Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-03-23
LAW AND ORDER.
This Colume is Leased and
Edited by the Law and
Order Organization Of
Martinsburg.
Is II Necessary?


The law of West Virsin.a, in regard
to the saloon, passed by the last legis-
lature, and chapter 36 Of the general
statutes, vests the power and right to
grant license for the sale Of whiskey,
in the County Court. Bat license may
be granted to an applicant to sell
wbiskey, only when in the opinion of
the court 1t appears to be necessary
that such license may be granted. This
places great responsibility on the court
If the court refuses to grant license the
saloon must close. 1t Ii only when the
court says yes that it can remain open.
In dealing with this question a con-
scientious judge will necessarily be
veryislow in giving license to any one
to sell whiskey, or will not grant any
one at all, if it is made plain to him
that very large proportion, If not .
majority, of the intelligent, moral and
law abiding citizens Of his judicial dis
trict, are for sufficient reasons, opposed
to the saloon. According to the appli-
cations filled with the County clerk, a
number of cases will be passed upon
at the next session of our court. The
purpose of this writing is to show that
the granting of license to sell whiskey
to any one of the applicants is not nsc-
essary.
Sstr nI 10 N
peace and safety of the county Of Ber-
kelley, nor the city of Martinsburg,
that the saloon should exist with us.
If there is anything in our midst
that is greater source of disturb
ance and lawlessness than the
place where whiskey is sold, will
some one be good enough TO point
it out. Take the records Of Justice Felix
er's office and see the verification of
this statement. BY far the largest mum
Der Of cases tried in the Police and the
Circuit courts are directly or indirectly
caused by whiskey. This fact is so APP
parent, and is SO generally known to
all who care to know, that it is needless
to make further remark.
Neither can any show that the sa-
loon is necessary to the health and
general good Of our community. We
have recently had something Of small
pox scare IN our midst. Immediately
the civil authorities took prompt
measures to quarantine the cases and
treat them in order to prevent the
spreading of the disease. The health Of
ficers received nothing but praise for
their promptness and efficiency. But
by strange Inconsistency, while this
was going on, the same civil authority
that compels quarantine and VAGINA
ton against loathsome disease, in or
der to protect the people from its raw
ages, made it possible and right In the
eye of the law, for dozen places to
open, day and night, and even on Sum
day, where our men and boys are
brought to drunkenness, revelry, pro-
family, poverty, want, disease, death
and damnation. Which is worse? Small
pox can kill the body only; whiskey
kills the body and soul. Smallpox
kills few dozen persons in the United
States every year; whiskey about one
hundred thousand. All the power Of
the state is used to stamp out one
whenever 1t appears; in the other case
the state sells the privilege and right +,
for the debauchery, degradation and
death of one million Of our men and
boys every decade. 10 1t at all neces-
sary that Martinsburg should have
partnership IN this work. Is the sa-
loon necessary to good and sound mo-
rails Of the community? We say no.
What kind Of citizens, fathers, hus
bands, sons and voters, does whisky
make? Is it the patron, friend or pro-
moter of social and political purity and
of high type Of refined and exalted
manhood? Who says it IL? Where is
there business that has thrown around
the legal restrictions, that the liquor
traffic has? Before man can get IL
cense he must makeit appear that he
is fit person to sell it. 1t must be
sold in certain place, vt certain
times, on certain days, to certain per-
sons only. These are not required in
any other business. What does all this
mean? 1t means that the powers that
make it possible for whi@Acy to be
sold at all, believe that the business is
dangerous to life and morals and they
try to lessen the dangers of the traffic,
by such restrictions.
| And what about the home? Is the
sale of whiskey necessary to its peace