The Exeter Times, 1885-7-2, Page 9Supplement to Exeter Times, June 5th,1884.
CROOKS'1C
(OR ONTARIO TEMPERANCE ACT.
vionsus
SCOTT ACT!
Mart SIR : •
You will likely be waited neon shortly to sign a petition fcr
the subutiesiou of the Scott Aot, anti as it is iieeeset ry for one
third of the eleotor'e names to be eu the petition, and feeling
that there are likely some who rosy not be .tc,lnt ted with the
restriction+, or who may hese then represented to them differ -
witty to what they ere, anti boiuu cenfitleat that it is easily
proven that the Crooke Aet is by all odds the ono most favor-
able to the promotion of'l.'etul►era:me. I request that you read
the following co er:illy before you subscribe your *tame, and
thereby assist in putting yourself and the County to au itusuou rn
expend°, wheels cannot result Li anything, if e.trtiatl, but mishit -
lug to promote Intemperance.
The Crooke Ad, if prztperiy enforced, should satisfy the most
zealous temperance man (and every intelligent man kaaws that'
if a moderate haw which tine whole notes endorse satinet be,car
vied out, that it will be utterly iwpaleible to enforce an uxtretne
tart which, et the least, will be opposed and evaded by a largo
minority). Under its reitriotiona u.telt hotel and sh)p Inas to
be according to a certain standard. It le the duty of the Inno
rpeotor anti. Cotntttiselonors to see that they have proper acorn:
modation in every way Cor the public wants; that the applicant
Z fora Itemise lute good oharao`er, add ability o.tp:tblc to oouduot
11 the bnsinosa. (.1 may herb add to the credit of our Board, that
•, they see thee any new apttlicent, who ie a stranger to them, has
to produce a certifioitto of satiefaotory oh:wacter before they will
resuo n new, or transfer au old license to thein), The law pro -
"Whits the sale to drunkards or those tato:e moted, as vett will
see by relating the following clause in the Crooke Aot t
• 3. Resolved. That steeper of au Inn, Teveru, or tiouso of
J ntertniumout shall live sail or b
copy oe the proyiaiaus in the Stem ,Act, allowing druggists and
traders, oto., to sell, distilleie, brewera and wine tuatntfeeturers
to manufacture, wholesale houses to. coutie:a their buaittoas,eta.
and excluding farmers from making aider stud veiling it fu the
County.
CLAUSES OF THE SCOTT ACT, ALLOWING THE SALE
OF LIQUOR.
4. Provided ale°, that the sale of intoxicating liquor for exctu-
eively modicivat purposea or for bona tide uao ie some art, trade
or manufacture, shall be lawful auly by Pitch druggists and other
vendors as way be thereto epecielly !mooed by the Lieutenant
Governor in each i'rovince,the numberuot to exceed one in each
pariah or township, nor two in each tt+wu ; and in cities not ex-
ceeding ono to every four thousand inhabitants ; such safe,rehen
for medieival purposes, to be in quantities not leas than one pint
lobe removed from the premises and to be wnde duly ou the per-
t:llcate of a medical man having uu interest in the sale by the
druggiat or veinier, affirming that such liquor has beeu proscrib-
ed fur the person named therein ; and when enol sale is for ha
use iu soyne art, trade or utanufne%ute, the same to be made
only on a certificate signed by two Justices of the Peace of
the bona fides of the appltcatiou, accompanied by the affirma-
tion of the applicant, that the liquor: Is to bo used -only for the
particular purposes set forth in the affirmation ; and it shall
be the duty of the druggist or other vendor to file the certi8-
sates and keep a register %teall tuoh salos, iudioatiug the name
of the purchaser and the graotity total, and to make au annual.
retnru on all such sales on the SIst day of December, in every
year to the Collector of Inland etevenue within whoa
division the county or city is situat
5. Provided Iso
e imam
notice eitker verbal or written, from the husband, wife or son,
or daughter, minister, rna.ter or guardian, or Justice of the
Peace or other creditable portion, that such person is an habit -
nal drunkard, any fermented or spiritnous liquors of any des
(Option whatever, unless under a certificate as prosoribod by the
Aot, or allow auy persons aforodoseribed to stay in, or loiter
about bis or her Inn, Tavern, ur Ilouse of Eutertain►nout.
If those having friends who aro drinking to ex038i do not en •
force this law it ie their own fault,
Tho Crooks Act has curtailed the number of licenses, has im-
proyed the character both of the hotels and hotel -keeper ; in
fact, every person knows that the old-fashioned could not
get lioeness, neither could they exist on eyery font corners, as
they formerly did, our farmers as a class rre so temperate.
They have abolished saloons entirely ; they have taken shop li-
censes (and their temptations; from grocery stores, and compel-
led those holding them to keep them separate from every other
trade.
On the contrary, what are the featuroa of the Scott AO. Ho-
tels eau he run exactly at the pleasure of the host. There is no
person who can compel them either bed or board to man or
beast; no person to sea that house is kept clean, or that the
character of the hoot is good ; in fact, they can do just as they
please, but they can, if they wish form clubs, and sell liquor
over whiob no person has the least control.
