White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-09
MOVEMENT FOR
MORALS
COUNTY COMMIsSIONERRS ES-
TABLISH PRECEDENT by RE-
FUSAL TO GRANT LIQUOR liz
CENSE FOR SALOON AT RUTH

The meeting of the county COM
missioners, Monday, resulted in that
honorable body's consideration of
certain moral issues, this subject of
debate being introduced by Judge
Ben. W. Coleman, who appeared be-
fore the commissioners and present
ed the case of Mrs. Ella Smilaniek
of Ruth. The Judge nor the commits
sioners are not worrying particularly
about Mrs. Smilanick, who is a per-
son of vigor and temperament, but
she has two girls and two boys. She
also conducts saloon as a means of
| livelihood to support herself and her
children, and in connection with the
saloon she rents rooms to women
whose characters are not above sus-
picion and whose ways constitute
one of the great social problems of
the day. 1t is for these reasons the
commissioners and the judge are in
terested in the children with the view
to separating them from the immedi-
ate influence of the saloon and the
brothel. The situation has compli-
eating features. As the children
have a mother they are not eligible
to the orphans home. Their present
home is practically the saloon, and
1t Is against the statutes of the state
to allow minor children to visit or
frequent saloons. The county COM
missioners can easily revoke Mrs
Smilanicks license but that would
deprive her of her means of living.
considerable thought to the case in
question have hesitated about revok-
ing the license for these reasons.
Besides, ii is said the property is not
salable. 1t is looked upon as an
evil place of evil reputation. The
principal thing is to safeguard
as much as possible the unfortunate
children that their unguided foot
steps may not follow for all time the
ways and occupation of the mother.
The upshot of Mondays discussion
was another visit by the commission
ers to the abode of Mrs. Smilanick.
who awaited their coming surrounded
by her brood. The same impulsive
temperament that probably caused the
mother to swat Constable Dave Nc
Lean over the head with a crutch,
last week. when he undertook to levy
on her cash register again caused
her to weep in maternal anguish of
soul, when the commissioners sug
gested removing her offspring to
other surroundings. The warm
hearts of the commissioners were
touched at this Niobean manifesto
tion, and the weeping mothers agree
ment to remove her children from
the surroundings of the saloon, saved
the situation for her at least tempo
rarilly. The commissioners have not
made any definite decision. as yet.
but if Mrs. Smilanick will locate in
new residence, ii is probable she will
be allowed to continue her business.
unless its reputation reaches a point
uncomfortable.
| Co-incident with the Smilanick
issue was that of the petition for Ii
quor licenses from Robert Meyhoefer
and Miss Frances Noones. The COM
missioners turned down both appli-
cations. In the former instances the
saloon would be in too close prox-
unity to a school house now building
and Chairman Mcdonald of the COM
missioners believes in the policy of
keeping the saloons in Ruth north of
the railroad track, in the interests of
preserving the peace. In this opin-
ion Commissioner Cohen does not con-
eur, and the vote by a majority of the
board to refuse the Meyhoefer Ii
cense nearly caused Mr. Cohen to in
stitute a riot.
The place formerly conducted by
Mrs. Noones was closed by Sheriff
Grain a fortnight or so ago, after
Frances had turned lose with gun
and shot lady patron of her es-
tablishment. Mrs. Noones has been
greatly put out. but the commission
ers on making personal investiga-
ton, sustained the authority of the
sheriff, and it is nit license for
Frances from this time henceforth
forever more. 1t looks as If the COM
missioners we're going to continue the
policy of reducing the liability of law
lessness by reducing the number of