The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-10
COMMITTEE HAS
 HARD PROPOSITION Asked to Refuse License to Ger
 tain Saloons WITHH0LDS ITS DECISION Frank S. White and Frank Deedmeyer Make Speeches in Defense of Ap-
 pllcants for License-chap-
 ter Officers Elected.
WITHHOLDS ITS DECISION

ter Officers Elected.
 Ensley, December 9.-tSpecial9-The po- lice committee of the city council of Ems ley seems squarely up against a most difficult proposition.
 This committee, composed of Council man P. J. Rogers, Councilman M S. Sherman and Councilman F. J. Owen, has been asked to refuse license to saloons operated on Nineteenth street, between Avenue and Avenue c and also a saloon operated on Avenue c at Twenty-third street.
 The petitions asking that the license be refused are from the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, the Alabama Steel and Wire company, the Bessemer Fire Brick company and R. S. Hickman.
 The claim is made that these saloons interfere with the operation of the con- cerhs named in that operatives devote a great deal of the time that they should spend at their work in the saloons so situated and are incapacitated it is claim ed, for their duties by reason of the liouors obtained in said saloons.
 Five saloons are effected by the peti- tions and the people of the city and es- pecially the saloon keepers, with the owners of the property are very much interested in the decision of the commit tee, which was held up after some time spent in Investigating the facts, and ar gument by the attorneys representing the saloon keepers effected.
 Committee Meets.
 The committee met at the city hall this afternoon at 2 o'clock and just after the meeting had been called to order peti- tions were read from the Alabama Steel and Wire company and R. S. Hickman asking that license be refused the Jus tice saloon. located at Avenue c and Twenty-third street. J. W. Minor, presi- dent of the Bessemer Fire Brick com pany was present and protested in per son against the granting of the license claiming that it was impossible to Keep his men away from this saloon and on &C., count of the proximity of the place to their plant their business was greatly
  the works and spending their time at the saloon.
 Superintendent Dickson of the brick nlant also spoke of the disadvantage of the saloon to the operation of the plant.
 Others living In the neighborhood of the saloon spoke against the place and asked that the license be refused.
 ha loon men applying for license In the ter ritory in question. presented petition signed by twenty-five or thirty citizens living in the vicinity of the saloon ask ing that the license be renewed and testi- fving to the orderliness of the place and inc eood standing of the proprietor Cap tain Frank S. White of Birmingham, also representing the saloon men, made an ao- dress to the committee, emphasizing the fact that the city charter and the state law proyided for the issuing of license to saIoon keepers anywhere in the city limits of Ensley and he argued that if 1t was right to refuse license to saloons on Ave- me c that the committee had the same ripht to refuse license to saloons on any other avenue or street in the city. He argued that it would be matter or ,niustice to refuse license to a saloon on Avenue c unless the proprietor had com mitted some unlawful act, barring him from the privilege. ..
 Captain White argued further that the business of Mir Justice was legalized and uas as ,eeItimate in the law as that Of tha Alabama Steel and Wire company or the Bessemer Fire Brick company, ana that if was just as unreasonable TOT ms husiness to be interferred With py the committee as that of the other concerns. IIa arpued that if the saloon was moved from the territory that the operators III these plants would secure the whisky Just as easily as at present and that IL was Inc business of the companies to control their men, suspending them TOT uruiihen- ,i ness if necessary. He claimed that orlV inc the saloon from this locality would not cure the evil complained of since reon,e who wanted to do so would drink as long as there were saloons in the town.
 Publications Received.
 A,,n,,oations being received for license A.. prerate certain saloons on Nineteenth street near the steel plant, MT Deeo- meyer inquired if there had not been protest filed with the committee agalnse the granting of these license rom MI, : Bacon president of the tennessee Ioai' Iron and Railroad company.
 Chairman Rogers of the committee re- nIied that no official communication had heen received. Mayor Scott was asked II he had received such protest and he re- nlied in the negative. MT. Deedmeyer then announced that he and Captain White had haan employed to appear in behalf or cer- tain saloonkeepers, with the understand- inc that such petition had been or would ba received by the committee. MT. ROE ors then announced that MT. Bacon had made such request orally, and that it would he considered by the committee Tn m a,xine their report to the city council.
 MT Deedmeyer said that such pro- ceedina nut him and his clients at very great disadvantage, and thought that the netition should have been submitted III rvritjne or in person. In brief but point ad address he dwelt on the injustice, as he called if. of forcing these men who had made all arrangements to operate sa- Ioons in the territory for the coming ,,aar to get out without former notice, ana at the request of men and corpora- tions outside the corporate limits or the oitv who had no interest in the tax-paying burdens of the city.
 Mr Deedmeyer stated that some or tbese men. acting on the statement or oartain officials of the city that this mat fer would not come up for next year had renewed long leases on their property, and had made all arrangements Tor the onerstion of their business for the coming year and that 1t would be the financial l.1