The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-09
5Ppose1 (and property

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'situsted on street near by the
proposed hotel. but not on the Same
street, yet the court refused the license
ana protected the church; another ap-
plication was made for license for
the same house this year, and again
demonstrated against. ana was again
refu'ed The communication pro.
ceeds to ask why this discrimination.
and then arraigus in pointed langua age
the judges who were responsible for
this course.
The foregoing cifcqmgtsnee invites
renewed attention TO what is bound
to lecome growing conviction among
careful students OF this lice nse prob
lem, namely, that tue power Of grant.
ing or rejecting applications FOR license
must some DAY be taken completely
out Of the hands Of judges dependent
upon partisan politics for their posi-.
tioDs Oh the bench, and placld in the
jurisdiction of non-psrtisan license
commission, holding appointment from
the governor. To yomb such reform
AZ this we already have tho public as
sent of the President judge OF our own
county, whose fairness aud good in
tentions are not disputed. While we
cannot believe that either Of the hon
orable judges of our court would know
iugly and deliberately indulge 10 dis
elimination for or against any rsligiey'
or sect, or that either would consciously
try to pay off his campaign obligations
by the granting or refusing Of licenses.
it would be u jugglsry with the facts
to ignore the frequent. and, as we be-
isVe, the inevitable abuses which oc.
cur under the present license system
No man who must of necessity appeal
for the suffrage OF an electorate in large
measure dominated by influences hostile
10 strict application Of the original
license principle-namsly, the granting
OF liquor selling privileges only to inns
where liquor was necessary for the
publics entertai be said to
he in the full sense free moral agent
1t is not in human nature, wholly ig-
noring the subtleties OF politics to
enter upon the discharge OF this al.
ways disagrseAbls duty with an eye
sinSla the genuine interests Of the
people Nor ia the public itself pre-.
pared to accept and sustain ouch a
rigid and inhvxible guard ianship OF its
interests, a guardianship which would,
in LackawannS county, II licenses
were granted only when absolutely
necessary, reduce the number Of
licensed retailers 10 easily one tenth
aud possibly ons-titsisth Of their pres
snt number.
10 the foregoing general remarks we
have made no comment on the special
complaint in hand. for the reason that
we do ut in this case feel qualified to
sit in censorship over the learned
Judges OF cur court. at the same time,
we wish to record, in as direct and
emphatic Q manner az we can bring ia
the task, our disapproval. in any
instance, Of the establishment OF q
saloon next door to q church, conven,
or school. Even in liberal Germany
the law is most emphatic in it,
prohibition of such an obnoxious pro.
pinquity; and we In this country ough,
certainly to be ss careful In thi
guardianship Of our youth, iN tteil
protection from debasing surrounding
and in the protection Of our ehuroheI
and houses OF refuge as 10 any nat iNr
in Europe. Since the Dsokilnfth
lictnss has already been Issued. W.
fear the only recourse open to tn,
worshippsrS at st. Johns church is tt
wait until possible violation of III,
law may afford them an opportunit.
TO petition for q cancellation of thu
permit The presentation OF such .
complaint. properly authenticated aud
sustained would, it lie believed, caust
the court to resGjnd an action which
undoubtedly subjects to mucl
criticism.
IT Is A.FACT of general experienced
among newspaper publishers that thu
demand for compete report of tn,
Breckinrid d0e trial eame not aionA from