There is a Golden Rule of Selling Alcohol in Carleton Place?

The license commissioners for the district of North Lanark met on April 23, 1920 with Commissioner James Murphy in the chair, and Commissioners Simpson and Forsythe and Inspector James D. Robertson present. The result of the meeting, so far as Carleton Place was concerned was that there would be no increase in the number of tavern licenses.

The application of Messrs. Carroll and Morris for a new license had been rejected, and also one for the Messrs. Sibbett and Prescott for the renewal of their store. A few retailers added quite loudly that it was wrong that if anyone wanted to buy a quart of liquor for a threshing or a barn raising and that they should be expected to go to a hotel keeper and ask him to sell a quantity he was not allowed to sell. Liquor was considered an important article for such occasions they said. Also one of the applicants for a shop license that was turned down said it should not be a necessity to go to another division of the town to set up business to get a license.

Revs. A. A. Scott. J. A. Woodside. T. B. Conley and W. T. Lorymer spoke in opposition to the shop licenses and urged the commissioners to act in accord with a resolution passed by the town council in March asking that the liquor shops be discontinued. However, Chairman Murphy vigorously spoke at length in favour of granting the shop licenses. He did not consider a motion which was passed by only three councillors any warrant for the commissioner to do an act which the council could have donned by passing a by-law at an earlier date.

It was a request from that part of the council for the commissioners to do some dirty work that they would not or at any rate had not done; and he considered it directly against the principle of the greatest law of all for all men. It was called “the Golden Rule” and he said no one should take the licenses away from these men and thus deprive them of their means of making bread and butter for their families by their legitimate business.

Mr. Conley spoke briefly again, and upon Mr. Murphy’s invitation, gave his conception of the principle of the Golden Rule. Mr. Simpson moved, and Mr. Forsythe seconded, that the shop licenses be not granted. It was carried. The commissioners asked Mr. Rathwell to have certain alterations made at his hotel premise to meet the requirements of the license act within three months. Carleton Place would have the same six tavern licenses as the previous year. In summation, one man said at the hearing that there were only three things that were always needed in Carleton Place: booze, accommodation, and of course water for the horses.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.