The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-13
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS.

Editor of The Tribune
Sir. To one who loves his country and
who sympathiXes with the poor, the
sight witnessed at the court house this
morning was peculiarly distressing. the
court room and the approach to it were
crowded. ON the bench sat three grave,
patriotic, Christian Judges. They were
listening to evidence in relation to the
granting of licenses for the sale of win
Gus. spirituous, malt, or brewed liquors
at retail" and they will be asked, also, to
pass upon the qualifications Of 'whole-
sale dealers, brewers, bottlers, distlllers,
rectiiiers, compounders, store keepers
and agents dealing in Intoxicating
liquors" etc.
If there had been only few applicants
for such licenses, 1t would have been sad
enough sight; but to see such crowds ana
to know that several hundreds. In Scran-
ton and vicinity, are anxious to engage IN
work which, however lawful, is so in
furious to society, making ones heart
ache. Perhaps Scranton is no worse IN
this respect than any other city OF its
size in this great state, but that does not
lessen the folly-to say nothing or the SIN
of Scranton respecting the use, OF,
rather the abuse of Intoxicating liquors
What ama2es one Is the numper OF no
tells" and restaurants there are III
Scranton. If these be really hoteis anu
restaurants, Scranton Is Wen enough pre-
pared to entertain any assembly OF con-
vention-state or natiohai-that may pe
held In the near or immaculate iutuie'
Just think OF II! lhere are tWeNe men
and one woman VINO want 10 Keep ho,eis
in the First ward, and the same huiilpet
in the Second ward, ana ABOUT an equai
number in each OF the tlith. Eleventh
the Eighth ward iifty-three ask the PRIV,
ilege OF selling liquor III tneii moteis'
Think of 1t! f1ity-three hoteis III
single ward IN the city oil scranton Anu
such hotels! Or the htty-three now many
are worthy the name OF hotei; VI 'ne
hundreds VINO are ASKING LOT ho'el u,
censes, how many deserve 10 De caileo
| hotels? Very feW.
Yet the judges-the grave, patriotic'
Christian 1udges-lsteheu 10 the appeais
OF these Would-pe liquor ueaicrs' ina' u
not their iauit. The law co'npeis thelh u
! listen. lhey Woulu Slaui! shfihh IRON
such a task II they could. But they are
| sensible men. Ihey VIII 40 their duly
| They do not owe their position on TN,
| bench to the liquor saloons. Doubtless
some saloon Keepers as well as saloof
patroniZers voted Tor them, but that tac'
| Will not warp their judgment, 1or theI
are righteous judges. They know theii
duty, and they know with what large
discretion, as well as with what large au
thority. the law clothes them. Ihey kho"
that liquor saloons are factories whlch ar'
lept running day and msht sundays
with some honorable eXceptiohs) as wei
as week days, and they know that what
| ever may be said in favor or these saloons
they are factories which breed poverty
Ian Il HN~.atf 4la4fln
happy; which bring grief to widows anC
| which make hungry orphans cry io'
bread; which propagate vice ana crime
and which bring ruin TO multitudes' Ihes,
| good judges know all this-and the Good
law abiding, home-ioVinS CHRISTIAN peo
pie of Scranton have right to appeal u
these honorable gentlemeh-these Judge
clothed with so much authority ana a.
much discretioh-lhat they VIII Keep thes'