The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-05-01
nThe Saloon Question y


lengthy communication on the much-talked
OF saloon Question" of which our reverend
friend, Mr.. G. w. Gross was the author.
lie tells your many readers how he "speni
few hours at the Seat OF Justice, where he
heard many things that were new and strange
to him, and that he was permitted to answer
a few COMMoNrLACE questions, but not al
lowed TO express his sentiments on the sub
ject." We really sympathze with Mr.. Gross;
II Is no wonder he is indignant and takes up
a column OF space In your yaluable lapcr TO
give vent to his feelings; the fact that the
reverend gentleman was not permitted to
give expression to his views In Il Seat Of JUS
tlcc, in Il county like Carbon, is enough to
make the blood of the average patriot Of this
"Iand Of the free" boil over with indignation.
He says, II found the applicants for license,
nom this place. were well prepared to push
their respective claims. There was quite a
formidable array Of legal talent and a good
ly number OF Witnesses" just imagine, kind
reader, how this poor man must have felt
when he saw how well prepared these "bad
men" were 10 cope with the petition sent in
by the crGnks, of this place, against the licen-
sing of new saloons. Picture, ii you can, how
sorrOWlully hc must have listened as the yaTi-
uIs Witnesses testified as to the necessity Of
''such a place as Mr.. Peters proposed keep
Ing" Gut he goes on to say how modestly
some acknowledged, and how the weight Of
this one and that ones testimony was added
and how "the young man Stocker testified
quite emphatically MS to the necessity OF such
saloon as Mr.. Peters proposed 20 keep, hay-
ing himself, heretofore, felt the necessity Of
warm meal at such hours when they could not
be had elsewhere" | forgive the reverend
gentleman for his Indulgence in the above
li'tle pleasantly at my expense. Kind reader
probably you can Imagine how our esteemed
friend must have read over the above lines
and pictured how lemorallacd "the young
man Stocker" would be when he read them,
and how the public would go in sack cloth
and ashes" over the sin Of adding 1rSt-clasS
restaurant to our town for the accommodate
tlon Of the public; but had prepared myself
for such an attack, and the words fcl as harm
lcSsly as the dew which falls on an autumn
night.
Now, Mr., Editor, in justice to myself. for
aln confident that many OF your readers are
not aware Of the true facts, would say, that
II did testify quite emphaticaily," and would
do 50 again did necessity demand it. The
question asked me on the witness stand was,
''Is 1t necessary for lrst-class catlng-saloon
IN Lchighton7" | answered YES, and am
certain that your readers will side with inc
when they learn that there has never been an
eating-saoon in the town. and that now the
amount Of transient travel which is continually
gCIng ON here makes it necessity. True
we have a large number of saloons. but out Of
them all person Is unable tD get "warm
meal" at any time, and In town the size OF
this, iirSt-claSS restaurant Is as much of u
necessity as any other business--lt being n
public convenience.
Now, dear reader, our reverend friend only
wanted TO present TO you the truth in a true
christian spirit, yet when he states that Mr..
Hauk said the saloons were necessary at the
County Institute, he did not say that it was
in answer to Mr. Freyman's question, Would
not one half Of the saloons and hotels Of the
town accommodate the travelling public at
any time? and the witness said, No, they
could not during Fair, wnen political meet
ings were held, and during the County Insti-
tute. Did not the rev. gentleman know that
all the hotels could not accommodate the
teachers at the County Institute? If he did
not he must DO rs ignorant of the events of
our town as he Is of the law and common
sense. No, dear readers, he wanted the wit.
ucss to say something to cast reflection on
our noble corps OF teachers or to cast stlg-
ma on him Uhe witness.) That, OF course, is
II true christian spirit for Il minister of the
gospel to show. Our rev. friend criticizcs the
action Of our worthy and respected townsman
T. a. Snyder, for being earnest in the cause
of his client, who employed him TO ask for A
license for one Of tho most respectable places
in the county, and for man that he and all
his friends could not say one word against
and at the same time he allows his entlusi
aSm and ardOr to condemn such men as
| Chief Burgess Gravcr, eX-SSherin Rauden
busli DR.. c. T. Horn, s. L. Giiham, Esq, Mr.
john IIauk, Mr.. Harrison Bower, DR.. Rebcl
aud others, because their judgment differed
from his cranky views on prohibition. Now
If nc and few Of his temperance friends had
not h8en so exceedingly enthusiastic on thl
temperance question. perhaps they could
have seen that Il ilrst-class restaurant, like
Mr. Peters proposes TO keep, will be Il great
| convenience TO the public, and if one Of tn,
| leading lights of his church had lived some
where else than along side Of tho place, per
haps his arlor and enthusiasm would moi
have been so bright in the great public cause
Row, our rov. friend says inaSmuch rs 81
am growing" he is not surprised that need
warm meals at such hours when they cannot
be had elsewhere. am real sorry that oul
mature aud elder brother did not know about
this when he was boy, for he might nov
| have little more flesh aud muscle on his sis
| foot two of stature. 1t Is never too late I,
learn, and this yet may be of great value tC
him in gaining some of the ncedful avoirdu
pois
In conclusion, we regret sincerely that the
many COED citizens Of our town, who poti
! toned for the restaurant, and the many wit
nCsseS who testified on the stand as to It's ne
cessity, and the attorneys who were interest
| ed in behalf OF the license, and the Judges o
our Courts who granted the license, are al
in The wrong, and our rev. friend had an op
portmity in one whole column Of your valu
able paper Of wrcaking his personal feclin,
over his defeat on Us after being heard il
our courts by petition, by witnesses, by al
able attorney, We hope that his conscience Il
clear and that his little to the skies" Shinci
slill brighter. We therefore leave him (,
search for a''WGrm meal" so that we may SEE
a FULL Gross Yours Respectfully,
q. i. NJ. STOCKER.
Manoning items.
10! this is spring; the jolly season
of The year! Who has not marked tht
! ,,tiva aba anua e a Vra,GD