Widnes Examiner. — 1888-06-02 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE LICENSING CLAUSES.  Sir,—l am a-Scotchman, and reside pretty far north, and that may perhaps be the reason why I am so ignorant as to have been much astonished at the letter of " Bellerophon " in last Saturday's issue. In Scotland we are not accustomed to read letters characterized by the beautiful frankness of " Bellerophon's," or adorned with such classical poetical quotations, as for example— "He wot takes wot isn't his'n, When he's cotched he goes to prison." He who proposes to take what "isn't his'n " is we are assured, he who objects to paying compensation to liquor dealers. "Bellerophon" says—" If I were on a County Council, as proposed by the present Government, and by my casting vote turned a publican out of his house, and thus robbed his family of their daily bread, I Should regard myself as an unmitigated scoundrel, and as deserving a thief's fate, and in my humble opinion, whoever else perpetrates this offence, either by word or  deed, is just as bad as I should be under the same circumstances; and no amount of Local Option sophistry, or any other pious fraud on his own conscience can get him out of it." • _  Sir, my idea was that publicans held their licenses from year to year, and that there was never any guarantee given that these would be renewed. In fact it has been over and over again declared that when the Jaw or the people (when lawfully empowered) shall decide against the issue of a succeeding license, such decision leaves no claim for compensation for the loss of a prospective trade, the continuance of which was never guaranteed by law. In 1877 Meldon's Act raised the rateable qualifications of Irish beer-houses, and this closed 557 beer-houses in Dublin. During the same year Ireland secured the boon of Sunday closing, and Wales got the same blessing in 1881. No compensation was given in any of these cases, nor is compensation being paid now, when three-quarters of the Scotch license holiers have to close at ten p.m. The license holder has been allowed to possess a profitable, eagerly sought, special privilege, which he has oftimes—in Scotland, at least—secured against the expressed wish of the community. In taking this special privilege from the drink seller, society takes but what it gave, and puts him, as regards the power to make money by vending intoxicants, just on a level with his fellow citizens. Where, then, is the robbery in taking back a privilege that was given to certain parties for a limited period? The hand-loom weavers got no compensation when more improved machinery knocked their business effectually on the head, and horse-hirers got no compensation when railways stopped their business. If the publican has a landlord, the landlord will eject him at the end of his lease if it suits him to do so, and why should the state show more ?onsideration ? I for one have all my life objected to licenses being granted, and the " thief 'is "Bellerophon," and those who would dare to make me pay compensation to the publicans when I never wished to have a publican in proximity to my abode, and when he has been placed there in defiance of the wishes of myself and others. Compensation, forsooth! As well frighten a vampire from thevictim he sucks, and then talk of compensation for disturbing it. Morally, I have been told—since not legally—the publicans are entitled to compensation ; but I deny that there is any morality in the business at all. The publicans tell us with a snivel that if some of their customers meet with an untimely death through the influence of drink ; that if some of them beat and starve their wives and children, and occasionally commit a murder, that they (the publicans) are sorry for it, and are not to blame.- Still, they go on contributing to these results, and by the fruits of the trade it stands condemned Inthe eyes of every right-thinking man. If the average warmhearted Lancashire man is not better educated on the temperance question than " Bellerophon," then perhaps the Good Templars will allow the S.D. for Banffshire to say that he hopes they will take energetic means at 'once to spread knowledge on the subject. Apologising. Mr. Editor, for taking up so muchof your space, I am, &c., G. H. _ . _  Buckie, 29th May, 1888.