The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-07
THEY HAVE A GRIEVANCE
Liquor Dealers Send Protest to
the Commissioners.
GROCERS AND DRUGGISTS
Permitted to Sell--No Prosecution by
the County-Saloon Men Demand
the Protection to Which
Licenses Entitle Them.

The retail liquor dealers of Butte, or
rather those belonging to the Retail
Liquor Dealers association, have a
deep-seated grievance against the gro
GERS and druggists of Butte, whom they
accuse of retailing liquor without
4 license. They also have a grievance
against the county authorities for their
alleged refusal of or neglect to prose-
cute the grocers and druggists and yes
terday sent long typewriter story
OF their grievances to the county COM
missioners.
A They set forth in their petition that
they pay, annually into the county
treasury over 100000 for the privilege
OF carrying on their business and they
believe that in consideration of the
payment of such sum they are entitled
to the protection of the authorities
from wrongful and unlawful competi-
ton. They say that SO long as grocers,
druggists and other merchants are per-
mitted to sell liquors by retail without
paying a county license the regular
LIQUOR dealers are denied the protection
guaranteed them by law and their bus
mess is unfairly and unlawfully
trenched upon. 1t is conceded fact
that in many grocery and drug stores
in Butte and surrounding townships
the liquor license law of the state is
being violated every day by the sale of
liquors in quantities less than one quart
by dealers who have never obtained
retail license and without paying one
cent for the privilege as required by
law.
The petitioners urge that this state of
affairs is most negotiable and unjust
and a condition against which they
earnestly protest. 1t is related that re-
Gently two cases were brought in the
police court against grocers for vio-
lation of the license law and both en-
tered pleas of guilty to the charge Of
selling liquors by retail without having
procured license. These men were
equally guilty of violating the law rel
alive to county licenses, but the county
authorities took no steps towards
bringing the persons to justice, al
though both cases had been prosecuted
in the first instance at the expense or
the Liquor Dealers association. The
petitioners say they do not desire to
shirk any legitimate burden or respol-
sibility, but simply desire that these
glaring abuses may be stopped ana
made impossible in the future, or the
delinquents made to pay the penalty tor
their fraudulent acts
1t has been the practice of county Off
Gals, when any saloon keeper has been
unable to pay his license, to arrest him
and incarcerate him in the county Jail
4 and hold him up to the world as COM
mon felon while it is matter of record
that the grocers who have committed
the same offense and who could, but
would not, pay their license as required
by law, are simply proceeded against
by civil action and then such proceed
ings are allowed to stretch over a period
of time until the case has been almost
forgotten.
This" says the petition, 1--WE re,
spectfully submit is an unjust discrlm'
ination against the saloon keepers as q
class and one which they will not toler-
ate in the future, but shall demand II
the name of Justice that the retail liuol
dealers Of this county be treated in the
same manner and in the same courte'
Gus spirit as grocers and other mer'
chants by the officers of Silver Bow
county.
The petitioners desire to know what
the status of the license cases agains
the delinquent grocerS is at this time
and whether it is the intention of the
county authorities to bring the cases t.
trial and compel, if possible, the de
PENDANTS to pay their proper quota o!
taxation.
In conclusion the petitioners ask thu
commissioners to give careful consider
alton of the grievances recited trust
ing that the evaders of the license law
who are daily defrauding the county
of its legitimate revenues and who are
illegally trenching upon the right:
business and privileges of the LIQUOR
dealers will be prosecuted. The petition
is signed by Joseph S. Kriel, Pete
league. John Bode, Dominick Salki
Fred Leinhach. John J. O'Meara, r. E
Elliott, John Mclaughlin, Jerry Null