Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1911 — ATTORNEY-GENERAL WILL NOT RISK AN OPINION. [ARTICLE]

ATTORNEY-GENERAL WILL NOT RISK AN OPINION.

Says Granting of License* Is Up to Commissioners in Townships With Less Than 1,000 People. The editor of The Republican addressed a letter to Thos. M. Honan, the* attorney-general of Indiana, asking him if a saloon could be licensed in a township with less than 1,000 population where the commissioners have set the limit at 1,000. Mr. Honan made prompt reply. He does not care to assume any responsibility in the matter and says that the granting of the license is entirely up to the county commissioners, acting on the advice of the county attorney. It was pointed out in the letter addressed to Mr. Honan that considerable election expense might be saved if a ruling was made, by him on this matter, but the attorney-general wiiT not take a chance at it. The letter means that where the commissioners are “Sr y” no licenses will be granted in townships with less than 1,600 people and that where the majority of the commissioners are “wet” that licenses will be granted. Then the losers can carry the matter to the courts. If the commissioners should grant a license and the temperance people should decide tofight it, they would have to put up a bond for the saloonkeeper’s costs and pay his attorney fees if the saloonkeeper was victorious. It means that no matter how the election goes in Wheatfleld township no saloon can be established there. The letter from the attorney-general reads: “I am in receipt of your letter of the 17th inst. in which you request my opinion whether a township, having a less population than one thousand, can have a saloon, where the commissioners have set limit at a thousand. That is a question which can only be settled by the board of county commissioners, acting -upon the advice of their county attorney, in granting or refusing to grant a license to sell intoxicating liquors, when they have been petitioned so to do. I cannot give an opinion on this question, as I am not authorized to advise either an applicant for license or the board of county commissioners. Very truly' yours, . THOS. M. HONAN, Attorney General.”