The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-08
The Liquor License Problem.

In the last Legislature it will be re-
called that Senator Hackenberg. of
Northumberland, following out sug-
gestion of Hon. r. w. Archibald, of this
city, introduced a bill creating a per-
manent, bipartisan, appointive liquor
license commission OF ten persons
learned in the law, the duties of which
were elaborately defined. These judges,
five from each party, were to serve
ten years, each at an annual salary of
$1,000 a year and travelling expenses.
One from each party was to retire each
year and no judge who had served
full term of ten years was to be eligible
to re-appointment. The state was di-
Iided into twenty-four license districts,
with the dates of the licenses so ar
ranged that two of the ten judges could
reach every district annually. 1t was
provided that one judge, when assigned
to a certain district by the president
of the commission, should summon to
his assistance judge of different faith,
but no judge could sit in the district
wherein he resided, nor be assigned
two years successfully to the same dis
trict, nor be succeeded in any district
by a Judge of the same political party.
The duty Of these license judges was to
be similar, in the main, to the duty of
the judges of our present license courts,
except that each Judge was to be re-
quired to personally examine the sew
eral premises for which licenses were
asked. to ascertain their fitness for the
accommodation of the public; to inves-
tigate the necessity for the license, and
to make inquiry as to the character
of the several applicants. For some
reason, this proposition failed of enact
rnent, and word has been passed down
from those high in influence that the
present legislature will be equally un-
favorable toward not only the Hacken-
berg bill but also toward any other
measure contemplating the material
amendment of the Brooks high license
law-which, in its present form, upon
the authority of Senator Penrose, has
practically eliminated the saloon in
fluence from politics."
Wa do not Lno,y ,ho. conoto Hall
49,, ''' "e'a'oi Iiach-
enoerss Dill VIII be re-introduced; but
1t is significant, in this general direc-
ton, that the State Liquor league has
recently sent out word from it's Fhila-
delphia headquarters urging it's MEM
bers to brace themselves for another
aey,s,a+ +,ya battle I,no,o,., T.. -.
~ IA ''te ie'-
Ter oi the league IS the draft OF pro-
posed memorial of the league to the
legislature. 1t sets forth thN
,r,o o,,,,.
on,o, pt,oeiS s,,,' ..,,, nave peeh INFORMED mat
,s.,.,n. . D'"s wiz pe ihtrouuceu INTO the
ms rrosan. ~, ,ne purpose ol cnahelhs
NV ,ra -, snrr,r,r 'mo1 ~ vi stai.,nS ncehses
la'isierrins II from the courts to an
would work great harm in the admins.
tration of the law and regulation of the
suie OF liduor; that the people have I'M
admipistration Of tba iouor Ia a., r Nv, ~ Ills ,,ae
that an excise commission would likely
become vehicle of political power. and
ha tne e,, pes'.onsrs ASK una. tne piiis ABOUT 10
act be so amended that residents % % of the
cities of the first and second classes shall
be divided Into three classes: those do
nas :, "nS 1oan -, Stv hv, year sol OF @ more 10
pay $500 and others $500. In third class
,,.i.. a. T. 4. -. a. T.. .L.-- -,-----'' - !, !,
accordHg to their business and to pay
from $500 to $3.50 license. The license
sonS aneS ,ha S ntw, sta,. s,,,o TO oe appOrtioned
townships. A feature Of the proposed bill hill
is to allow the selling of liquor after p.
n. on election DAYS, and after p: m. on