Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-02-11
HON. JOHN BROOKS.
Earliest Champion of Local Option.
Philadelphia Evening Star.

If the latest developments at
Harrisburg in connection with the
proceedings of the Legislature,
anent the Local Option agitation,
are to be taken as a criterion, the
relations of the State to the liquor
traffic will not be seriously disturb
ed during the present session.
Rev. S. w. Nicholson, head of the
anti-saloon League, has taken a
practical view of the situation and
made friends with United States
Senator Penrose, Speaker Cox and
the other leaders of the Republi-
an Party on the Hill, instead Of
casting his fortunes with the ene-
mics of the dominent political ele-
ment in the State, as represented
by the bellicose Van Valkenburg
and the disgruntled but powerless
element which he represents.
In adopting this obviously sensi-
bic course the Rev. Nicholson and
his associates in the Local Option
movement are in all probability ac-
tuated by the idea that it is up to
them to get all they can in the way
of legislation in favor of the cause
temperance, even if they cannot
bring about the enactment of a
straight Local Option law. And
along this line the bill which is
fathered by State Senator Tustin,
of the West Philadelphia district is
very favorably regarded by the
temperance advocates of this city.
The bill is purely a local measure
and provides for the restriction of
the liquor selling privilege in resi-
dental sections in manner which
meets the approval of the Judges
of the Court of Common Pleas, who
are charged with the duty of ad-
ministering the existing license
law including the renewal of pre-
vailing licenses and the granting
and refusing of new ones,
Should the Tustin bill go through
both branches of the General AS
sembly and obtain the approba-
tion of the Governor, no new Grad
ditional licenses to sell intoXica-
ting beverages either at wholesale
or retail, will or can be permitted
in any locality whose residents to
the number of sixty per cent. with
in certain area, shall protest.
This is somewhat drastic and in
the opinion of many good citizens,
might be properly amended so asto
work both ways. That is, it would
be much fairer if it contained a
clause permitting sixty per cent
of the citizens in similar locality
to have petition for the establish
ing of saloon favorably acted
upon by the License Court Judges.
However, it is not my province,
nor is it my intention to pass upon
the merits or point out any de-
merits that may exist in the Tus-
tin bill, in advance of the action
of the learned lawmakers at the
State capitol, hence | shall not
pose as critic in this matter al
his time.
The temperance question has
been an issue before the Legisla.
ture at different times for more
than fifty years. Senator Quay
when he was the commanding in.
fuence dominating the political af.
fairs of the State, headed off q
strong movement in behalf Of pro
hibition by giving his support tC
the high license idea, and as re
suit the liquor traffic in Pennsyl
vania is now regulated by an Act
which is commonly known as th'
Brooks High License Law. Th'
gentleman whose name is attached
to the Act is William I'll. Brooks, ;
Philadelphian. who in 1887, wher
it was passed, was a member of tht
House of Representatives from th'
Germantown district. Later OF
he was Chief of the Bureau o
Highways and now fills with credi
to himself and the city the posi-
tion of Assistant Highway Com
missioner. 1t is only just to sa,
of William III. Brooks that il
every capacity in which has ap
peared in public life, he has made
good, and it gives me pleasure tx
testify to this fact.
But Brooks of Philadelphia il
not the only man of that nam,
who ever championed the cause 0
temperance in the Legislature o
Pennsylvania. Before the Quake
City man assumed the dignity, ant
the honors of Solon there was
Brooks in the Legislative halls o
the Commonwealth, whose opposi