' the riress

\

.har-

W O in

wser- j , dnce- :3 oods. - 9 bad

L; 3» .,

)a.k '

PERS

City. a.

can

' rues: I8 sermon Mars.

The More We Sell the cheaper We Sell. The cheaper we sell the More We Sell.

We are bound to make thires stir this summer 1 nrgllll. give it to our cus:on.ers. The fact that p

We Are Selling More Than Iecauae

We Did ,

WE ARE SELLING CHEAPER-,

U I {was to a certain extent an advantage in this way. To Mr. Clarke—I don't. know whether

Pmhibitioii Pressed Home Mil. GAllIllNEll SPEAKSDLIJAB AND Sl‘ll0Nll.

{an

Even Liquor Dealers Think Prohibi- tion Desirable.

llE\'. MR. BREWER

Shows how a Drunka.rd’s Money [lo

Father llclnlay Tliinki Inhibi- tion Irrational.

To Dr McLeod‘——The licensees under the old license law never gave any assist- ance in enforcing the law. I once fined a city councillor who held a license for sell- ing on the Sabbath day.

» I think the non-enforcement of the Sc. tt Act can be accounted for. -

The city marshal’s statement regarding the police having an eye to the opinions of the majority of the Council is one reason. The police should befree from r u‘SldH influences.

Mr. Fitzgerald here submitted an ad- ditional table of statistics.

.« With reference to the number of per- sons convicted he said 144 different per-« sons were actually convicted in the nine years. The statement reported that there we re 36% illicit places under the Scott Act was incorrect. He estimated that there would be about 150 illicit places in exist- eice at one time. There were times in this city when it was almost impossible to get a glam of grog. A man had to lose his self- to descend to the tricks to ,t_'t t liquor. He thought the fines imp wed vs holly inadequate to enforce the law and Ft ad a list of persistent violators to show how they had fared under the nine years of Scott Act. One man was convicted seven times. paid $350 in fines and went to jail twice. Anoth:r onvicted 15 times, paid $780 and was jailed twice. Another, convicted 11 times, paid $350 and went to jul twice. Another convic‘ed 7 times, paid $500 an] was j-sllcl once. .-\nn‘l1o.«r was convicted 2'0 t-me-, paid $750 and went to jail 9 times. Some of these men made nearly a fortune in Scott Act times. They took all risks, defied the law, and made big profits.‘ Another hindrance was. the fact that prisoners under the Scott Act were better treated than others They always succeeded in getting a doc- tor’s certificate, without which prisoners are permitted to have jail farejonly. Then of the $12,000 collected in fines only about 82000 were spent in the enforce- men! of the act, when the whole sum should have been applied.

At the conclusion of his evidence Judge McDonald complimented Mr. Fitzgerald very highly on the clear, explicit and valuable evidence he had given.

Hon.A.B.McKrNzir—To Jud e McDon- ald—-I am a merchant. Have u doing business in Charlottetown for 25 years. Have been a member of the legislative council for,l6 years, and was previously a member of the house of assembly. I have seen the Scott Act work. It was not well enforced. ' I for the Scott Act, even as it was, to a ‘meme law. The present law revents a good deal of drinking on t e Sabbath day and late at night, which the Scott Act did not.

I would rather have 70 saloons as they ;re now than 5 or 6 licensed. I "oppose license on principle. I favor Prohil-i=1_»u and see no insupcrsble difficulties in its enforcement. . ‘

Mn. McKsNzis_ here_ e lained the peculiar position in which h’towi. was placed until recently as regards reyr - sentation in the council, by which the minority ruled the council and refused to carryoutthewishesofthe eregard- ing the enforcement of the tt Act.

To Judge McDonald-I doubt if the 1. gislgtive would pass a license law. I hear no complaints ainst the Scott Act in the district which represent. I don't think there is an illicit tavern there. _ I believe if the citizens had an opportunity they would to-day re enact the Scott Act by a large majority. Its defeat at last

..election was due to a number of names of temperance people being left off the voters list by a more quibble. The rumsellers took ad- vantage of this to bring on the repeal election. _ _ _

To Dr. Mcbod—I think Prohibition would be advantageousto the of the country,-—niouey _ t for liquor is just as if it were thrown into the sea_.

I think the Scott Act was an admirable act because it put the rum seller in his proper place and made disre- putable. I think twenty attractive sa- I. one would do as much harm as severity or even two hundred illicit places.

Hon T W Dodd, M L C (sworn)- Have represented the city and royalty 18 or 20 years. I think in the ‘country there was a decrease in the drinking hab- its of the people but not in the city: I don't thin a prohibitory law could be carried out in this country. I think a great many ofiicers would be required to prevent smuggling. I don’t know w_heth- cr there would be a stronger sentiment f or supporting a revenue law than a pro- hibitory law. _

The wards of the city were changed by the voice of the people.

