Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-03-16
LAW AND ORDER.
This Colume is Leased and
Edited by the Law and
Order Organization Of
Martinsburg.
SOME FACTS FOR THE CONSI D.
GRAFTON OF OUR COUNTY
COURT

74S men in the West Virginia peni-
tentiaryl
Where do they come from?
The following facts have been gath
cred by Mr.. Theodore Alvord, the State
Superintendent of the w. Va. Anti
Saloon League. They are well worthy
Reconsideration by theHonorabIe mem
beers of the County Court, upon whom
rests the responsibility Of granting or
Withholding the licenses asked for by
the long array of names published in
the papers this Spring. Can Martin s.
burg and Berkeley Co., afford to add
their weight to the terrible Indictment
which these figures proclaim?
Mr.. Alvord has compiled these facts
from the Federal Census and the latest
reports Of the w. Va, State Auditor
and the Warden of the Penitentiary.
There are IS counties In w. Va, 80
counties grant no liquor licenses. II
counties grant license In one town each
II grant license wherever an applica-
tion ID made. There were Jas prisoners
in the Penitentiary the first day of Oct.
1904. OF this number los came from
the no-license counties; 1874 came from
the II one-town license counties; ass
came from the II license counties. 159
came from Fayette Co., which has 8
per cent of the population Of the. State
and 20 per centof the inmates Of the
Pen. Fayette Co., has So men In the
Penitentiary, more than the SO no-Ii-
cense counties combined.
The license counties have one man in
the Pen. for every 500 of their popula-
ton; the IL one-town license counties
have one for every 1871: while the 80
no license counties have one for every
1922. Several nolicense counties have
no one in the PEN. several have only
one each, and the highest number from
any no-license county is 8. Hancock
county which has not had saloon for
90 years, had Lot one cent of criminal
expense for the year ending Oct. LIST
1904. The criminal expenses Of the no.
license counties averaged 70 mills fol
each iDhabitant; the one town license
counties averaged 93 mills; and the Ii.
cense counties averaged 267 mills per
4 inhabitant.
4. Fayettc county and Mcdowell il
each paradise for the saloon, that is
each has saloons everywhere any one
thinks that he can make the business
pay. and the saloons are run without
any reference to law. The first tFayette)
has one person In the Pen. for every
POP population: and Mcdowell has one
for every 1870. The criminal expense,
in Fayette Co., are 49l mills for eacl
inhabitant, lin Mcdowell 9l9 mill,
for each inhabitast.
How do these figures strike the tax
payers and the members of the Law
and Order Leagne of this city? Is tn,
saloon a good investment for the COUNTY
and the town?Let thoughtful men esti
mate the expense Of keeping up the pc
lice force. the jail, the lookup, and tn,
various other things that are found tt
be absolutely essential where the sa
loon has sway. Does IT pay? Let oul
venerable Court consider whether it IL
: good business to debauch the manhood
OF our young men by throwing the
temptation to drink right in'their path
way, and thus making 1t 80 easy fol
them to form the habit and then Il
cultivate it until 1t holds the complete
J mastery over them. Can the town and
: the county afford to throw these young
men away for naughts Believing thai
the sober sonnd Judgment Of our citi.
zens will feel the telling force of the
revelation which our penitentiary stat
istics make to us, we submit whether
the time has not come for them te
J unite in determined effort to take
this matter Of license ia hand and to
come before our County Court With /:
resolute petition that that hoaora BIZ
body refuse to continue licecse on,
army of saloons another year and Civ,
the city fair chance to meet all ne
i fair and legitimate expenses withou
the necessity of burdening the peopl,
with the added load of lie ntss re-
necessary tor.strain and pun'si the Law
| breaking which these FALCONS c-eat,
8 and stimulate. The law requires .tha
G an application must show the salooi
e to be''necessary" before the court /
authorized TO grant it. Let this re
!, quirement be rigidly enforced, an
4 what applicant can show his busines
. to be necessary" This is a question II
which the citizens Of the county are n
J, less interested than those who live il
town. The streams from the saloon
3 flow out into The homes in the countr,
q every day carrying drunkenness an.
r crime on the rolling current. What i
a to be done. must needs be done prompt