VOL. XXIX.
INDIANAPOLIS. IND., AUG. 18, 1894.
NO. 33
County Commissioners and Saloon.
Edit,*k.s Indiana Farmkh:
A part of the business of the connty
commissioners as prescribed by law is to
issue licenses to those persons who wish
to engage in the sale of intoxicating
liquors as a beverage. They are to decide
the question as to who are tit persons to
entrust with this kind of a license, and
may refuse to grant one to all who are
proven to be unfit.
As to wbat constitutes auch fitness, or
unfitness, I believe I can explain that best
by simply quoting at length from Bingham's Manual for County Otlioers that
portion which relates to the commissioners' duties in regard to license to retail
liquor:
"Upon the filing and presentation of the
application, notice and proof of notice,
and presenting the bond indorsed by the
auditor 'approved,' the board shall grant a
license: Provided, said applicant be a fit
person to be entrusted with the sale of intoxicating liquor, and if he be not ln the
habit of becoming intoxicated.
Here the law presents two issues of fact
which the board must pass upon:
First. Is the applicant a fit person to be
entrusted with the sale of intoxicating
liquors?
Seoond. Is he in the habit of becoming
intoxicated?
The latter is a simple question and may
receive a positive answer of'yes'or'no,'
and be put at rest; but the first question
requires deliberate and careful consideration. The habits and character of the applicant are placed in issue. The questions,
then, are of what weakness is he possessed, and of what faults he is guilty, if
any, to unfit him to be trusted with the
sale of intoxicating liquor? The intention
of the law obviously is that the board shall
not go the extremist on either side for a
solution. The provision of the law granting the right of any voter of the township
to remonstrate on account ot immorality,
or other unfitness, makes immorality an
unfitness, but is silent as to the degree of
immorality which shall unfit a man to be
trusted. It is obvious from the very nature of the case that the legislature meant
that the party who engaged in the business should not be an outlaw on the one
hand, while he might fall a little short of
the orthodox Christian on the other."
No doubt, it must be a somewhat difficult matter to decide upon the degree of
morality required to quality a man to sell
liquor. I once heard of an Irishman who
was an applicant for a liquor license, and
when asked whether be had a good moraj
character, answered: "Faith, an' I dinn't
know a man needed any moral character
to sell whisky." Judging the saloon business wholly upon Its merits, it seems to me
ttha tbe Irishman had the logic of the situation on bis s<de. I confess that I am not
able to tell just how moral a man must be
to engage in the most immoral business in
the world.
However, waiving all apparent inconsistencies of the liquor laws, it is the duty
of all good citizens to see that those laws
are properly enforced. To do this it is
necessary to elect as county commissioners men who will not endeavor to construe the law in favor of the saloonkeeper.
Inasmuch as a license cannot be refused
without cause, I believe it is best to draw
the lines as close as possible and so hedge
in those who engage in the nefarious business that the evil they do may be reduced
to a mimimnm.
But the commissioners cannot do anything without the co-operation of the people. A man who wishes to go into the saloon business must make application to
the commissioners for a license to sell
liquor, and he must also publish a notice
of auch application. If any persons know
him to be an improper man to be en
trusted with a license, they should remonstrate against issuing one to him, and also
produce evidence to sustain their remonstrance. When this is not done the commissioners cannot refuse to grant the applicant a license, although they may know
tbat he does not possess the qualifications
prescribed by law. If the people fail to do
their duty in this respect they cannot
blame anyone but themselves if the liquor
laws are not enforced against them.
In those oounties where the right kind
of men are chosen as commissioners, and
the citizens are careful to remonstrate
against Issuing a license to any man who
ia legally unfit for this business, the number of saloons is much smaller than in
those where the matter is not so scupul-
ously looked after. Many of the worst of
these dens of vice are entirely suppressed,
and others are kept within close bounds
and made to obey the laws.
I have heard the remark made that it
might be better not to protest against licensing tbe worst men who apply for
license to sell liquor, but to allow them to
engage in tbe business along with the rest.
