To make the discussion of this subject as fruitful as possible, I venture to submit the following questions for your consideration. None of them involve any direct moral issue, but there is an honest difference of opinion about each one of them, and they are certainly of vital importance in determining the course of wise and just administration.
What has been the effect of high license?
How much public revenue should the traffic yield?
Does high license stimulate unlawful trade?
How much license tax should be imposed upon local bottlers and grocers? Should they be allowed to peddle beer or to sell it in single bottles?
Should the place or the individual be licensed?
Should the licensing authorities be appointive or elective? By whom should they be appointed, and for what term of office?
Have the courts made good or bad licensing authorities? Where the courts issue licenses, what has been the effect on the court?
Should the licensing authority alone have the power to revoke a license, and discretion to withhold a license?
How can the licensing authority enforce the law? Should it not be independent of the police?
What should be the penalty for breach of the law? Do not severe penalties miscarry?
On what plea, and under what conditions, should licenses be transferred?
What has been the effect of limiting the number of saloons?
Should limitation be according to area or to population?
Is there any relation between the number of saloons and the volume of consumption?
What should be the limit to the hours of selling?
Should saloons be allowed to become places of entertainment?
How can the sale of liquor by druggists be controlled?
How can spurious drinking clubs be prevented or controlled?
How can the operation of disreputable hotels be prevented? What should be the definition of a hotel? Who should define it? By whom should it be licensed? What special privileges should be given to it?
How can the "back-room" evil be stopped? Is it legal (i.e. constitutional) to prohibit the sale or serving of liquor to women?
Has the removal of screens reduced the volume of consumption? Has it improved the character of saloons? Has it solved the problem of Sunday prohibition for any length of time? What has been the general effect of it in the tenement districts?