The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-04-13
LIQUOR DEALERS
WOULD CLOSE UP
HOURS EARLIER
Following Conference Of Leaders
Send Formal Offer to the
sal Commissioners
SALOONS WOULD SHUT AT
SEVEN O'CLOCK FOR NIGHT
Hotels and Restaurants With L.
censes Would Be Allowed
One Hour Extra

The handwriting ON the wall has be
come so evident to the liquor interests
in Honolulu that they yesterday took
the first step towards voluntary restric
tions to save a little rather than lose
the whole. Led by George J. o'Neill,
Of Peacock q Co., st. G. Sayre, manager
Of the Honolulu brewery; P. +. Ryan
Of Ryan's bar; w. G. Peacock of the
Criterion saloon and Manuel Andrade
OF the Fashion saloon, the saloon keep
ers and wholesale liquor dealers of the
city yesterday volunteered to close at
seven clock. The letter addressed to
the commissioners reserved the plea
that the liquor license commission had
no right to make the regulation closing
them. .E,..
The propt dtion had preliminary
hearing yesterday afternoon at four
o'clock before the military committee
Of the senate which was attended by
representatives of the commission and
the liquor interests. 5.'..
The general situation seemed to. be
that the commission was in favor of the
Baloons' suggestion, the criticism, if
any, coming from the senate committee.
Chairman Coney, acting on the basis
that IL was the desire of the military
authorities to close up the liquor houses
effectively in protection of the eff
cheney Of their forces, was doubtful
whether the proposal, If carried out,
would have that effect. s. - +.
There is suspicion that the houses
whose names appear on the letter to the
commission win not be as unanimous as
itappears. The Union Grill is one Of
these, for expressions of opinion from
Manager John Detor yesterday indi.
Gated that he was not ready to close at
seven o'clock, as he said he had been
requested. He stated that this was the
middle of his dinner hour, and that he
had held out for eight clock, claiming
it TO be unfair to let the hotels con
tinue later than his cafe. ~, -.
r. w. Breckons appeared at yester-
day 5 hearing on behalf of the liquor
men and the discussion which resulted
from his remarks were occasionally ac-
rimoniously tinged so far as it was
directed towards the prohibition inter
ests. ....
Mr.. Breckons in speaking for the
liquor men said: WIS.,,
"The liquor men of Hawaii are quite
willing to have submitted to the peo-
pie, in legal way, the question of
whether we shall have prohibition or
not. But the measure presented to con-
gress, which provided for a plebiscite
by petition, was a fool proposition. l.,
While in Washington last, / my.
self drew up a bill to be introduced in
congress, under the terms of which
the legislature of this Territory would
have been authorized to enact prohi.
bition, or refer a decision to pleb.
iscite. ,.... 49,. 4,
Kuhio was inclined to favor the
latter alternative, but DR.. Wadman re-
fused to withdraw his plebiscite- by.
petition bill. If he had consented, con.
gress undoubtedly would have gone
ahead, and this Legislature today would
not be plagued with doubts whether
Is has power to enact prohibition or
no power .4
The letter from the saloon men is as
follows:
Letter Of Dealers .,-....
elm view of certain statements APP
pearing in the public press concern.
ing the attitude of the dealers in
liquor and the saloon keepers in Homo
lulu, il has seemed advisable to some
Of us engaged in the business to dis
cuss among ourselves the question of
the traffic in liquor during the present
war. LTD. -
cit is not admitted for moment
that drunkenness, if it does exist in
Honolulu, is due wholly to the saloons,
nor that keeping the saloons open until
q late hour is wholly responsible for
such drunkenness as may exist. Nor
is IL admitted that traffic in intoxi-
eating liquors constitutes at the pres
ent time a menace TO the Territory.
AS a matter Of fact, few drunken peo-
pie are found in saloons or in licensed
places where intoxicating liquors are
sold. gE, s". w.. H
But the undersigned licensed deal.
ers in intoxicating liquors in Honolulu
are ready TO meet any situation which is
deemed or considered an emergency.
We are not TO be Outdone in patriotism
by any other set of business men. Not
Withstanding the fact that under our
licenses we are authorized to keep our
places open until much later hours,
yet should your board so decide whole
sale houses and breweries win close at
five o'clock, and saloons at seven
o'clock, and no intoxicating liquors
will be sold by hotels or restaurants
represented by US after eight clock
during the continuance of the war.
owe will 20 step further and
say that even though your board has
no power 70 make any such regula-
tions, yet ii they are adopted, we viii
do all in our power to have them car
ried ont both in letter and in spirit.
Further than that should your mem,
bers at any time find that drunkenness,
~ il does exist at present, is not
lessened by the additional regulations,
then we shnll 40 all in our power to
sssist you in the entertainment Of the
reasons therefor. Z. -,
Wish 10 Assist We" 49,.
I" In short, gentlemen, the dealers in
liquor ia Honolulu are ready, willing
and anxious, during the continuance Of