Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1911 — WHEATFIELD STILL DRY. [ARTICLE]

WHEATFIELD STILL DRY.

County Commissioners Refuse License Because It Has Less Than 1,000 Population. At the regular meeting of the county commissioners Monday, the saloon application of George W. Tilton of Wheatfield came up. Through their attorney, Abe Halleck, Frank H. Scott, Albert Van Doozer, Geo. O. Stembel and Harry E. Remley filed a remonstrance, setting up: First, that the applicant would not be the sole owner and proprietor of said business should license be granted. Second, that the limit for liquor licenses had been fixed at 1,000 population, and that the unit comprising the town and township of Wheatfield had only about 800 people.

It was agreed that the record might show a third specification which would be filed later, attacking the constitutionality of the present local option law in that it did not repeal the county opion law, etc., but the commissioners held that license should be refused on the grounds of less population than that fixed for the granting of liquor licenses in Jasper county. Commissioner Pettet wanted to grant the license, but the other two members of the board opposed it. The view taken by the commissioners is the same as that taken by The Democrat at the start, but in a similar case in Newton county only last month Judge Hanley decided that the limitation fixed by the commissioners only applied after the first license. That is, a unit of 500 population was entitled to one license; 1,500, two, and so on. No appeal was taken in Newton county from Judge Hanley’s decision, but it is reported that the application in this county will be fought through the supreme court if necessary. In any event, it is scarcely likely the case will come up at the adjourned term of court which convenes here tomorrow to hear the Marble ditch case, should an appeal be taken by the applicant from the ruling of the commissioners, and it is not at all likely that Judge Hanley will hear this case.