The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-12

owned saloons
In Michigan and throughout the
United States and all over the world,
where excessive use OF liquor is curse,
an0 one OF the gravest dangers that
confront mankind, attention is being
! GiAtn 10 the necessity for lettering
conditions. An official British parlia-
n,entary commission has reported that
\ alccnolc poisoning is the great curse
4 o. -tAe+f- national aeFencraey5 fhe-
4 French government has placarded that
/ country with appeals TO the people. at
trlbutlng the decline In the birth rate
and the increase In the death rate to
the Widespread excessive use OF alco-
holic beverages The German emperor
has stated that leadership in war and
In peace will be held by that nation
whose people use the least alcohol and
has pointed with serious emphasis to
the dangers arising from the excessive
use of beer in Germany All of the
alert in combating the fearful men
ace. out OF the degeneracy produced
by excessive alcoholism. or from the
lcathsome alcoholism produced by de-
+RGIeracN-an d-lt-m matters not which.
because the cause and effect are so In
ttinately associated as to be indetermin-
! able flow crime. misery. direct and In
DIRECT private and public burdens poli-
teal abuse, moral breakdown and all
the influences that make for deprecia-
ton. and destruction OF society. The
world admits the danger How can II
be avoided?
There may be some questions OF hu-
man rights and personal liberty invoIv-
ed. and there may be a plan where
regulation and prohibition become SUI
er-sumptuary with IL 500 inmates
OF Michigan state charitable, penal and
correctional institutions, and thous-
ands more in county houses and pri-
yate sanitariums. with crime on the
increase In our fair state. with the
owners OF big breweries, through their
strings OF saloons ana otnerwrse sna h.s
yors TO control elections, legislation
and public officials. there Is an arous.
ed interest on the part or all classes or
citizens.
While there may he some argument
rs TO whether saloons shall be per-
mitted 10 exist in this state, there Is
lEo argument against declaration
vicious and -fawfess- shall net-es+st-
There are those who argue and sim
cerely believe that the saloon is the
3 poor mans club. But they nave no 40
"a combination grog shop. den OF
prostitution. resort OF robbers and a
! gambling bill. In the state OF Mich.
!. tigan there are in wet counties 1855
saloons In the city OF Detroit there
; are 1870 saloons, or one for every goo
Z persons. In Wayne county there are
l. lisa saloons: II Is estimated tnat
:. and more than one-half OF those in the
( state, are brewery owned. This mum
: Der OF saloons so disproportionate TO
!. person has been made possible be-
{ cause the big brewers OF Detroit, Chi
e cago, st. Louis. Milwaukee and else
8 where are In the business OF starring
encouraging. capitalizing. owning and
4, controlling saloons. Examination VIII
y show that IS per cent OF dives are
4 brewery-owned safoeRs-Th The evil par
q ticipation OF these big brewers In the
saloon business not only constitutes a
source OF great danger to the health
Z safety and morais OF society. but II IL
0 unfair TO the independent saloonkeepei
land to tie small brewer who cannon
!, AFFORD TO start, own or control a strine
q of saloons. The man who Is thrifty
. and saves enough money TO go into the
I: saloon business, and who may try 70
. he a dec snt saioonkeeper. and who Is
: referred TO as such. must compete with
; the fellow who. without money OF
character. Is set up In business by
. keeper who has little circle OIL
: friends and who Is willing TO be his
: man He is started in business His
fixtures are owned by the brewer; he Is
. hound 10 buy his beer from the brewer,
, who owns him, and at greater price
than the independent saloonkeeper
pays he Is compelled TO pay usurious
, rate OF interest on the license money
. and other investment and In other
ways he Is made the slave OF the
brewer as much as any peon ever Is.
What fs the result? The saloon Is
more than apt TO ,e Se I1ca yo1u wneo of
what may be at least termed honest
business. Consequently the con-
scienceless wins his revenue In any
j manner possible and his only concern
lis not 10 be caught at his repeated
violation OF all the laws that make for
. human decency and protection He sells
drugged liquors. he rolls and robs MS
i drunken victims, he profits from the
prostitution piled by human derelics,
he harbors the white slave trafhckers.
he gives police officers hush money. he
fal NJ
and in fact he gets his money TO pay
his brewer master In any way possible.
just so he gets IT, The snug brewer
master sits In his office or his parlor
and takes this blood money. as did
the absentee landlord in Ireland. with
out thought OF it's source so long as IT
II paid 10 him on time. and 1t must
, be paid. -
1t is within your power TO remove
, this breeding place OF vice. the brew
. cry owned saloon. this evil batted man
trap that IL set to catch the weak and
, the unwary Pass law prohibiting
. and Furnishing brewery owaerships OF
lsaloons and you Will have done more
, for the welfare OF Michigan than any
other legislature In Its history. you
will have done rcut- at Tor The pro-
lection and conservation of our sons
and daughters, and those who work
until they are over weary and those
who though older are like children In
their weakness and lack OF self con-
: troll. and finally YOU will have done
the only thing that Will give the So
called decent saloon keeper a chance
: to make OF his business a legitimate
] calling. II such is within the power OF
mankind Unless you do this ana curb
? the low saloon curse the day Will soon
Q come when Tn, people OF Michigan will
rise In righteous wrath and wipe out
all OF the saloons by statewide pro-
o hlbition. which obtained In this state
! from 1855 10 1876 Far down In the
hearts OF the people they are moral
: and desire that which H. right and
: wholesome. III they can cure without
!, fanaticism or resorting TO extremes
: they will cure!
. also authorize and request your
\ consideration for "A bill 10 amend sec
2 tlon one OF act 26s Of the public acts OF
9 1875, entitled AN act relating 20 bonds
= and othet obligations. with surety or
: suret ties. and the acceptance as surety
thereon OF companies qualified TO act
q as such and the release OF such surety,
. aud the safe depositing OF assets for
r which such surety may be liable, and
!. Ito the charging by nduciartes OF the
n expense OF procuring sureties. and re-
. peRling all laws In conflict herewith
v ~ amended by act number los, or the
n tpubitc acts OF 1897. and by act number
8 32l OF the public acts OF 1907. the same