The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-11
EXPLAINS VETO
OF Q O'CLOCK
CLOSING LAW
GOVERNOR GILcHRIsT REPLIES
TO PARTIES WHO CRITICIZED
HIM FOR HIS ACTION AND
TELLS THEM WHY HE DID so.
Editor Pensacola Journal.

Editor Pensacola Journal.
NV attention has been invited to the
fc' Lat some papers have been criti-
Cising my action in vetoing what Is
known as the Nine O'Clock Closing
Law for Saloons The following is a
quotation from that bill:
THAT from and after the passage of
this act, it shall be unlawful for any
person, firm or corporation to SELL
barter, exchange or give away any
spirituous, vinous or malt liquors be-
tween the hours Of nine o'clock p. m.
Of one day and six o'clock a. m. Of
the succeeding day.
Provided that it shall be unlawful
for any such person, firm or corpora
ton to sell, barter, exchange or give
away any such spirituous, vinous or
malt liquors between the hours Of nine
o'clock p. m. on Saturdays and six
o'clock a. m. Of the succeeding Mon
day; and,
provided, further, the provisions of
this act shall not apply to hotels con-
tanning seventy-five or more rooms
and at which said hotels where meals
are served and where such spirituous
vinous or malt liquors are served with
each meal by such hotels to bona fide
guests"
Under the provisions of this bill, no
one could have served wine or beer at
stated, without becoming a law break
er; no one could have given any such
liquors in case of sickness. during such
hours, without being a law-breaker;
no minister of the Gospel could have
served wine as a sacrament during
such hours without being a law
breaker. This would have been a bo-
nanza for a saloon located in one Of
! the seventy-five-room hotels in Jack
A,Jcr frn Gle
! During such hours, they would have
had an absolute monopoly. In order
| for any one to buy a five or ten cent
! glass of beer, he would have had to
register and at least have taken a
meal in order to become a bona fide
guest, thus costing his family rs cents
to dollar for a five cent drink. With
! out any such discrimination in favor Of
| the seventy flve-room hotel, I presume
! the advocates of the bill thought that
such a measure would have driven
many tourists out of the state. Some
! one might consider that they were
! selling out the higher morals princi-
! pies" for the filthy lucre" of the tour
| lists. If you can find as many as ten
men who actually favor the provisions
| of such a law, kindly let me know. I
/ wish to send them a little souvenir. AS
/ for myself. I would have resigned the
office of governor before I would have
! approved the same. have vetoed all
! kinds Of bills. No one has ever yet
! accused me Of selling out for the mis-
cradle, intangible hope of vote for
| future Office. This is as bad, If not
worse, than selling your vote for cash.
| The last two pages Of my biennial
/ message to the legislature refer to nine
| Of the business methods employed dur
/ ing this administration. Any two of
! them are worthy of the life Of any
administration. It does not seem that
| such results accomplished count for
anything with you. Upon my recon-
mendation the last legislature passed
/ an act authorizing the establishment
/ Of a hospital for the INDECENT crippled
! children Of Florida I hope that this
! some day will grow into a second
| Johns Hopkins Institute. I would
rather have been instrumental in ac-
complishing such legislation than to
have been the governor of Florida.
Yours very truly.
! ALBERT W. GILCHRIST,
| Governor.