Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-01
IA Curious Petition TO the Pennsylvania
Legitlature.


The Rev. Thomas P Hunt is cireu-
Iatiug in Luzerne county a curious pc
tition TO the Legislature, that IS in
tended to advance the interest Of tenn
Derance. Mr.. Hunt calls this an ''ol-
| i've branch held out to the liquor sell
ers.u He SAYS ''let them derive all
the pleasure and profit they can from
the traffie, and also pay all the inju-
ries which result from it. We are
sick of paving two-thirds OfOur taxes
for the benefit of the vendors Of pOis-
on.D The petition is as follows, and
| il NAV be stated that there Is a talk oi
a similar law for Ohio:
To tie House and Senate Of the COM
montCcaIth Of Pennsylvania;
The prayer of your petitioners, citi-
zens Of the county OF LuZerne, show
eth:
That it is admitted by all wise leg
islators that the use and traffic in in
toxicating liquors is highly danger
Gus TO the interests Of the community,
and no legislation has, as yet, succeed
I ed in 50 restraining these evils as 70
prevent them from existing and in
creasing; and that there is a portion
of our fellow citizens who contend
that your honorable bodies have no
right in any way to prohibit such use
and sale, butare bound to provide, by
t q license law, facilities and accommo-
datiens for such use and sale. We
your petitioners, not here questioning
/ that right, nor asking for the repeal
or prohibition of it, do respectfully
pray YOU to pass a law for this county
/ il not for the whole State, on the fol
| lowing basis:
/. That all who wish TO sell into1i-
eating LIQUORS shall make known on
q certain day their intention OF doing
so to the judge of the court. -.
?. That on paying, pro rata, then
proportion of all the criminal police
and pauper expenses Of the county, tC
be estimated in a lawful manner, and
/ giving bond with good security, tC
paw any other damage that may arise
! in consequence of the sale and use o
said liquors, fairly proven, and thai
would not have occurred without salo
sale and use, they be permitted CSel
and use, as now allowe2 by law.
8. That the county expenses, a
above, shall be paid out Of the money
paid ' s1sss applicants; and that tht
0ther Injuries, properly established
shall be collected out Of the bond CIV
en- for thst purpose, the individuals
thus injured being required only L
prove the injury as resulting from th'
use and traffic, to obtain judgmen
against the bond fund, and this judg
nlent to be executed, pro rata on tn
givers of the bonds. Any person sell
ing Iiquor without complying viii
| these conditions, or any person viola
4 ting the laws already existing on TN
4 subject, shall be fined not less thai
$50 nor more than 500, and impris
oned for not less than one year in tn
county Jail. 0ne-half Of the line .
90 to the prosecutor, the other half Z
; the liquor fund.
4. Those who pay and give bond
shall be authorized, in all cases Il
which they can prove that the dams
ges assessed were caused by any paI
ticular person selling liquor, tina
caused the injury, may sue that lndl
vidual and compel him to pay IL I
those who have complied with III
conditions Of the law. The house Q
property in which liquors are sol
Shall be considered responsible 70
any individual injury thus caused an
sued for by the liquor sellers.
5. All trials for violation of thi
! law to be before the magistrates jury
subject to appeal, &c.