The daily sentinel., 1913-09-19

he Hnal uFatt OF the regulatory
ordinance which is to be sub
mitted along with the pro-sa-
loon proposition at the election No
yember 4, was completed last night
at the meeting of the Taxpayers as
ISOLATION in the Reed block.
When its provisions became gener-
ally known today the proposal met
with storm of protest from wet"
and dry advocates alike. The ordi-
nance seems to have been either very
carelessly or very carefully drawn
and its provisions are not meeting
with any sort of popular favor.
To begin with the advocates of
high license declare that IL gives
pitifully poor revenue to the city. The
license will be from 81 900 to SI,5OO
for each saloon and not more than
hye and possibly four saloons will be
permitted, This totals but $4,000 to
$1,000 annually as the city's income
fro mits liq,Noring places.
Another setion which ia meeting
general objection is the permission
granted the saloons TO operate for IL
hours on eve:y day except Sunday
and election days and l9 hours on
Saturdays, holidays or other days of
public gatherings. The ordinance
permits saloon to open at O'Clock
and run until 10 O'Clock on ordinary
days or until twelve on festive occa-
sions when trade would be heavy.
The penalties are remarkably light,
too. Fines of from 500 to $500 for
the first and $500 to 1000 on the
second offense are provided for but it
is an open question among attorneys
as to whether or not municipal
court can collect fine greater than
$500. There is practically an agree
ment among members of the bar that
$500 is the limit which a police court
can assess or collect fines. Optional
penalties include thirty days sus-
pension of business for the first Of
fense or one year for the second.
However, no jail penalties are to be
made under any considora ton.
There is no penalty for selling to
minors. II IS a violation of the law
but there Is no penalty for IT. II is.
IhOweYel a serious ofIense TO the
minor to buy the goods. This Is con
sifered an advisable protection for
the saloon keeper because it would
prevent minors from becoming wit
nesses against the saloon man. An
affidavit made by the minor that he is
of age i5 to be considered 4 bar to
prosecution.
Another omission that is being
pointed out by those who have eX-
amined the ordinance is the failure
to mention the admission of women
to the saloons. SO far as the ordi-
nance goes the whole rear Cf a drink
ing place could be filled with women
without any penalty accruing to the
proprietor.
While card rooms, wlnerCOms and
games of chance are explicitly barred
from the saloon there is no provision
against them being established in
cellars, upstairs rooms or adjoining
buildings. This is a common method
of evading a laxly drawn statute.
No saloons are to be opened on
Main street nor within l25 feet of
that street. This would prevent the
operation of bars at the old Board Of
Trade or Senate site or NasOn's bar
on Fourth and Main. The A. A NIL
Ter building on Fifth street could be
operated as could the old Abbey and
Ranch saloon sites.
1t is understood that the TaNpay-
ers association propose to stand or
fall by their handIwork in this ordi-
nance and that no changes are to be
made.