The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-11-06
Wild RUSH
and SCRAMBLE
For Vacant Rooms WedneS.
day Afternoon
When Adoption OF Home Rule
Was Certainty
And Mt. Vernon Was Allowed
GO To Have Saloons
Options Already Secured On
All Desirable Places
And Holders Only Await Ap.
pOintment Of License Board
And Holders Only Await Ap.
pOintment Of License Board

With the announcement by bulletin
at The Banner Office Wednesday after
noon of the concession of the Anti-Sa-
loon league that the Home Rule
amendment had carried, there was
rush and a scramble on the part of
many, who have awaited this chance
for six years, to secure options on the
vacant store rooms in the city for the
purpose Of converting them into sa-
looms, under the new law.
According to the provision of the
liquor license law that, in wet COM
munities, there shall be only one sa-
loon to every 500 inhabitants, Mt. ver-
non would be allowed IS, as the last
government census gave this city a
population of 9,087.
Imagine then the trouble these men
had in securing options. taking into
consideration the fact that there are
less than ten empty store-rooms on
the business streets of the city. 1t
was not long until all available space
had been leased and quite few had
been disappointed in not being able to
secure a room.
The effect of the Home Rule amend
ment, according to prominent lawyers
and thinkers of the city, is to make
MT. Vernon wet" automatically, re-
pealing, as it does, the Rose county
option law. Accordingly, for all prac-
ticaI sarposes and If these opinions
be correct, Mt. Vernon Is 'wet" at the
present moment. The liquor license
however, exercises great influence
over It's "wetness."
Under its provision, no man may op-
crate saloon until he Is legally H.
censed by licensing board, appointed
for that purpose to do business. Each
wet" county has such board and 1t
consists of two men. Their duties
are to receive applications for licences
from prospective saloon-keepers, make
q careful examination Of them and ac-
cept or reject as is deemed best. No
political considerations can influence
the members of the board. At all
times, they must judge fairly and i'm
partially, and take into account the
character of the applicants.
The board likewise has the power to
revoke the license of saloon-keeper
and turn 1t over to another individual,
+ in case 1t is discovered that the sa-
loon-keeper is disobeying any part OF
the license law, which provides, among
other things, that all saloons must be
closed . before midnight; that there
shall be no selling Of liquor on Sun
days or to minors and intoxicated men
Under this provision, quite a number
of saloons throughout the state lost
their licenses the past year and were
forced to retire from business, because
of violation Of this.
Plans are already on foot in this
city to have license board appointed
for this county and in fact several
names have already been suggested as
possible members of this board. In the
meantime, all available space for sa
looms has been taken up and the hold
ers of the options are awaiting only
the official declaration of the vote or
Home Rule by Secretary of State
Charles H. Graves. and the appoint
ment of county license board, to re
introduce saloons into this community
-.f.-