The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-14
Liquor Licenses.

| Inc same ODleCllOnS ana CTltlClSnb
have been lodged against the exist
ing system of Issuing liquor licenses. |
II direct and undisguised effort had 1
been made TO formulate a system of 1
licensing the liquor traiic whereby .
the saloons would be dragged into poll |
tics and made part of a monstrous
political machine doing the bidding of /
the chief executive and his agents, no |
plan better calculated to accomplish I
that purpose than the present one |
could have been found. Under its op- [
erations the licensing authority could
be and perhaps has been used to con-
troll the political activities of those
subject to the terms OF the license law.
II is a matter OF common belief that in
many instances applicants for licenses
have been given to understand that the
issue OF licenses would depend upon
the political activity of the applicants;
whether or not this belief is we'll
founded, such result is the natural
outcome of the system.
In order that any amendments to
the existing law may be in harmony
with the clear intent of the constitu-
tional convention and OF the people
as expressed in their ratification of
Section 9, Article Is, of the constitu-
tion, it is recommended that consid-
Grafton be given to the Illuminating
debates on this question in the conven-
tion and to the wording of the the Sec
tion itself, a portion of which is as
follows: License to traffic in intox-
icating liquors shall not be granted
unless the place of traffic under such
license shall be located in the county
in which the person or persons reside
whose duty is to grant such license
or in county adjoining thereto" The
present system is clearly in conflict
with the spirit, if not the letter, of this
provision.
A system which permits and en-
| courages an intimate political relation
| ship between the state house and the
| liquor interests of the state is unwise
| from every viewpoint So long as the
| liquor traffic exists in Ohio it should
| be as far removed from political ma
| nipulatiOn as possible; at any rate all
! possible political connection between
1 the state house and the saloons should
| be severed.
L III formulating amendments of the
liquor license law, or in drafting new
- measure if the present law shall be
lie repealed, constant reference should
IN be had to two guiding principles which
~ it is believed should be adhered to in
s. all legislation relating to the issue of
m liquor licenses.
c. 1st. The licensing authority should
it. be decentralized by taking from the
1e governors appointed agents the power
Or to,issue licenses.
3y 2nd Careful provision must be
made to secure vigilant and uniform
o. enforcement in every section of the
Ak state of all the laws for the regulation
S, of the liquor traffic. Violation of these
p laws would breed anarchy and con
Ii tempt for all law; it must not and viii
ID. not be tolerated.
lis Abolish Liquor License Board.
If The state liquor licensing boarC
rs should be abolished and Legislation
he enacted to provide for the appoint
as ment, by and with the advice and con
Sc sent of the senate, of state liquo
ng traffic inspector, who in turn may al
w point not to exceed ten deputy in
ar spectors, all at moderate salaries to b.
re- fixed by law. The chief inspector ant
M the deputies should be removable b.
ed the governor for non-performance o
of duty. There are at present three
members of the state liquor licensing
he board each drawing an annual salar!
to of S., 900, and % inspectors, with sal
lio aries ranging from $1,000 to $500 pc
ch annum. The salary of the state liquo
ed traffic inspector should be less thai
tly one.half what is now paid one of tht
cir three state liquor license commission
ed ers, and inasmuch as the force of in
m spectors would be about one-third thu
of present number, it is evident that il
ne this item alone there will be a consid
cy. cradle saving to the state and at tht
te. same time ample provision will b.
Dut made for the rigid enforcement of tn,
en- laws regulating the liquor traffic.
'or The disbursements by the stat
fiji liquor licensing board from Nov. Ii
as 1918, to Nov. 10, 1914, were approx
he mately $288,000, i. e., it is COSTING
out about $4,000 per month or nearly ST.
of 600 per day to administer the presen
ur license system. Probably more thai
Eat one-half of this amount consists of sal
at aries and expenses of the count
all liquor licensing boards in the severa
nd counties. The Office of county licens
If ing commissioner should be abolishe
int and the power to issue licenses to b
ffi- vested in some appropriate local al
ty. thority consisting of an official or of
'er cials already elected and their salarie
in already fixed by law. Some have sut
be gested the courts or an official al
pie pointed by them as the proper autho
ity to have charge of the issue of
ule censes; others have suggested the in
of paneling of a jury to pass upon th
ms applications for license under the j.
be risdiction Of the court; and still other
have urged that board consisting {
ug- certain designated county officers a
es- ready elected and paid should hav
of charge of the matter. Any one {
re- these plans will save more than ha
nal the expense of the present licensin
,ne system, greatly reduce the numbt
or, of officials, carry into effect the e
a pressed will of the people that tf
tax licensing of saloons should be undt
md local authority, and deprive the go
the ernor or any other state official of tt
dangerous power that would be his
ost he were allowed to control the issr
nst of licenses to traffic in intoXicatir
xes liquors. Section 1S of the existin
en- license law provides that "the licens
SSH year shall begin on the fourth Monda