Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-30
MAYOR REFUSES
SALOON LICENSE
Opposition Among Labor Un
ions Evidenced at Meeting
Last Night.
BOTH SIDES STATE CASE
Irrelevant Matter Is introduced
Many Written Petitions Are
Presented.

Mayor Schriver and Commissioner
Archie Hart refused to grant license
for a saloon in the Industrial Home
building in this city last night follow
ing a meeting in which representa-
tives of various locals and labor Or
CARNATIONS voiced their own personal
sentiments and those of the organiza-
tons TO which they belong. The re-
fusal of the license is based on the
fact that there is great opposition to
the installation of a saloon in the home
of organized labor and that, although
the Industrial Home association did
vote to lease the property for the pur-
pose of conducting a saloon. organized
labor as n whole is not entirely in IA
vor Of such a plan. AS a further set
back to the licensing of the saloon, it
was shown by the mayor that the pc
titiOn of the property owners within
800 feet of the building did not show
the proper frontage, making it impos-
SiDLt " grant lAAt AAIEhot lOl ludl iva
son.
MEETING Is LIVELY.
The floor was always contested dur
ing the meeting, and every one pres
ent spoke several times, but much mat
ter which was irrelevant was brought
out. The right of the Tri-City Fedora
ton of Labor to have a voice in the
matter as a tenant was disputed, and
their opposition to the plan insisted
upon as being that of men not only in
Rock Island. but Davenport and Mo-
line, while the granting of the license
pertained only to the Industrial Home
association Of Rock Island and was
wholly a Rock Island proposition.
The main argument of those in ia
vor of the license was that the prop
erty had not been occupied for the
past IL months, that the conditions In
that neighborhood discouraged any ten
ant who was not saloon keeper from
attempting to conduct his business
there, and that, therefore. the only
logical plan was to rent it to a saloon
keeper and obtain his SIS a month
rent. The remainder Of their discus
sion was directed toward the authority
of many of the organizations which
have placed themselves on record
against the proposition to have an!
voice in the matter.
OPPOSITION STRONG.
Those who opposed the granting o
the license, on the other hand, treatet
on the sentiment of labor throughou
the country, touching on the fact that
although the members individuall
might not oppose the saloon question
an organized body comprising men @
all stations of life. for and against tn
saloon, should not harbor a saloon i
the home OF their central body. Ful
thermore. it was commended that sine
a saloon in that part of the city, wher
there are already too many saloon
and a bad condition of affairs, woul
only tend to make matters worse, an
} that since the labor organization
were attempting to organize a woman
I auxiliary, they could not justly aid th
lowering Of the moral tone Of the plaC
where they would necessarily meet.
MANY WRITTEN PETITIONS.
At the last meeting, when the matt,
was postponed for two weeks, il WI
announced that the postponement WI
for the purpose Of giving the lab,
men a chance TO express their OPT
ion on the matter and present the
opinion In written statements to Z
mayor. Several such records of opt
ion were received, with both sides !