The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1908. THE LIQUOR TRADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2279, 26 August 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1908. THE LIQUOR TRADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Although tho Prohibition movement is making great strides in the Southern United States for reasons that were made clear in iheso columns recently, it must not'he supposed that there is unanimity in regard to the radical reforms that aro being given •effect to. : As in this country the prohibition movement is being opposed not only by those directly interested in tho liquor trade, but also by numbers of people who honestly believe that the interests of tho community will he better served by a more satisfactory regulation 0 f the liquor traffic than by abolishing it. Amongst these latter is a gentleman named Mr. Shattuck, who hue just introduced a Rill into tho Louisiana legislature which possessses many features that will interest those concerned in licensing reform in New Zealand. The Shattuck Bill is thus described: It makes the sale of liquor a business t 0 itself, entirely separate

from any other. There .vs to be no music, no slot machines, no gambling, no pictures in the saloon; it is left a plaoo to purchase drinks, where you make your purchase as you would buy a hat or shoes or any other article and then leave — there will be no enticement, no temptations for the patrons to linger there. This is the central feature in the Bill.

Again, the building must ho devoted wholly to the sale of liquor. The grocery-saloon is by name abolished. Race separation is further insisted on, and whites and negroes can not purchase drinks in the same building. No woman is allowed to take out a liquor license, to he a member of a firm taking out such a license; nor can a woman serve liquor in a saloon or be permitted tq drink there; and the

same prohibition exists as to minors. The saloon must bo operated by persons of good repute and citizens of the State; uo persons convieted of crime arc competent lo hold a license. The broweres can not bo interested in any way in. tbo saloons. Applications for a license must bo made to. t.io District Court and published in the new:papers, and this application to the court must bo renewed every year. A bond of £IOOO is required of retail liqtitiU dealers, £2OOO of those selling malt liquors alone. In case of any violation of the liquor laws the license is made forfeitable. Tho license fees arc fixed at Lift) each, but in an establishment where malt liquors alono are sold the license is fixed at one-lulf that required for saloons selling both whisky and beer. •

Referring to the new Bill the New Orleans “Times-Demoerat” says:— “The suggested legislation conies as a compromise between the radical elements, who advocate on the one hand statutory prohibition, on the other almost absolute license to the saloons, the removal of governmental control or regulation of their reduction to such a shadow as to afford no protection against tho abuses of the liquor traffic. There are provisions in the Bill which the saloon people will not like; but Governor Sanders has pointed out to them that it is either this regulation or straight prohibition. Tile Louisiana saloon men can not be blind to tbo fact that a failure to recognise the present drift of public sentiment on this liquor question is responsible for the success of prohibition in the other Southern States, and that action to correct tho abuses complained of was taken in tlioso States too late. They hive a chance to profit by the unfortunato experience of their brethren elsewhere. The defeat of the Shattuck Bill will injure rather than benefit. them and strengthen the already very strong prohibition sentiment in the Legislature.”