion. although the brewers and
wholesale dealers seem, from the oppo-
sition they make to prohibition, TO en-
terrain a contrary opinion.
They next state that the United States
revenue records for the last nine months
show 100 licenses i'll force At first blush
one might think this means that 100
were issued in one year, 50 adroitly is it
stated, but when you read it again you
see it covers the licenses III force in 1910
and 1911. 1t would have been a matter
of interest if they had told us how many
were issued for last year, when the city
government was making no effort to en-
force prohibition, and how many were
issued for this year,
The next statement is even more mis-
leading 1t says: "We especially call
attention of the country voters to the
fact that in favoring the adoption of
this law they will in no manner change
the cxistig conditions Now, the eX-
listing conditions are that the whole par
ish is under prohibition. If the ants
succeed i'll this election, the whole parish
will be under the license system. If this
would not be change of existing condi-
tions, we wonder what would be a
change.
The next statement is still worse. 1t
says: In the foregoing connection we
further call especial attention to that
section of the law which requires a ma
jority of the residents where a saloon is
proposed to be located must first give
their consent in writing, which is prac-
| tiCally local prohibition" But the COM
mittees does not give the book or page
where this law can be found, for the
very good reason that there is no such
| law There is a provision in section s
of the Gay-Shattuck law quoted by the
committee on the same page to the eff
| feet that no license shall be issued to
anyone except upon the written consent
of majority of the property holders
or their agents, within 800 feet from the
proposed saloon, which is an entirely
different proposition from getting ma
jority of the residents where any saloor
is proposed to be located Any man car
open saloon on his own or rented
property at or in any town or village il
the country, if license be voted, by get
ting far enough in his own land to b.
800 feet from any other mans land, anC
no law requires the consent of major
ity or any part OF the residents of th'
town.
The committee is likewise at fault il
giving section of the Gay-Shattucl
law. 1t says that section 8 also pro
hibits the sale of liquor to whites AM
negroes in the same building" Thi
statement of the law is not correct. Th
law only prohibits the sale of liquor t
: whites and blacks in the same buildin
t for consumption on the premises.
: Any one keeping bar for white, unde
this law, can sell to negroes all that the
a want, provided he does not sell it fO
/ consumption on the premises, and an
: one keeping bar for negroes can like
wise sell to whites if he does not sell t
e whites for consumption ON the premise
1 One of the chief complaints again!
: the saloon everywhere else, as well {
: here, is that it is not satisfied with dc
: ing legitimate business but undertake