The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-11
war ON THE SPEAk-EAS|ES
State Liquor League Is Enlisted in
the Crusade.
PATTERSON MAKES A REPORT
His Investigations in Sections of the
State tDisciOscs the Fact That There
Are Over 5000 Illicit Bar and
Tap Rooms in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia, March 10-The move
ment inauguarted by saloon-keepers of
this city having for its object the eN-
termination of the speak-easy, and the
stamping out of the illicit traffic in Ii
quor. which constitutes serious men,
ace to the business of the regularly
licensed retail liquor dealers, Is now
being vigorously pushed by the State
Liquor league of Pennsylvania, which
proposes to start out upon an active
crusade against the evil in every Sec
tion of the commonwealth. The State
league proposes to abolish the speak
easy in every section of Pennsylvania,
and has already started its campaign,
which will be energetically prosecuted
until the desired end is achieved.
With this object In view, and also
to furnish Information to the commits
sion, which is charged with the duty
of investigating the operations of the
Brooks high license law, and which
will make it's report to the state SEN
ate, eX-Legislator Richard Patterson.
president of the State Liquor league.
made a weeks trip into the interior of
the state and returned to this city yes
terday.
His investigation disclosed the fact
that about 1900 speak-easies flourish
in WilkeS-Ba and vicinity; 200 in
Bethlehem and South Bethlehem and
&c in Carbondale. In Scranton the Ii
censed saloons keep open on Sunday,
unmolested by the authorities, but de-
spite this fact there are from $50 to
1000 unlicensed bars or tap rooms in
the city.
OFFICIAL. LAXITY.
"There is a general outcry," said
President Patterson, mot only in Phil
adelphia but all over the state. from
the men who pay the license fees be-
cause OF the laxity of officials. and
especially the constables, in permitting
violations of the law. AS to the rem
edy, | do not think 1t would hurt to
grant more licenses, but even this
would not obliterate the evil. The le-
gitimate dealers comply with the pro-
visions of the Brooks law, which pre-
scribeS that they shall close their bars
at midnight on Saturday and keep
them closed until Monday morning.
while during this time the speak-easies
are reaping II harvest
while l am not advocating Sunday
opening would say that If the licensed
saloons We're permitted to open for a
few hours on Sundays, under proper
legal restrictions and police surveil-
lance, it would tend to eradicate the
| speak outrage. One source of
complaint against the Brooks law is
| the large amount of the license fee,
! everybody asking the question, What's
the use of paying for licenses If we do
not get protection against those who
| sell and do not pay?'
The State Liquor league is now or
ganiZed In ffty-three of the sixty-sev-
| en- counties in the state, and it's prin-
cipal object Is the protection of the
holders of licenses against speak
| easies Mr.. Patterson says that the
judges are ready and anxious to try
the law w-breakers, If the constables
would do their duty by reporting
them. The judges, he found, are glad
to see an organization of this character
established. with proper legal repre-
sentatives to make known the sentl-
ments and aims of the legitimate liquor
sellers.
ENORMOUS ILLEGAL TRAFFIC.
There are $1,000 speak-easies in
Pennsylvania continued Mr. Patter.
son, "and about 20 per cent. of them
would pay for licenses If the charge
was more moderate. Many of those
who violate the laws are foreigners,
and they do so because of their ignor-
ance and inability to understand the
laws of the state.
"At Nanticoke L found that of eighty
six licensed saloons tifty-six were kept
by foreigners. and it was hard to get
them to comprehend the meaning of
the law and get them to obey it. 1t is
our intention, where We find minors
frequenting speak-easies, to institute
legal proceedings. not against the
speak-easy proprietors, but against
the brewers, bottlers and wholesale
liquor dealers who supply such places
with liquor