Although the Scott Act prohibits hotels selling liquors, it
allows druggists(2) in every town, and one iu each municipal.
ity, to melt ou doctor's certificates. (We all knew what n farce
that will he). It will allow private individuals to bring iu all
the liquor they please from outside towns wad cities, and there-
by impoverishing their own towns. It is only the poor man it
interferes with, an:1 that merely iu his own county, putting him
to the expense of n doctor's certificate to the present high price
of liquor, or compelling him to get clandestinely, or go to the ex-
pense of sending to an outside town for the small quantity lie
may want. It allows distillers, brewers, and wino manufactur-
ers to manufacture, also wholesale houses to have their premis-
es inside the County, but it imposes a heavy fine on a farmer,
who, finding his apples spoiling, couverts them into oider and
sells or gives away even the smallest quantity, except to drug-
gists. It does away with all light harmless drinking, such as
lager beer, ale, cider, winos, and those who are dealing °laude•
stinely always handle the etrouger topers; as they are much
more easity concealed.
It drives the respectable hotel -keeper out of business and lets
those of lower character take their place, and makes houses of
assignation flourish ; it decreases the value of all town property
as it destroys our markets, drives our farmers to other markets;
in fact, at our expense, is a boon to all surrouuding towns. Edu-
cates people to deceit, drunkenuoss and vine, as stroug liquors,
tvhioh will be the liquors sold entirely clandestinely, make peo-
pie drunk much quicker than weak, It ruins our hotel -keepers
many of tvliom have spoil their lives and means in preparing
comfortable homes for the travelling public.
Now electors. before you sign the Scott Aot petition, tmeeider
that you are goitlg to put the County to an immense expense ;
that you are going to rob yogr fellow -citizen out of his property;
that you aro going to destroy your towns; that you are losing
s. large aniouut'of money seised by licence ; that you are going
to encourage houses of assignation, deceit and villany, and in-
crease drunkenness ; that you are going to increase your taxes ;
that you are going to desttoy the comfortable hone . which the
hotel now is, and compelled to be kept so by our present law ;
that these agitations are a °urge to businose and the country ;
that it has proved to be a failure wherever it leas been tried ;
that 2,27.5 electors of Halton have signed a petition for its -re-
peal, and that there was only 762 voted for it when it carried ;
that it was simply Darned by default. Below you will find a
ea , and no other ;
anis _:. ereat, but only in quantities not Lees
thou en gailous, or in the case of ale or beer not leas than eight
gallons at any one time, and only to druggists and othera licens-
ed as aforesaid or to such'parrsons as he has good reason to be-
lieve will forthwith carry the same beyond the limits of the
county or city, and of any adjoining county or city, in which
the sound part of this Act is then to force, and to be wholly
removed and taken away in quantities not less than ten galloua,
or in the ease of ala or beer not leas then eight gallons at a
time
6. Provided also, that any incorporated company authorized
by law to carry on the business of cultivating and growing vines
and of malting and selling wine and other liquors produced from
grapes, having their manufactory within such county or city,
may thereat expose and keep for sale such liquor es they shall
have manufactured thereat, and no other ; and may sell the
same thereat, but only iu quantities not less than teu gallons
ai auy one time, and only to druggists and others, liceused as
aforesaid, or to atu0h persons as they have good reason to believe
will forthwith carry the same beyond the limits of the county or
city and of any adjoining county or city iu which the eeoond
part of this Act is then in force, and to be wholly removed and
taken away in quantities not less thou ten gallons at a time :
8. Provided also, that any mercbaut or trader exclusiyely in
wholesale trade, and duly licenses to sell liquor by wholesale, .
haying his store or place for the sale of goods witbiu such coun-
ty
ounty or pity, may thereat keep for sale and sell intoxicating Iicjuor
but only iu quantities not less than ten gallons at ono time, and
only to druggists and others licensed as nforeaaid,or to auch,per-
sous as ho has good reason to believe will forthwith carry the •
same beyond the limits of tho oout,ty or city. and of any adjoin-
ing county or city in which the second part of this Act is thea
in force, to be wholly removed and taken away in quantities
not less than ten gallons at a time :
If yeti adopt the Scott Aot you are going to grant the drug-
gists licenses, who as you are aware, have the reputation of
charging a good long profit, and who do not furnish you with,
the comfortable room, fire, meals and bed .for yourself and fam-
ily, nor stabling and feed for your horse ; that the agitators, if
they displayed the Christian spirit which they profess, would be
willing to remuuerate for the property which they destroy ; that
you are building up outside towns at the expense of your own,
and thereby destroying the value of your own property ; that a
farmer oaunot make any cider and sell or gine away in the Coun-
ty the smallest quantity except to the licensed druggists.
Tell the sixty odd people who assembled at Ingersoll to dic-
tate to this County, that they (tile ministers) have no interest in
this County ; that they do not help to pay the taxes ; that they
form no part in helping to build up our towns; that the bulk
of them are only temporary residents ; that they do not mix
with the people, nor understand their requirements ; that they
use private homes when they are travelling, and therefore are
not competent to spear( of the hotels ; that you prefer to keep
the liquor in the hotels, where you got your other accommoda-
tion, and not in the drug stores ; that they would do much more
grad if they followed chair culling and preach temperance and
morality from their pulpits ; that the Crooks Aot, or Ontario
Temperance Act, is the best Aot for the promotion of temper -
awn ;
emper-anoe; that they have plenty of law if they carry it out.
I now appeal to the good judgement of the electors to stamp
out with an Iron hand, all such uncalled-for agitations, and to
stand by,a law which has proven itself to be euceesa.
N. B.—If any person who doubts any of the aboye statements
will take the trouble to read the Scott Act and then the Crooke
Aot they will find the said Aot to bear out the statements as they
appear ou this sheet.
Respectfully yours,
CROOKS ACT.