The City Council Battles Over Liquor Fees
A sharp political divide emerges over raising liquor license fees, with arguments ranging from moral restriction to fear of creating a monopoly.
Delegate Jones explained the slight differences between the old and new ordinances, the chief being that the license be $1,000 instead of $500. Mr. Bagley advocated it as a measure of high license, believing it would force saloon keepers to be more careful. Mr. Willis thought $1,000 was too high, arguing it would drive men out of business and create a monopoly by which a few capitalists would profit. Mr. Jones said some would vote for the measure as a line of restriction, others for revenue. The ordinance was placed on final passage by a vote of 11 to 3.
“It would create a monopoly by which a few capitalists would profit.”
This debate captures the intersection of moral regulation and economic power that defines much of Seattle's early municipal politics. The argument that high fees favor wealthy monopolies over small operators remains a familiar critique in contemporary debates over business licensing and housing regulations.
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