The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-06-27
A Sentence Worth POndering.

Three saloon keepers in Chicago
were found guilty of selling liquor to
minors. The address of the justice
when they were sentenced, as report
ed in the Chicago Tribune, is origi-
nally and eminently wholesome
The evils of the liquor traffic, and
what license involves, are rarely
set out in a clearer light than in the
following address by Judge Reading:
"By the law you may sell to men
and women, if they will buy. You
have given your bond, and paid your
license to sell to them and no one
has right to modest you in your
legal business. No matter what the
consequences may be, no matter what
poverty and restitution ale produced
by your selling according to law;
you have paid for this privilege, and
you are licensed to pursue your call
ing. No matter what families are
distracted and rendered miserable;
no matter what wives are treated
with violence; what children starve
or mourn over the degradation of a
parent, your business is legalized
and no one may interfere with you in
it. No matter what mother may ag-
onize over the loss of son, or sister
blush at the shame of a brother, you
have a right to disregard them all
and pursue your legal calling-you
are licensed! You may fit up your
lawful place of business in the most
enticing and captivating form, you
may furnish it with the most costly
and elegant equipments for your law
full trade; you may fill it with the al.
lurements of amusement; you may
use all your arts to induce visitors;
you may skillfully arrange and ex.
pose, tie view your choicest wines and
most captivating beverages; you may
then induce thirst by all contrivances
} to produce a raging appetite fol
drink, and then you may supply thai
appetite to the fault, because it is
lawful; you have paid for it you
| have a license.
: "You may allow boys, almost chill
) dren, to frequent your saloon; they
may witness the apparent satisfac
I ton with which seniors quaff thu
sparkling glass; you may be school
ing and training them for the periot
of twenty -one, when they, too car
participate, for all this is lawful
r You may hold the cup to their very
: lips, but you must not let then
e drink-that is unlawful. But while
e you have all these privileges for mo
a ney you, the poor privilege of selling
i to children is denied you. Here pa
f rents have the right to say "Leav
: my son to me until the law gives yo'
d a right to destroy him. Do not an
: ticipate that terrible moment when
IT can assert for him 10 further right
s of protection. That will soon b
e enough for me, for his mother, 70
d his sister, for his friends, and for tn
<, community to see him take his roa
d to death. Give him to US in hi
e childhood at least. Let US have
II few years of his youth, in which b
e can enjoy his innocence, to repay u
? in some small degree for the care an
re love we have lavished upon him.
} This is something you who no0
l. stand prisoners at the bar nave nc
d paid for; this is not embraced i
a your license.
5. "For this ofiense the court senter
n ces you in ten days Imprisonment
3 the county Jail, and that you pay
Z fine of seventy-five dollars; and ful
g ther, that you stand committed unit
S. the fine and costs of this prosecr
st tion are paid"
Il "A little West side Chicago BIO