Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-06
WANT MORE LICENSES.
The Brewers Association Meet-They Claim
Too Close Restriction Causes Illegal
Liquor Selling.

The Brewers Association Meet-They Claim
Liquor Selling.
A meeting OF the representatives of the
various breweries in Allegheny county was
held Yesterday afternoon in the regular
assembly room on Fourth avenue. There
were II representatives present of the 10
breweries of the county, and they passed a
resolution which will be presented to the
Court to-day, stating that the understanding
of the Brooks law, as far as they knew it,
was that any good citizen who applied for a
license should be granted one. The illegal
selling which is said to be so prevalent was
condemned, although the reduction from
200 licenses to about 300in the county, was
regarded as an encouragement rather than a
stoppage of the illegal business
A comparison of the sales showed that the
Pittsburg breweries suffered from the re-
suits of the Brooks law as enforced, for the
reason that the home breweries refused to
sell to places which were running contrary
to law, and the outside firms made capital
out of the position without paying cent
license. They made arrangements from
Youngstown and other bordering Ohio
towns, and put in their beer in competition
with the handicapped Pittsburg beverage.
One firm alone Eberhardt, Ober & Co.,
found a decrease in trade of 5000 barrels
last year on this ground, and others showed
an equal decrease in business, in some re-
spects, and a falling away generally in
home trade, caused by the decrease in the
number OF licenses.
A committee was appointed to wait on
Judge White to-day or tomorrow, consist
ing of William Ebernardt, Harry Daniels
and Edward Frauenheim, 10 place before
him the facts in the case. The general idea
of the petition to be presented is the show
ing of the necessity of more licenses as
means to prevent the speak-easy business,
which is so much complained of, and at
present so prevalent. Among other reasons
to be given for the granting of more licenses
is the admission of Judge White, made in
open court, that he considered the business
was cut too short.
The argument was advanced that people
VINO wished to live in accordance with the
law were compelled to sell without license
in Difference to public opinion in places
where one, two and frequently three wards
were left without single saloon. This is
where the brewers say that the illegal SELL
ing is blamable upon the courts. From
this point the rough class who see chance
to make money starts out, caring as little
for license as for law, and puts the speak
easy into operation.
With these and other arguments of equal
strength the brewers will present their case
to the courts this week, asking on behalf of
the retail dealers for an increase in the num-
Der of licenses. There is not one member of
the association, however, who expects any
change in the number before next May. At
that time. however, they look for a large
accession to the number of licensed saloons
and a great decrease in the speak-easy in.
terests.
The petition will be presented this after
noon or tomorrow to the court, and will
bear the signature of every prominent
brewer in Allegheny county.