The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-04-16


Bile extent and by strangers and travellers who
come to the town also
Possibly it would not prevail to the same
extent if incorporate drinking and drunken
ness were made as oiious as It is sought to
make the traffic.
The county defeated the Prohibition
Amendment BY 1872, the township sur
rounding the borough defeated i by Il, ana
the borough is the principal place OF bust
essf,r III. to v1saip arlcst1y.
True. the borough carried Prohibition by
20 rnsiority, and the citixsns OF the borough
can alone be heard on this question they
can't, however, shut their eyes to the fact
that many very many people come to town.
tsrry. and do business in the town, and that
| the great majority who do 50 are addicted
| to the temperate use OF spiritnons and matt
LIQUORS. and many Of its own residents OF
goo,l repute. as well as many Of doubtful re-
nute do 30 use II in the town itself,
4 in the face of the fact that there Is no
licensed house in the town. II appears
by the evidence that such large quantiues
| come here aud is used here, as TO seem al
most incredible if the people who live here
! and come here on BUSINESS are not IN the
habit of using liquor as a beverage to great
extent
Is there necessity for licensed house at
! the coHnty seat I?
The renonstranis, largely in the majority
say no. Does the evidence taken with mat
ters of public notoFiety confirm their views
Much Of the evidence is Of no aid to us, as
it is mere opinion evidence, based on no
facts. and is not at all different from the pc
tition and remonstrance. But from the ma
teriaI evidence of reputable citizens it IS
made TO appear
lst, That though no license existed the
drinking habit exists in great degree, by
people in the town and who come here
2nd. That large quantities of liquoris con-
stantly being delivered TO residents oil the
town, and consumed here.
3rd That drunkenness to some extent pre-
walls
/. That the house applied for has large
travelling custom.
). That minors are frequently seen drink
ing liquor in the town.
g. That the men who were ofintemperate
habits during the existence OF license are
now whsn there is no license, the same men
of imrmperatc habits.
:. That the opposition 10 license IS based
solely upon an opinion that license IS not
necessary anywhere-because there is no
Iii L
s. That the remonstranees are based upon
a mere general denial of necessity anywhere.
And from matters of public notoriety the
Court is cognizant of the result of the eiec
ton on the Prohibitory Amendment, in the
county, and the township and the borough,
and of its own acts in granting and refusing
license to hotels in other towns OF the coun-
ty. and that licensed disiillers do business
at suudry points in the county, whence
liquor is easily obtained.
Is there necessity for license of the traffic
50 that it comes under legal restraint?
As one of the conscientious leaders Of
| Prohibition, whose zeal is equal that of the
most ardentin his testimony well says, there
! is no absolute necessity. OF fcourse there is no
such obsoute necessity for liquor as there
is for water. But what Judge, lawyer, preach
! er or layman will for a moment insist that
/ such an absolute necessity is required 10 be
/ shown to exist? or is contemplated by the
law. Keeping in view the peace Of society.
and the public good which are Of para
mount consideration, giving due c0nsidera-
ton to all that has been said and appears
against the application, we are clearly Of
opinion that the applicant has brought ~
case within the statute, has aiirnaisyely
established her fitness and that OF her Tlace
and has clearly shown in the meaning u ths
law that it is necessary that license sho,d1
be granted for the accommodation Of the
public and strangers We DO now therefore
grant to Jane Winters a license As prayed
for for the term of one year 10 date from
April lst 1880.
And now we wish TO say that while Mrs.
Winters, (now pre- ent in COURT is entering
upon a ihorny path, beset by many
barriers, yet that it is path that Is
easily trodden by person who as
| UDlel kctpcis hCSpo thc PNSNS 49,
in view. and who will sell liquor only to
such persons as are entitled to havc it sold
to them, ana not to minor. or a person
under age, nor to one yisib.y affected by
liquor nor to a habitual drunkard, nor TO
one of intemperate habits and by not selling
on Sunday, nor on an election day or any
other day inhibited by law. These precau-
tions can easily be carried out by not selling
by a stranger under age, nor by one ofyour
daughters.or sons under age, but by seeing
that the bar be under the control Of person
that is discreet, and of full age and sober
And we wish to say further that while the
law does not require it, the good Of the com
munity requires, and the public requires
that the bar should be closed early at night
We say there is no law that requires that
there should be closing OF the bar early a
night, bur for the public good you should
close it early
And as a hotel is primarily for the pabli'
and strangers. 1t must not be for loafers wiIe
wait around for the chance of a drink. keeI
the hotel as the law contemplAtes and vi
will be much mistaken if the state Of society
viii not be better in the year to come thar
+, it has been during the last year, or during
, any Of the past years in which there ha
been no license"