Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-10
FORTUNES. IN. BALANCE.
Business of Liquor Dealers iii State Jeopardized by Revision Committee

Business of Liquor Dealers iii State
 Jeopardized by Revision Committee
 New Haven, Jan 10.-Upon the ac- tion of the legislature will depend the fortunes of large proportion of the more prominent and prosperous liquor dealers and hotel keepers of the state. If an act of relief is not passed early in the session, some of the best known resorts of the state will have to shut up shop and go out of existence. It IS therefore not surprising that the men engaged in the liquor business and who have invested their money in 1t art in state of trepidation as the time approaches when their fate will be decided.
 The commission for the revision of the statutes which was given full legislative authority to interpret the laws of the state has incorporatad fn its permanent report the emphatic provision that no license (and tfis in- cludes druggists hcenses) shall be issu- ed for the sale of liquor in any place within POO feet of church school house, library building or cemetery, Until that provision is repealed or modified the county commissioners hands are tied in regard to granting licenses to those places which are To- cated within the prohibited pale
 The county commissioners are of the opinion that the statute revision com mission did not intend that the places already established within the pre- scribed area, and in which much capi- tai has been invested should be plotted out of existence and the property of the proprietors practically confiscated. They have therefore permitted several liquor dealers, in towns in which the license year expired before January 1, to continue to do business pending legislative action. If no measure Of re- lief is passed then the license fees for the time between the end of the license year and when the legislature shall have refused relief shall be collected and the places shut up. This is not ably the condition in Waterbury where the license year ends November 1. Sev- era1 of the best known liquor places around the center are to-day running without license by permission of the county commissioners.
 To illustrate what the effect of the law would be In New Haven, if not modified few instances may be cited. IuC oAcCO AOlCk 1CCCALIy OpCuGu UY Thomas IF. Sullivan would have to close it's bar if the law were permitted to stand for it is situated in direct line within POO feet of Jewish syna- gogue on Temple street. Every saloon on Grown street between Church and Temple streets would have to close out for the same reason. Arfman's and the Gem on Church street are too near the postofice and would have to go while Clark's would continue business at the old stand. The Tontine hotel would have to close its bar to it's thirsty patrons while Hubelein's across the way could flourish as usual, for the Tontine is a little too near the library.
 Numerous other instances could be cited, but enough are given to show the importance of the question which looms up before the liquor trade. There seems little doubt that the n- quor interests will be well represented before the committee on temperance of the incoming general assembly.
 There is just little doubt that the Law and Order league and other tenn perance organizations will be present in force to insist that the statute as :@ uv-s stands be retained in full force.