The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-03-19

At Morris, Grundy county, ILL.,, three sa-
loon keepers--one woman and two men
were arrested for selling liquor to minors.
As usual in such cases, the liquor sellers
we're lavish of their funds in aid of their un-
fortunate co-workers, and eminent counsel
was employed in defense Of these destroyer5
of the bodies and souls of the rising genera
ton But the proof of their guilt was so
fully demonstrated that the jury were COM
PEELED to pronounce them guilty. Hon. j.
NJ. Reading, the presiding judge, in pro-
nouncing the sentence Of the court used the
following language:
'The jury having found you guilty of sell
ling liquor to minor, it remains for the
court to pronounce the sentence Of the law.
The penalty of this oGenso, fixed by the
Legislature, indicates that it considers the
crime to be of Il serious character. BY the
law you may sell to men and women if they
will buy. You have given your bond, and
paid for your license to sell TO them, and no
one has the right to molest you in your legal
business. No matter what the consequences
may be, no matter what destitution and pow
erty are produced by your selling according
to law, you have paid your money for this
privilege, and you are licensed to pursue
your calling. No matter what families are
distracted and rendered miserable, no matter
what wives are treated with violence, what
children starve or mourn over the degrada-
ton of parent your business is legalized
and no one may interfere with you in it.
No matter what mother may agonize over
the loss of son, or sister blush for the
shame of a brother, you have a right 20 dis
regard them all and pursue your legal calling;
you are licensed. You may fit up your
place of business in the most captivating
FORM you may finish it with the most ee-
CANT and costly equipments for your lawful
trade; you may fill it with the allurements
and amusements; you may use all your arts
to induce visitors; you may skillfully ar
range and expose to view your choice wines
and most captivating beverages; you may
then induce thirst by all contrivances, to
produce ravaging appetite for drink; and
then you may supply that appetite to the
full-because it is lawful; you have
license.
You may allow boys, almost children to
frequent your saloon; they may become
witnesses of the apparent satisfaction with
which their seniors quad the sparkling glass
you may be schooling and training them for
the period of twenty-one, when they, too,
can participate, Tor all this is lawful. You
may hold the cup to the very lips but you
must not let them drink-that is unlawful.
But, while you have all these privileges for
the money which you pay, this poor privi-
lege of selling to children is denied you.
here parents have a right to say, Leave my
son to me till the law gives you a right to
destroy him. DO not anticipate that fatal
moment when | can assert no further pro-
tection That will be soon enough for me,
for his mother, for his sister, for his friends,
and the community to see him take the road
to his death. Give him to us in childhood,
at least. Let III have Il few years of his
young life, in which we may enjoy his inno-
ccncc, to repay rs in some degree for the
love and care We have layishol upon him.
This - something you, who now stand pris-
oncrs AT the bar, have not paid for; this IS
not embraced in yuur license. You have
! your bond to Use to the fullest extent; hut
in taking your pound Of flesh you draw the
blood, and that which is nearest the heart.
The law in il, wjsdam does not preyoutthis,
and you must obey thc law. BY verdict Of
the jury you have been f,uad guilty of
transgrcssng the law. Its extreme penalty