West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-05-11
Kanawha County.
Like Wood Licenses IN the Midst ..
Prohibition Counties y
CHARLESTON, May 8, 1881

ED. FREEMAN We have no vo,
encouraging news in the Tenn!
ance cause to report from the b,
manent Seat. License toretail ba.
been granted again to about nina '
teen in the city and five or siy !.
the suburbs. Our authorities no M
have it SO arranged that verv few
young men can get away. If thew
Just had a bar on the ferry.bost
their machinery for drunkards
would be complete. l am glad 70
say, however, that license was mt
granted this time without solemn
protest having been entered against
it. The Temperance Societies n
this place and ST. Adams appoipted
Joint Committee to appear before
the Commissioners and present rea.
sons why licenses should not be
granted. A written protest was
presented on the first day of the
Court, April 18th, and the Commit.
tee was granted further hearing
on the next day at 10o'clock. Rev
P. B. Reynolds, of st. Adams, was
the spokesman. Quite an audience
was present, including a large
number of the saloon-keepers. Our
Congressman, Prosecuting Attor,
ney, City Solicitor and Others, were
present, who had been employedby
different parties to present applica.
lions for licenses. 1t was thought
and so remark ed, that the Commit,
tee was there simply to present the
moral objections against the license
system, and that those objections
should be presented first against
the business as q whole and not
against any particular applications
This was agreed to and Prof Rey-
nolds proceeded. He spoke for
probably three quarters of an hour,
holding the undivided attention Of
his rather promiscuous audience.
He did not present the moral aspect
Eof the question, as was expected by
many, but viewed the question
from business and economical
standpoint. 1t was said by some
to have been the best speech ever
made inside the Courthouse yard.
The arguments against license were
simply unanswerabN. No reply
was attempted. A few apologize
remarks were made by counsel for
the applicants, after which the
Court adjourned until afternoon,
when applications were presented
and-granted. Mr.. ]. D. Baines,
however, be it to his honor said,
had his vote recorded against it. 1t
is thought by many, that if we had
begun in time and presented the
petitions Of the good people of the
county, in connection with our pro
test, that license would have been
refused But that speech will I'M
doubtedly bring forth fruit. A
number were led to look at this
question as they never saw it be-
fore, and / doubt whether anyone
there,is now quite as much in favor
of the liquor traffic as he was before
l thought I could read in the coun,
tenances and remarks of our good
Congressman and Prosecuting At
torney secret, hearty wish that 1t
didn't come within the line OF a
lawyers business to present appll-
cations to sell rum. How noble 1t
would be in these men if they
would turn their faces against and
set their feet down upon a business
which they know to be curse to
their constituents.
Federal Court sits here to-mor-
row and the city is full of "moon,
Sinners | wonder how much OF
Uncle Sans whisky revenue II
takes to look after these fellows?
From present appearances, however
if they stay here long, they'll IN
crease Uncle's revenue considerably
If he would just sit down on the
whole business, he would nave
much less trouble, and pay his deo's
a great deal easier. L. Cd