Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-01-28
Begin HEARING
NEXT SATURDAY
County Judge Joe Asher
Grants Delay at Request
of Remonstrants.
IT WAS OPPOSED.
Prohibition Forces Claimed They Had
Been Unable to Prepare
for the Trial.

Little Rock, Ark, Jan. 27.-The
hearing of the Little Rock liquor peti.
ton will be begun in County Judge
Joe Asher's court Saturday morning
at 10 o'clock. Judge Asher this morn
ing announced that the hearing
would begin at that date. Attorney
Fred Isgrig, one of the counsel for
the prohibitionists, asked for a con-
tinuance for ten days. Attorney w
l.. Terry, who represents the saloon
men, however, fought against con-
tinuance, claiming that the prohibi
tionists had had sufficient time
Judge Asher after listening to the
arguments gave the prohibitionists
three more days to prepare for the
hearing.
Many people were on hand this
morning, when the case was set for
hearing. Judge Asher convened
court at 1920 o'clock and immedi-
ately Colonel Terry filed an applica-
ton and motion asking that the petit
ton be considered Immediately and
that the plea of the petitioners be
granted. Colonel Terry stated that
the petition bore the signatures of a
majority of the white adult popula-
ton of the city; that a majority of
the votes cast at the last general
election favored saloons, and that the
petition asking for the return of sa-
looms had been published according
to the statutes.
Judge Isgrig Asks for Time.
Judge Isgrig answered the motion
and asked that ]. S. Pollock and 9TH
ers, as demonstrators against the
granting of the petition. be made
parties to the suit. Mr.. Isgrig then
asked for ten days continuance,
saying that he and the prohibition
workers had been unable to prepare
for the trial.
"Since the filing of that petition
only ten days have elapsed" said
Judge Isgrig. During those ten days
there have been two Sundays and for
four days I and my partner, Mr.. Can
non, were engaged in another liquor
fight in this court. We have worked
nights and days, Sundays and all, and
we simply have not had sufficient
time to prepare for this hearing"
ITO a continuance of this hearing
we strenuously and positively object"
announced Colonel Terry. "These
people have had all the time neces-
sary and the time believed necessary
by the trainers of this Going liquor
law in which to prepare their case.
Why. give them further delay and
they will want longer. Delay is
what they want. This Going liquor
law was framed by the prohibitionists
and the makers Of the law believed
ten days sufficient for their workers
to investigate any petition and pre-
pare to fight it."
Declares Law Unconstitutional.
Colonel Terry continued: "This Co
ing liquor law was aimed directly at
Little Rock; it was passed for the
sole purpose of putting saloons out
of this city. And now that it is
passed every lawyer in the state
knows that it is unconstitutional.
But, though we know 1t could not
stand the test of the higher courts,
we have come, in here to comply with
1t. ready at theNexpiration Of the ten
days allowed. and the other side
wants further delay. This delay
works harm on the petitioners and no
one else. These men If this case is
continued and delayed for a month,
two months, get no rebate on their IL
censes: they have to pay rent for
their business houses just the same,
and worse than that, they are. losing
time which their business demands.
.Thi: court right now. or even on
January /. could have issued licenses
and 1t would have been legal because
of the failure Of this law to be con-
stitutional."
Judge Isgrig did not reply to Colo
mel Terry's remarks concerning the
constitutionality Of the law. but in