The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-01-13
LIQUOR men TO
RETURN TO STATE?
MACON PAPER PUBLISHES AN
INTERESTING ARTICLE ON
PROHIBITION SITUATION

The Macon Telegraph publishes the
following interesting article:
Do the wholesale liquor dealers of
Jacksonville, Chattanooga and Clncin-
natl look for repeal of the D. Ohibi
ton law of Georgia by the next legis
lature, and TIE substitution thereof of
a package" law which will legalize
counter business not consumed on the
premises?
That was a question which was be-
ing asked many times in Macon yes
terday, probably in every city o. ony
consequence in the state. There
seems to be some reason locally for
the conjecture as yesterday the Tele-
graph unearthed one or two circum-
stances which point undoubted!y TO n
feeling on the part of the exiled liquor
dealers that better times are in store
for them.
If not, why has one big firm closed
a lease, starting next July, for its old
premises vacated some three years
ago when the prohibition law went
into effect? This firm has never, as
far as can be recalled, engaged in any.
thing but the liquor business.
The state Legislature meets next
June. Their lease calls for possession
one month later.
Just the other day the leading
member of another firm once OF Ma
con, hut now in Jacksonville, called
on a few friends in the city and told
them that he would be back soon do
ing business at the same old stand.
Furthermore he called to start the
ball rolling again in some legal busi-
ness THAT would mean absolutely notL-
ing to him were it not that ne will.
be resuming business at the old stand
shortly.
1t was an action which he dropped
abruptly when he left here for Jack
sonville. He takes it up now just as
quickly again
These are two OF several indications
which point to feeling of some
sort among the liquor interests for
merly of Georgia, now exiled beyond
her borders entertaining some knowl-
edge that in the near future there will
be different law on the statute books
of Georgia.
Notwithstanding the fact that ON
the face of it near-beer license in
Macon is not as desirable now as il
would have been one year ago, there
have been more men take out licenses
this year than last. Some of them
have admitted that they have done
so in the expectation of better
times" They do not state specifcal-
ly what the better times" will be
brought about by, but it is advanced
that if package law" were in force
the town would be known as wet"
and the watch over the near beer
dealers would not be so close as just
now.
This revives the somewhat clearly
defined, although not widely exploited
rumors current during the last sum-
mer's campaign, that the branch Of
the democratic party which will be
in power next June, or rather certain
men reputed TO control 1t, made
pledges to the liquor interests that in
return for support, in case of success
there would be considerable toning
down OF the present nominally dras-
tic liquor laws.
That is given by many as the rca
son for the now apparent assurance
of the liquor men that within few
months they will lie doing business
at their old stands nGeorgia again
From what the Telegraph could learn
yesterday, it seems pretty certain
that the exiles are making all pre-
paratiOns to come back next July
ready for business. There could only
be one theory uncovered yesterday:
that is the one just related.