The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-08-03
RETAILERS MUST FIGHT HARD
New President in Keynote Address
Demands that Ordinances Must be
Observed and that Retailers Must
Fight Against Outsiders.

Il
tor of the New Park Hotel, was again
named as president of the Wisconsin
State Rotail Liquor Dealers associa-
tion in the closing session of the annu-
al meeting at Ashland on Thursday af-
ternoon. His election came in such a
manner that he could not decline to
accept the Office for he was the unani-
nous choice of the delegates to the
convention.
Following his election Mr.. Langan
delivered an address in which he sound
ed the keynote of the association work
for the coming year. He demanded
that the association provide funds to
make it possible for the officials to
make fight for the rights Of the retail
liquor dealers and combat the constant
ly increasing power of the brewers and
their agents in directing the liquor in
terests of the state. He declared that
the organization from now on must be
militant organization and that the
fight would be not only against the
interference of outsiders in the opera
ton of the business but from pernicious
action of members Of the association in
bringing the business into disrepute
He declared that the brewery agents
must be elinlinted from the retail trade
in Wisconsin. He urged that retail
liquor dealers in all cities of the state
obey the laws and ordinances to the
letter and cautioned them particularly
against sales of liquor to habitual
drunkards, minors and to men who took
money which their families needed, to
buy drinks over the bar.
''The new era of the saloon business
has already arrived,'' declared Mr..
Langan, "and it is up to the retail
dealers themselves to meet the de-
mands that are being made to keep
the business such that it may be a
legitimate business under the laws Of
the state and the ordinances of the
various cities. The successful saloon
man is the man who lives up to the laws
and by so doing makes his place clean
place. There is no money in violating
the laws and the man who seeks to
make money at the expense of some
other dealer or at the expense of bring
ing his business into disrepute has no
more call for consideration than any
other sort Of a pirate. The retail deal
eTs must stand together for che protec
tlon of their own business regardless
as to whom it is necessary to fight.
The retail business mus be put on the
proper plane and kept there and then
much of the objection that has been
raised to the business will be removed
from the minds of all reasonable men. 3,
The address Of the Kenosha man was
greeted with cheers. Resolutions were
passed later in the day declaring for
the carrying out of the ideas of Presi-
dent Langan and committees will be
named to take up the various questions
discussed in the convention and see tn
it that the will of the convention is
carried out.
The list of officers chosen by the
state organization is as follows:
President, John F. Langan, Kenosha:
vice president, John Koerner, Milwau-
kee; secretary, M. Ell. Niesen, Kaukau-
ma; treasurer, Charles K. Hartwig.
lManitowoc; sergeant at arms, Henry
Bitchcnauer, Ashland. Executive board
Joseph E. Wetzel, sheboygan; William
Gleason, Milwaukee; Edward G. Hundt.
Milwaukee; G. M Gahlman, Water
town; A. A. Raiser, Appleton