Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1909 — Gary Business Men Plead for Open Saloon. [ARTICLE]

Gary Business Men Plead for Open Saloon.

Many business men of Gary are not pleased with the new regime which leaves the steel city “dry” until May 10, 1910, and are seeking some way to circumvent the duel remonstrance, which prohibits legalized saloons.

The merchants and real estate men who declare that business has suffered since the reform wave of two weeks ago wiped out the “blind pigs” predict bankruptcy to many concerns unless the anti-saloon league consents to a limited number of licensed saloons. Trade has been diverted to other towns which would have been given to Gary merchants, they say, if saloons could be kept open.

Dozens of men who have business interests in Gary signed a petitipn asking that a few well regulated saloons be permitted to open and a delegation appealed to the Lake county commissioners. The anti-saloon forces, however, have been loath to indicate any intention of yielding and the county commissioners have sought legal advice only to find that licenses issued while the duel Remonstrance is in force would afford no protection to saloonkeepers. The commissioners prefere to take no action until the case pending in the courts of Lake county attacking the validity of the remonstrance is decided.

The merchants who were asking that saloons be licensed have no desire for the return of the “blind pig” system and express no regret that the unlicensed saloons, gambling houses and immoral resorts have been wiped out and pledge themselves to assist in keeping a closed town while they are seeking for open saloons. “We want saloons, well regulated saloons, because they will help business,” said John A. Brennan, druggist. “That is the whole situation.”

“The merchants and business men are the victims of the dry conditions of the town,” said Joseph Steiner. “Things are worse since the saloons were closed than before. If this thing continues for six or eight months it will lead to the bankruptcy of many merchants.”

‘Laborers now go to other towns to get their checks cashed,” sa d li. H. Highlands, president of the retail grocers’ association. “South Chicago Darks cashed no less than $40,000 of Gary checks fcllowing the last pay day.”