To Dr. McLeo._l—li'ifcy years sac there was more smugghng than _now. The foal- ing of the people I think is more in favor of enforcing the revenue law now. _ '

I think the drink trade effects’ inju- juriously other businesses. such as mana- t..cturing,agriculturo,etc. I think the Scott Act was better for the farmers. , were deterred from drin ' when they came to Ch’town from fear 0 being sum- moned as witncss and also because they would not degrade themselves by sneak- lnginbackdooi-s,etc. I think the law

. a matured sentiment.

or not a prohibitory law would work. I am in favor of ii good sound license act-. I object to permitting a man to im- port liquor, accepting the duty from him and then refusing him permission to sell it.

To Dr. Macleod—I don't know who- ther license would lessen drinking. I don't know whether or not I would pre- fer a prohibitory law well enforced.

C C Gardner. Esq (sworn)—~Am a man of leisure. I have been in the city and royalty 20 years. Under license the con- Clitinn of the city was very different I was not a temperance man, never belong- ed to a society. We used to come in and stand treat and nobody thought anything about it. .It was necessary for people driving in from the country market days to return home before sun down because the roads were generally crowded with drunken drivers who were just as likely to run you down as not. Several times I was run down. The Scott Act entirely changed that. The farmers went home sober. I think- ten men went home drunk under license for one under the Scott Act. In spite of the pun.’ on’orcement of the act it did great’ 4: ~--ri for country people and many in (IL .- _\ also. The rough element probably ~_ ‘ ‘uore liquor under the Scott Act than uh y do now. They could buy it sometimes and demand it at other times to be kept quiet Repeal was brought about from various causes. let not being properly enforced and second the people got tired waiting for the over- throw of the businem. The continued struggle against the rumsellers was dis- couraging. Those men were uuceasing in their opposition. They were fighting for theirzliving and they hoped that the peo- ple would iu time grow disheartened and give up the fight and they would get back to license.

The effects of the drink traffic are most disastrous in the business interests.

To Mr. Clarke—The lowest class of rumsellers never voted to sus‘aiu the act in my opinion. I think that under the license l-w there was a worse state of sfilirs than under the Scott Act. I don't believe in license in any shape or form. The public become partners in the busi- ness and share the responsibility of any evil.

John Kelly (sworn)—Am in the com- mission business. Hsve been a Coun- cillor for Ward 2. I think the present regulation set very good. I prefer a good license law and a limited number of as‘- loons. With proper restrictions to make license effective, you must deal with the persons who drink, as well as those who sell. The Magistrate could make a monthly report of persons who were be- coming drunkards and the sellers should not be allowed to sell to them. I would permit a man to drink until he became a drunkard and then I would stop him. I would close at, 7 o'clock and on Satur- days earlier, so that when laboring men get their pay there would be no tempta-

tion for them. The old license law I’

don’t think was very strictly enforced. The licensees fairly well observed the law. The licensees never kept an eye on the illicit sellers, as I never knew of any such. As soon as the Scott Act came in force I went out of the liquor business.

Ipreferlicensetothescott Act as we had it. I think the law was responsible for perjury. I think men who at first would swear straight later on grew less o-ii-eful. As a business it was not con- sidered as reputable as when it had the authority of law. A prohibitory law, if it could be enforced, I would prefer. It would have a better effect on the com-

munity. To Mr. Gigault-I think_ there was a

considerable temperance sentiment where the Scott Act came into force. It Was not Men who voted for the act would be seen afterwards drinking. I think the clergy and the temperance societies are doing good. I think there was not much improvement under the Scott Act. I think it was pretty wellenforced at times.

There is considerable difference of opinion as to how the Scott Act fines should be expended. The city was guaranteed all fines and penalties for its general fund. When, in the council, I slwsysopposed placing this fund to the credit of the Scott Act. If that money had been expended in enforcing the law it would not have made much diflerence

as ublic sentiment was lax. 0 Dr. McLeod—-I don't know any

who sold under the Scott Act who are not selling now. 1 think there may beothers selling now whom the marshal hss’nt

counted. ‘ Hsnsrnr Bass-—(sworn)—The Scott

Act was fairly well enforced at times. Its non-enforcement caused its repeal to a certain extent.» Then some of our uewspapers were continually writing against the Act,—a man could’nt get’ drunk but some papersused it to bring

the act into dispute. The act was hampered by the Council also.

