The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-08-11
LAGER BEER BILL.

Governor BiGLER approved laws for Chester
and Tioga counties precisely similar, in pro-
visions, 10 the bill which he now refuses bis
assent, and which has been called the "Lager
Beer biIln A desire TO conduct this political
campaign upon principle, and with due regard
10 truth, should forbid the publication Of that
which IS notoriously untrue, and the Wing
presses, in the interior OF the State, should
examine the articles Of the Telegraph with a
great deal OF care before they endorse them.
A wish 10 gain triumph, no matter by what
means obtained, induces the publication Of
many things which, under ordinary circum-
stances, editors would be ashamed TO publish,
and the truth of this is exe;nPIiied in the
course Of the Telegraph The following is the
bill which the Governor refuses TO sanction:
In lei for the better Regulation Of the Fend-
iag Of Sprttaous md .lialt Liquors.
SEC. l. Be il enacted By the Seaate and
House Of Representatives, Of the Commonwealth
If Pennsyicagia IN Geaeral .dsSemJiy met, md
it is hereby enacted by The authority of the
same, That from and after the passage OF this
act no person or persons shall sell or expose 10
sale any beer, ale, porter, other malt liquors,
without license for that purpose, first had and
obtained from the court Of quarter sessions of
the proper county, in the same wav and sub
ject to the same rules and regulations as regards
the licensing and keeping of beer houses, and
the payment of the license fees to the common
wealth, as are now applied by law TO the keep
ers Of licensed inns and tavrrns
SIC. ,, That from and after the passage of
this act, no license shall be granted by the trea-
snrer OF any county, to any person or persons
to sell sprltuous liquors by the quart or other
wise, unless the person or persons applying for
such license shall be retailers of foreign or do
nestle goods, wares and merchandise other than
spirituous liquors, entitled to be cassed equal
with the fourteenth class, and have been thus
regularly classed by the appraisers Of mercan-
tile taxes.
SEC. 3. That any person or persons vending
spirituous or malt liquors without license for
that purpose, first had and obtained, according
TO the provisions hereinbefore provided, and
any person or persons violating any of the pro-
visions of this act, shall be subjected TO the same
penalties that are now by law provided against
the keepers OF unlicensed tipping houses Pro
gided, That this act shall not be so construed
as to apply to the brewers of malt liquors OF the
manufacturers or rectlfers of spiritunns liquors
for wholesale purposes Prorided, That the ap-
plicants for license under this act shall not be
required TO give notice thereof by advertising
IN the newspapers OF the proper county and
the SAID courts shall have power to grant said
licenses al any term at which petitions may be
presented ind proUided, That nothing in this
act contained, shall change the classification Of
vendors of sPirituous and malt liquors in the CT
~ and county of Philadelphia, or reduce the
amount of license fees thereof
Z. B. CHASE, Speaker of the House
NJ. MCASLIN, Speaker Of the Senate.
The objection to this bill does not consist in
the fact OF its compelling vendors of beer, ale
and porter TO apply to the Court of Quarter
SESSIONS for license but because it gives 10
the county Treasures the authority 10 grant
licenses TO retailers of foreign and domestic
goods to sell such liquors by the qunf other
eise.
The acts which the Governor signed, and
which apply only to the counties of Chester and
Tioga, simply require vendors of beer, ale, por-
ter, Sc, SC. to apply to the court Of Quarter
Sessions for license, and 50 far they are SINH
lar to the above bill but they do not give the
county Treasurers of these counties authority to
grant licenses 10 retailers Of foreign and domes-
tic goods to sell liquors by the qaayt er other
r'se, and this it is which constitutes the great
difference between these acts
In this county, we well remember, that when
it was fashionable for store-keepers to set down
upon the counter gill of whiskey, brandy, or
some other kind of liquor, more drunkards were
made by this system than were ever made by
regularly licensed inn-keeper. The mosaI por-
ton OF community never ceased in their efforts
until the country was rid Of the evil, for the
evil did not consist in the mere fact Of drink
ing. but in the fact that, while the customer
was laboring under the excitement created by
the liquor he drank, he was much easier prey
TO the store-keeper, who sold him goods at enor-
nous prices. Are we, then, TO have the same
scenes enacted over again We are not OPP
posed 10 s;ore-keepers, but we say that the
Treasurer of no county should grant licenses by
which every little store in the country would
become a rum shop and doggery, and Governor
BlGLER is right in Withholding his assent TO the
bill.
An honest temperance advocate will not de-
sire that such bill will become law. In
the cities Of Philadelphia and Plttsburg, and in
all the large towns oft the Commonwealth, there
would be established, under the provisions of