Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-03
LICENSE LAW CHARGE
Judge White Talks Significantly TO
the Grand Jurors.
vIOLATORs sDESERVENO SYMPATHY
Bottlers May Not Peddle Goods on the
Streets or 10 Clubs.
YESTERDAY IN TIE COUNTY COURTS

which opens In two weeks. Ills posltloI
was clearly stated, and all doubts as Il
where he stood ON the subject were cleared
by the clean-cut charge read. The substance
of the paper follows:
You will have before you many bills against
parties for violations of the laws relating to the
sale of Intoxicating liquors. These cases de-
| mand your serious consideration. The sale OF
Intoxicating liquors is fraught with more evils
to society than any other cause, or all other
causes combined. 1t is the cause, directly OF
indirectly, of nearly all the crimes and poverty
| in our midst and of the wretchedness and mis-.
| cry iu the families of the poorer classes. All
| the laws on the subject have been intended to
guard against the evils of the traffic by limiting
the right to sell to persons of good character.
| who would not abuse the privilege, and pro-
hibiting sales the Sabbath day, to minors
and persons of incorporate habits, under severe
penalties.
Those who have duly obtained license are
| entitled to protection in their business, so long
| as they faithfully observe all the laws on the
subject. They have a business authorized and
sanctioned by law, and it is as legitimate as
4 any other business. But they obtain the license
| on the express condition that they will keep
| all the laws on the subject Failing to do so,
| they are subject to all the penalties imposed by
the law, and are liable to have their license re-
| voked.
| Violators Entitled to No Sympathy.
|
ingly and in open, fragrant violation of law. No
good citizen. no decent, reputable man would
be guilty Of such conduct. The persons en-
gagged in this illegal business are Of the lowest
class of society, who have no moral obligations
| and will not, therefore, hesitate to swear to
| anything in the hope of escaping punishment.
They are entitled to no sympathy at the hands
| of jury.
Since the court has had the granting Of Ii
| oenses in this county the evils of intemperauce
have been very greatly reduced. The traffic in
| liquors had fallen into very bad hands as gen.
| eral thing. Men and women of the lowest
| character had licenses or were selling without
| license. The saloons and doggeries we're so nu-
merons that the business was not very prohta.
BILE. and to increase their profits, the cheapest
| liquors were bought, and sales were made at
all times to any persons without regard to law.
Fifty years ago, and even less, the innkeeper
and those who had license were generally repu-
table men. 1t was not SO during the time Ii
censes were granted by the County Treasurer,
when any person who paid the fee could get
license.
II the traffic could be confined to reputable
men, the business itself would become more
reputable, and a better class of men would be
willing to engage in it. If only reputable men
had license, and all laws on the subject were
faithfully kept, the evils Of Intoxicating
liquors would bs reduced to the minimum.
Alleged Retailing by Wholesalers.
Those who have had retail licenses have gen.
this respect a great reformation has been ef-
fected. But, according to common report. and
especially police reports, another evil has
sprung up and grown TO great magnitude. I
refer to sales by distileries, brewers, whole
salers and bottlers. They have no right to ped
die their goods around and sell on the streets.
Nor have they any right to engage in the retail
business. Selling in jugs buckets. quarts and
bottles in the neighborhood. is retailing and
violation of the law under thei- license. 1t is
the worst kinG of retailing-far worse than a
regular retail house. IL Is a wrong to those
wh) have retail license and is the most pro-
life source of intemperance and the evils of
drunkenness.
Distilers and brewers are manufacturers and
not wholesale dealers. They supply the mar
ket and trade with their products. and sell in
facturers does not authorize them to keep
place and stock on hand to supply persons in
buckets. quarts and jugs, for that is less
wholesale than retail business.
Wholesalers are those whose main business
is to supply the retail trade, and In considerable
quantities. When the main business is to sell
to those in the vicinity, it IS not wholesale
house. Wholesalers have no right, in any case,
to sell less than quart. They may sell by the
quart. but SO may retailers If the wholesaler
sells manly by the quart or bottle in the
neighborhood it is really a retail business,
and he should have a retail license.
These houses that sell by the bucket, quart and
jug, in the neighborhood are the worst kind
OF groggeries. Bottlers are not wholesalers or
retailers. Their license authorizes them to
bottle liquors, and of course to sell the filed
bottles. They bottle liquors to be sold in cases.
mainly to supply retail dealers. II their main
business is to sell by the bottle in the neighbor-
hood they are retailers, and are liable to be in
dicted for selling by retail without retail
license. If they peddle their goods around on
the streets and thus sell to consumers, whether
to single persons, families, clubs or licensed
dealers, they are liable to indictment, for they
have no right under bottlers' license to do
SO. The small Wholesale and bottling establish.
NAV :,
means of supplying liquors to minors and
persons of Incorporate habits, and greatly
aggravate the evils of excessive drinking.
Bottlers' License for Retail Business.
Many persons apply for wholesale or bottlers'
license because they know they could not OBJ
tain retail license. They intend to do a retail
business under cover of q wholesale or bottIers'
license. such persons are unworthy of any
icense and ought to be held by courts and
juries to a strict accountability.
Jurors violate their oaths and do great
wrong to society, in conniving at the escape of
guilty parties 1t Itencourages these parties to
continue in violations of the law, induces
others to follow their bad example. serves to
degrade the business. and multiplies ten.fold
the evils the law was intended to correct.
In the granting and refusal of licenses the
court has certain discretion. The court must
act according to the law and evidence, not &C
cording to the personal opinion of the Judge as
to the necessity of the traffic or the wisdom of
the license laws. The law implies the necessity
of licenses. at least iE some localities, and pro-
vdes they shall be granted on certain condi- |
tions These conditions, in the case of retail
licenses, are: (l) That the applicant shall pre-
sent his application in due form; ~ his fitness
that he is "a citizen of temperate habits and |
good moral character and (3) the necessity |
that his house is necessary for the accommo-
dation of the public and the entertainment of |
strangers and travellers" The law provides that |
remonstrances may be filed and must be con- |
NV M and ole fhot
dences may be received when the application is |
heard.
The law does not authorize license for a |
mere drinking place. 1t is only in connection |
with accommodations for the public in the way |
of hotels and restaurants. Since this fact has |
been realized there has been great improve |
ment in the number and character of the res |
taurants In our cities. In rural districts and |
small towns in nearly every case. the object is |
only to keep drinking place, and no license |
should be granted, except for regular hotel |
or inn.
Regarding Applicants Wanted. |
The Court cannot have personal knowledge |
of one in twenty, perhaps not one in fifty, of |
the applicants in this county. Wemust, there |
fore, be furnished with evidence to perform |
our duties properly. We invite such evidence. |
We ask good citizens of the different wards |,
and districts of the county, and especially the |
police officers of the cities and boroughs, to aid
us by giving information as to the character of |
the applicants, the places for which license is |
asked, and, if they have heretofore had license, !
how their business was conducted.
An excellent plan, and one We strongly |
is for the police authorities or /
citizens, in each ward and district, to appoint |
some suitable person in that ward or district to
examine the premises for which a
license is asked, and make inquiries into the
character of the applicants. and be present in
court to give information when that ward or
district is called.
We want this information in reference to all
applicants. whether retail, Wholesale bottIers
or any nfher Ii shnuld ha piYAn hefnra or az |