‘To Mr Clarke-—I have beenelected a Councillor twice. The liquor party was not always in the majority. A prosecutor‘ wasappoiutedat one time and the act was fairly well enforced. The liquor party disniined this oflldill. If the Act came in force ,now the Council would

They ggogverydellar of the fines to enforce

thesst. Undsrtlieold llceuselawthsre

nponasaverypldifllrltllilifl-‘ T119300“! Actliaschangedall that. Iknowseveral

was much drunkenness. It was ‘looked’

, and our wsy_of doing this is to sell at closest living prices, and when we have a eople are flocking to our store is proof of the value we give. N 0 one can uudersell us.

I, . , ' if ' _ -0 StimmerJackets............’.....Oi;90 ,Lsdiss’I1iIleGlovsI................8c SilksndIaoeC'apes, very:-ich..... 3.90 NewDolsisns., . . . . . . .'. . . . . . . . . ..3.00 Pure Silk Gloves... . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . .. 5% 8 ‘ " ingiandn i‘_ I , .. ....... . . peminsrgsl "ll Bouetslgd good but ................... ....os i 't'' " i‘

EROS. ' 8',

respectable farmers who gave up excessive drinking when the act came into force. It was difficult for a certain class to get liquor under the Scott Act. The active avowed opponents of the set were the liquor sellers. The large majority of the best ‘citizens wished to have it enforced. I believe enforced total Prohibition would be a grand thing. I don't think it would be nearly as difficult to enforce as many people make out. Many who always voted against the Scott Act have said they would support prohibition.

Commission adjourned to meet M--ndsy morning at 10 o'clock.

Tin‘. Commission assembled at 10.15 o'clock.

HON. A. B. MCKINIII called attention to the statement in the published evi- deuce that “ he had been a member of the House of Assembly.” He said that if he made such a statement-it was not correct and called attention to it in case the official reporter had the same militate- meat. Judge McDonald ordered such a statement erased from the ofiicial report.

Janus ConiuI—-To’ Judge McDonald- I have been collector of customs at Char- lottetown for 13 years. There are 12 out- ports, besides Charlottetown. '

Mi‘ Currie submitted the following memorandum to his lordship—spirits,etc, imported‘ and entered for consumption at the port of Cb’town (Kings‘ and Queeu’s Counties) for one and a half years ending 31st December, 1890:

nrroiinn. Goods Gals. Values. Ales . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7,570 8 4,340 Spirits . . . . . . . . . . .24,358 26,919 Wines . . . . . . . . . . .. 1,407 2,395 Totals . 33335 $3.3 sivrsnsn iron consummox. Goods Gals. Values. Ales . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7,978 3 4,487 Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . .34,292 31,185 Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,742 2,541 Totals . . . . . . . . . . .-13,012 838,213

Spirits, etc. imported and entered for consumption at the port of Ch'town (Queen's and King’: Counties) for one and a half years ending 30th June, 1892:

iiironrsb. Goods. - Gals. Ale a s a I s O e e e I I I I C O I I 0 gpirits . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . ..32,592 , ines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389 2.591

ssrinrn rou consnitrrio . —

wines and ales, entered for home con-

front 1887 to 1890, as follows :-

Year. Gals. Value. Duty.

188889. . . .30,357

to the enforcement of the Scott Act.

times

been ag,

sumed in Charlottetown.

tiuually drinking. During the Scott Act

to their business; and we have men pro-

for the Scott Act who had not been drink-

These men were, perhaps, ill, but a great many of them were ill very often. I be- lieve there was a very large quantity of liquor brought from Halifax, St John and Monti-eal,whieli hadbeen duty paid at these ports. I think we have a very good law now. If the pregent law was a little stricter. and enforced with all strictnesa, it would be better than Scott Act-,as it was. Those who thirsted for drink under the Scott Act would have to act the sneak. Under the present law those--who want a drink can getit. The law for closing up at 10 . o'cl&:k and at 6 o'clock Saturday, is an excellent one. I knows den in this city- the worst in the Dominion. of Canada. This place is owned by a Rev. gentleman who is absent from the Island. There is a clergyman in the court who has liken this matter in hand both in the press and from the pulpit. The working man does not go home till six o’clo& on Saturday, andasthe rum shopsareelosedatsix, he cannot get any liquor till Monday morn- ing. Prohibition is the law we want and the bwwe mnsthavs. Ifthemiuisters and "people keep at. it, our people will be better educated for pro-, hibition ten years from to-day. Owing to our ooastbeing sonny of approach. ‘I srestide:-lofw-nuli'%|’s'°°1'1l>° and prohibition would be- dificult to enforce. Some of the country districts tum boon. twins liquor M names it during Act. Thehabit thsScottActwss to get into ajplqefl

I think there has been a decrease in drunkenness during the last or 9 years. The fine here for drunkenness is, very low, and should be increased 100 per cent. Any decrease in drunkenness his to be attributed to the pulpit and temperance lecturers. They have -done more than legislation.

