Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-03-21
EI6H LICENSE.
Judge nouston's Views Upon the
l.tqu0r Question.

Liquor uhebuOus
The Neps' Dover correspondent writes:
The new act known as the Prictatt or
Downham High License aid L,cai Option
Till Imposes upon ths oourtstte jurisdiction
10 the granting OF Licenses. In view OF the
fact that the court has much knowledge OF
ths workings Of such laws, your CORE.
spondent called upon Judge Houston at his
nifics here 10 day TO obtain his views. The
Judge greeted the cJrreep ondent warmly,
aud at once tvlncei deposition to talk
freely about ths bill. IN reply 70 the que5'
ton, Judge, what do you think about the
bill now before the Legislature 10 relation
to high license or local optionf" he said:
II believe tnst l would resign from the
bench should such an act pass. Who drew
that bill Z" inquired the judge.
"Mr. Picket, believe"
"W-ll said the judge, "tha temperance
people have made u mistake and do not
eee why, when they wan Cd such y bill as
that framed, they did not hire "a lawyer
competent to draw bill, and pay him
sood Tee for It.; they are perfectly able to
II. ses the m IN the court roon and iht y
are all men OF standing ANA pronineuca."
"judgs, what do you think of the court
granting and having control 81 the IL
cenars ?"
II think 1t is all wrong. It is not 8 Indi
eial iupa ion, It Is police duty and is OF
such nature rs to brit z thu judiciary into
di-raJuie. Before we had open hearings
| 10 New Castle county wa were met On all
sid by men urging license applications
and Lnen would approach US on tine eu 1et
whu would not attempt or think OF iLn /.
| euciuE us III civil suits At times IL VAS
ilasrn'efnl and wa have found !. necessary
TO refuse 10 giys out tns lists befote We lett
| tine ty."
Under whose con'rol would you placs
| thu ItHnli.g OF the llcnn-es ~
sUuhtr no control Of ttree commissions
era. . rsous properly qlatiei to handle
the snhjreT; thes6 persons TO b1 residents
In the county wneie the licenses are
granted. This syst m l. By fac the beet"
"A 9 you in favor OF high license or loea
optiau2"
"Hign license, believe, works the hest
results where 1t has bean givsa trial Still
Ian mi 10 favor of pacing II as high as I
Is 10 that bill. would have 1t remntn as l
Is In the towns outside OF Wilmtpgten II
Is as much as can bs prohtab!y paid bJ
them now. Ths court has followed Int
iulo In granting ireDsfs Ia smaller town
Of only licensing one house Tor the reAst
that we believed that no more than tina
enuld BIS prntitaoly conducted. woult
have thu licenses graduated to some exten
ia Warrington, not less than $500 nor NOR
tina $40. Tue present bill Is the most i'm
mature thing have ever seen. II LOOKS al
II Sc tinn4 have hesn interllned In IL afte
the bill had neen once written. A printe,
copy was handed ne one evening and
d,-gn ted me after reading 1t. Il made m
feel Inks drawing bill myself !"
now THE BILL WAS PREPARED.
Editr Gazette l have noticed 4
the papeis various references to the Hig
License snd Local Option bill now befor
the Legislature, which are calculated I
convey an erroneous impression. In
measure is continually referred TO as tn
outgtowth and the views Of Mr.. Pickett
Nnw this is wholly incorrect. While il
true he wrote most OF the bill, It was don
urder he directions aud supervision OF tn
citizans interested In the matter. MI
] Pickett IL no more responsible for the cor
tents OF the bill than ia any other paid al
tnrney for the character Of his client 8 chs'
Perhaps It would be more correct to call
the Law nd Order Society bi J; but eve
! that IL inaccurate as very many prom mel
men OF the city had their views incorpol
ated IN the measure outside OF the
body. No one can doubt the goo
witch that society has done and whethe
: we approve the measure submitted or nj
II is proper that It b. considered In car
. did and fair exhibit, and not 9th the shR
lowness md stupidity that bab.tually cha
: actetizss the communications aud con
: ments OF the journal. II the paper wei
not SO insignificant It would bs milo
!. funs that pnEio opIhiof on tine IUpoctar
/. measures introduced In Lsgislatul
, should be- moulded by a person either {
a utterly unreliable or utterly ignorant as
Journals Dover correspondent. But 70
tunstely few SEQ and less believe what
r writes. JUSTICE.
y WILMINGTON, March 10th, 1889.