The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-02-25
APPROVE BLACK LIST
Leading Attorneys in Chicago De.
clare Kenosha Saloon Men Are
Acting Within Their Rights
DRUGGISTS JOIN MOVEMENT

The action of the Kenosha Retail
Liquor Dealers Association in declar-
ing blacklist against chronic topers
in Kenosha, has made an instantaneous
hit in all parts of the country and it
has brought up interesting discussions
in Chicago and Milwaukee where the
facts in regard to the action of the
Kenosha men were published this morn
ing. Representatives Of the Chicago
and Milwaukee papers were so struck
by the idea of the Kenosha association
that they at once submitted the plan to
leading lawyers in the two cities and
in every case the lawyers held that the
saloon men of Kenosha were acting
entirely within their legal rights and
that they had perfect right to refuse
to sell liquor to men who were known
to be chronic drunkards. Levy Mayer
of Chicago, who is reputed to be the
greatest exponent Of Constitutional
Law in the middle west, in speaking
of the action Of the Kenosha men last
night, said: cit is perfectly legal for
saloon proprietors to refuse to sell to
men known to be drunkards. It is
proper for them to let each other know
the names Of such men, just as it is
the right of the merchant to warn fell
low merchants against a man known
to be thief. The black listed men
have no plea to take to court. -
This opinion is upheld by both Mil
waukee and Kenosha attorneys and
while it is probable that none Of the
nine men who have been placed on the
blacklist will take the matter into
court it would make decidedly in
teresting contribution to the liquor le-
gal discisions if this could be done.
The Kenosha plan of dealing with this
class of drinkers promises to be a de-
cldedly popular one throughout the state
and nation and the Kenosha men are
planning to present it for general
adoption throughout Wisconsin at the
next session of the Executive Board of
the Wisconsin State Retail Liquor
Dealers Association. One of the lead
ing officials Of the association was one
of the promoters of the plan in Keno
sha. The plan has also met with sup.
port from reform organizations and it
is certain that if it is followed to the
letter that lot of court costs to both
the city and county will be eliminated.
An examination of the records of
the county Jail for more than two years
past shows that there has never been
time when the Jail was entirely free
of this bunch of men which has been
classed as habitual drunkards by the
saloon men. At times five out of the
nine named in the saloon bla ok list
have at one time been serving sentences
for intoxication in the county Jail. All
this has meant big expense to the
city and county.
Many people are skeptical as to the
success of the plan, these people assert
ing that these men will get liquor in
some way regardless of the difficulties
placed in their way, but the saloon
men declare that the rule is to be car
ried out in spirit as well as letter and
that every possible precaution will be
used to prevent these men securing
liquor. Many of the proprietors Of the
drug stores in the city today agreed
to join with the saloon men in sup
pressing the sale of liquor to these men
and while the list has not been sent
to the druggists nearly all of them are
advised of the names of the men on
the list.