There was less drinking when the Scott Act was enforced. There was a change in the in the duties, an increase, in the last session of parliament. It was small and would not eflect the importation very largely. I never haw a tpuiparance ‘ man pretend to be a driiiking JIM!) ; but I knew drinking men pretend to be temper- ance men. The pretence is on the part of the drinking man. i ’

L Dr. McI.eod:-Then the iusiucerity is due to the driukingjisbit.

I don't know how many , such men there are, just as many as there are hypo- , :"netlmi:;tirgtrnju- ance men and women in Charlottetown, some of the best the sun shines on,and there are alsosome sneaking hypocrites” I think the former are friends of the Scott Act. I remember the old license law ;’ there was a good deal of drinking ; there is less now. A man who drinks now is supposed to put a blot upon his reput- ation. The custom of the country has changed. Temperance lecturing and preaching has done more than law. Law has restricted it because one eou1d’nt get it as freely under the law of restriction. I think the law only taught men to break it-. A man will drinkashissppetite prompts him, there was less drunkenness visible on the streets under the Scott Act than under license. The efieet of un- adulterated liquor, will makeaman drunk. All men are not the same under the in- flueuce, some are jolly, some combative, and some inclined to swindle. I suppose it takes a man longer to recover from the efl'ects of bad liquor than good. I think surrounding the trade with A great restric- tion,till the time the people are prepaircd for prohibition, is the best thing to do; I would increase the fines of those who sell and those who drink. I would’nt go in

999 vervditlicnlt. to set_'i1_iqt10_I‘- T118 min

with an appetite however, would beniore ‘ p ; ‘A _ p 40532 341122" intent under ‘liquor. I now where liquor in the think boys who.hsv'e.an for upper part of the city where formerly I

A of -re-» :';°f‘.::..$:';;.f'..’;'.::.::.';f ‘om W‘ 9”“ ,, H, ,, ,, , ,, mmpfion gt mi. port for the find yen,‘ these menat onetime were not excessive 3351“ nwmmending 3 1i1»,t1?_ ‘for; ‘mm D“ ndfii) 'u___,,Th“ the stoniach’s sake and often intirmit1u,, mg who would an . Kg. yoga ‘

_ , swearto it, if they thought they not be fomnd out."

drinkers.

I was in the grocery and liquor

1337.33_,__33,623 323,701 343,399_33 before I became collector of customs. 24,234 34,705 81 Since 1880 trade ha_s’nt been so good or 1839 90- -~-309124 252750 38-389271 so fluctuating. ‘It appears to me that Owing to the burning of the custo when the liquor trade was prosperous . . “mug - rd house, I can give no statement previous more money was in circulation, and there ilgvgie t;;;::l;h". no it ingthias was more to spend. To Mr Gigault—The Scott Act was at this was‘ due to the prosperity of the poorl enforced. It _would have liquor trade. d°‘l l’°“°°" °“f°'°°d ind i‘ rather have no saloon in the settlement. 30‘ 5°00 I01’ “*0 in9i°°91'l'-Y 0‘ it‘ I'i°“d'- It would be convenient for travellers but From common report I should say the for the ,,u1,,,,.ng it ‘mum not be .3 3004,. Scott Act was not as well enforced as it us a church or; g¢hoo]'.hou_gg,_ “um. H.“ been _‘ 2* should be. All the im rts were not con- ' not in the world 31; .11 an 9'5"‘ J an‘ , _ slggswiol po hdinildembe better, but Prohibition :f4.::;:;i:‘::;::r3°°“ A“ I"::h:"° ?“.°°: mgtimm ‘I =’“"‘~°!' “‘

I don't know that

If I was a farmer I would‘

I believe

To Mr 01-*0-The °9m-non pr-¢ti°° now would be utter folly. I think there of most liquor dealers is to purchase liquor k , 3,0,3,‘ ggnfimgnfi for mmpe.-_.m,.,- 1 “"1 “"3 ‘'°d“°° "5 Wm‘ """°'- Fm" believe if the sentiment was such as to

the time the Scott Act was repealed there mafia“ . 1“-8° m.jogIif, am to drink is ‘ was no restriction on liquor selling. There injurious ma ‘tong ant mmjd be the f0l‘°9d 3130 ll"- It did 90* ‘WP d1'“nk°“'

are from 20 to 30 roughs who are con- time to prohibgn

To Mr. Clarke-These are not quite

5111101’ VII 0034 m98‘“¥- W9 137° in “*9 as many sailing vessels coming here new