It is alleged that restricting the traffic as is
done at present gives it an air of respectability, while if there were no restrictions
the time would soon come when no respectable man would go into it, and public sentiment would soon demand that the
saloon be abolished entirely. This might
be the case, yet I doubt the wisdom of
such a course. I believe that it would
simply lead to lawlessness and vice everywhere, and that the evil results would not
be overcome for many years, even though
such a course should lead directly to the
doing away with the liquor traffic.
I suppose that the present liquor laws of
Indiana are not the best that we could
have, but while they remain on the statute
books it is our duty to see that they are
faithfully executed* To this end let us
carefully scrutinize the character of the
men who present themselves as candidates
for commissioner, and be sure that we
elect no one who Is likely to discriminate
in favor of the saloon. H. S. K. B.
Country Beef Clubs.
Kimtoh-s Indiana Farmer:
In your issue of July 7th you refer to a
former article of mine in which I told cf
our neighborhood beef club and say you
would like to know more of its workings.
We bave found this management very satisfactory for many years. Our clubs run
from 12 to 14 members. The beeves used
are yearlings or "short twos." Different
neighborhoods have each their club and
local butchers do the work. They usually
kill on Fridays or Saturdays, so that Sun
day dinner can be graced by roast beef. A
neighbor of mine, who is a farmer and
also a butcher, tells me has run a beef
club for 20 years, killing from 12 to 15
beeves per year, one a week during the
club season; thus each member was furnished with good fresh beef weekly, and
during the 20 years spoken of 250 or 300
beeves were consumed at home, and the
general stock market relieved of that
number of cattle. A neighbor in another
community says he has belonged to a beef
club for 25 years, running through part of
the summer and fall. Now from this you
can see the benefit' accruing to the farmer by this simple plan. We have only
had the club run through the latter part
of summer and fall; we have never tried
to run lt the entire year.
Now to be of more benefit to the fanner
this plan need only to be extended
through more months of the year. During
late fall and the winter months when pork
and poultry are plenty, the beef club
would not be needed, but I would like to
see it begin May 1st and run to say Nov.
1st or Dec. 1st, six or seven months. It
would be better for our people to eat more
beef and lees pork, and more cattle would.
be used at home and the markets relieved
to that extent.
As to a profitable business being started
by the farmers in supplying towns and
cities with fresh meat as you suggest in
the Fa km Kit I am not certain. Tbe theory
is good for the farmer to sell direct to the
to the consumer without giving so much
to the middlemen that his own profit after
raising and feeding the animal is nil.
Whether the dressed beef concerns of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City would
put their beef so low, even to the point of
giving it away, and thereby drive out the
farmers co-operating is the question. It
seems difficult for the farmer to produce
the raw material (fat cattle), and the finished product (steak or roast) as our laws
and customs of trade are existing to-day.
Could he have the privilege of selling bis
cut meat in the city at the prioes your people usually pay he would be on the road
to fortune. But he can oome in as a beef
eater and a member of a club in the manner indicated above. A. B. M.
Gosport, Aug. 4.
Muriate and Sulphate of Potash.
Editobs Indiana Fahukr:
The arguments for the ammonia alkali
theory that are being put forth by a certain writer stand on a weak basis, and its
author places himself in a position exactly
contrary to that established by well known
facts. It would be very remarkable indeed, if muriate and sulphate of potash
should all at once become "plant poison,"
whereas, both theory and practice have
established them as highly effective fertilizing materials, which have produced the
best results upon potatoes and corn, as regards both quantity and quality. Muriate
and sulphate of potash should not be compared with kainit, which is only a crude
potash salt not at all recommended for direct application to the potato crop. It is
well known that the chlorine (sodium
chloride) contained therein, causes the po
tatoes to get waxy and deficient in starch.
Soda, farthermore, Is hurtful not only In
the form of chloride but also as a nitrate
and certainly as a carbonate. The harmful effects of sodium in nitrate of soda
cannot be detected immediately, owing to
the very favorable results brought about
by the nitrogen contained therein. Tbe
deleterious effects of the sodium in nitrate
are shown, in the decrease (from 1 per cent
to 2 per cent) of starch and the deterioration in the flavor of potatoes. It being a
well known fact that potash in any form
Is favorable to the formation of starch and
soda decidedly hurtful, it would obviously
be useless to make experiments with
"carbonate of soda." J. Gokrn.
(Qucvn anti ^..xsxotvs.
Home Experience With Crimson Clover.
Kditohs Indiana Farmer:
I see an editorial in this week's Farmer
rather encouraging the people to try scarlet clover. I have tried it now two seasons. I have found its long scarlet flowers coming out in May is much prized by
the girls for brquets, and the bees will
swarm on the bloom from early morn till
late in the evening. On very rich ground
it growed for me about a foot high. On
good or medium land near eight inches on
an average. The heads were about an
inch long and beautiful, but as a forage or
hay crop lt is a failure with me, in this latitude. My seed came from Delaware and
was costly. My advice, if I were to give
it would be to try a very small piece of
ground the first year unless you have
plenty of money. A. Hadley.
Hendricks Co.
Will Alfalfa thrive in this State? If so
when is the proper time to sow it? I see a
great deal about Scarlet clover in your
paper. What is it mostly raised for. Seed
or for hay? G. W. D.
It is not yet settled that alfalfa will succeed in this State. On some soils and In
some seasons it probably will make fair
crops, but it is not to be depended on like
the Ked or Mammoth varieties. It is
much more likely to kill out than tbey.
Crimson clover has been grown mostly for
seed in this oountry thus far and will
probably be a pro I i table crop for that purpose for some years to come. But it is being used to considerable extent as a fertilizing crop for oorn or potatoes. Sow it in
August and turn it under about May 1st.
It makes a fine, rich and mellow seed bed
for corn.
The Fairs.
CH1I.I.1COTHE,  O.
The Koss County, O., Fair Association
held their fair upon their grounds near
Chilticothe, and it was a success in every
particular. The exhibits were very good
and the attendance all that could be asked.
The United States Fish Commissioner
has served notice that he will ship from
the government pond at Washington,
within 60 days, 1,400 full grown fish, 700
black bass and 700 yellow perch, to go Jnto
Whitewater at Richmond,
NORTH VKRMiN.
The annual fair of the Jennings County
Agricultural Society was held last week
on their fair grounds near the county seat,
North Vernon. The attendance was all
that could be desired. The exhibition of
cattle was very good. In the Shorthorn
class were Robbing A Sons, of Horace, and
J. D. Williams, of Pond Creek Mills, while
Geo. W. Blackmore exhibited a very fair
herd of Jerseys. In the swine department
were such exhibitors as Frank Elliott,
Vincennes and H. R. Nowiin, Lawrence-
burg, with Berkshires; I). M. Roeeberry,
Lovette and I.ucien Arbuckle, Hope, with
Poland Chinas. The sheep exhibit was
equally good. The association was very
well well pleased with both the receipts
and exhibits.
HAOERSTOWN.
Tiie Wayne County Agricultural Association deserves great credit for the successful fair they held this year on their beautiful fair grounds near Hagerstown,
Wayne oounty. The attendance was exceedingly Urge and the exhibits in every
department were of the best. As usual
the horse department was well rilled. In
tho cattle ring were such breeders as Rob-
bins A* Sons, Horace, Pierce <fc Son, New
Castle, and Miller, of Carlos City, with
Shorthorns, Lindamood, of Greenville, O,
with Polled Angus and Bayman A Sons,
Beamsvllle, O, with Holsteins. Among
the swine exhibitors were Beeler & Son,
Clifton, Chester White?; J. W. and Sylvester Cook, New Paris, O , with Polands
and A. L. Burroughs with Berkshires;
Elmer Ross, of Muncie, was also on hand
with a prize winning herd of Poland
Chinas. C. A. Phelps exhibited his Shropshires while McIIenry, Tomllnson ifc Harvey showed other Oxfords.
The Scientific American criticises the
lack of wisdom which the State shows in
enlarging its prisons and reformatories
and asylums for the insane, instead of enforcing truant laws preventing the opening of dens of iniquity, and forbidding the
housing of human beings where disease
festers and spreads with the very freeze
wbich keeps the tenants from stifling.
Among the many signs that changes for
the better have begun, it mentions that
"That work of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union in inducing the State
legislatures to Introduce into the public
schools instruction on the effect of alcoholic and other stimulants upon the system is probably the most telling work that
organization haa done—tolling because
preventive."