The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-03-25
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ADDRESS.
State Central Temperance Committee.

which lately assembled in the Capitol; and au
thorized by them TO address you in their name
would respectfully invite your attention to thu
following suggestions concerning the most i'm
portant question of the State policy, on which
your decision will be required at the next cleo
ton.
The active efforts put forth by so large &
number of your fellow citizens, to have incor
Iporated among the lBws of the State, statute
for the entire suppression of the traffic in in
Itoxicating liquors as beverage, results from
a fall persuasion of the hideous evils of intem
perance; and firm conviction that it is the
right and duty of a people to eradicate such
evils from their midst. After the full and
thorough discussion the whole subject has un-
|dergone, there are many points which may be
considered as definitely settled Thus nc
man will deny that intemperance is vice in
itself; that it leads to poverty, crime, disease
and death; and that it entails misery on the
innocent as well as the guilty. And hence il
follows as an unavoidable conclusion, that as
long as it is the duty of the citizens, and es-
pecially the innocent and helpless--as long as
it is burdened with the support of paupers, and
the punishment and maintenance of criminals,
so long will it be its duty to seek out and If
pissible, remove the causes which lead to such
deplorable results. Political conventions OF
all parties, judicial officers of all grades, and
enlightened statesmen of all theories, there
fore, unite in declaring that the Liquor Traffic
is Legitimate subject Of legislative control
And for the obvious reason that it is the i'm
mediate and responsible agent in the produc-
ton of intemperance. 1t furnishes the means,
presents the temptation, and solicits indul-
gence. Those engaged in the traffic are the
school l-masters who educate the appetite in the
love of strong drink; who for the sake of gain,
teach men to become drunkards, criminals and
outcasts.
The practical question which is now present
ed for popular consideration, is not whether
there ought to be legislation on the subject?
for this has long been the case, and is admit
ted by all intelligent men; but it is what kind
and degree of legislation is necessary? Let us
submit true answer to this question, and we
may readily assume, that as the suppression
of intemperance is the object, it must be of
that kind and degree which will prove efficient
Any other legislation will only tend to demon
strate the magnitude of the evil, or the impo-
tence of the government. To our apprehen-
sion there are but three modes in which laws
may be made to bear directly on the traffic, SO
as to have a tendency to the desired end
These are.
l. By system of license so guarded as to
discourage or prevent persons from engaging
therein.
Taking the past as guide to the future, we
may conclude that those who desire license
law, propose, first that tax be levied on those
who engage in the traffic, so large as to confine
it to the hands ofa few, with the view Of break
ing up the low rum holes in which the aban-
doned congregate. Secondly, that aspacial per-
mission be granted under the seal of the State
and to such only as are Of good character and
will not keep dsorderly house; and thirdly,
that the sale should be forbidden altogether to
such as are deemed incompetent to take care
of themselves, as confirmed inebriates, those
under age, &c. But the system thus proposed
is liable to many objections. First, it is con-
trary to the principles of sound democracy,
and to the spirit of the Constitution. These
alike proclaim the equal rights ofall, and stand
opposed to all monopolics and exclusive privi-
leges. Why should the rum seller be distin-
guished above others engaged in trade, by being
made public officer? And why should the
rich be allowed to sell, while the poor are ex-
cluded? If it is a profitable business, oughtit
not rather be placed in the hands of the poor
then taken from them? This is system of
favoritism, which would still more enhance the
gains of the rich, contrary to all policy. We
see no propriety in allowing the man who can
own large supply of the most expensive liq-
uors to make his thousands; while you would
exclude him, who had but single barrel ofthe
meanest whisky, from the privilege of making
his dimes. Secondly, We also object to this
system, because it is too difficult to determine
between the lawful and the unlawful in prac-
tice. And for this reason it must continue to
be, as it always has been, impotent for good
While men are licensed to sell, and while their
profits are involved in the amount sold, they
will not be very particular to enquire whether
those who propose to buy are drunk or sober,
are of lawful age or not. Nor is it an easy
matter to tell in what consists a disorderly
house, so as to subject the keeper to punish
ment. Besides, who will feel it to be his duty
to inform for violations of the law, when the
man has permission to sell under the broad
seal of the State; and when the utmost evils
may and do follow the lawful exercise of his
business The experience of two hundred
years testifes to the ineficiency of all such
laws. Thirdly, such a law must always fail
of benifcal influences, for the simple reason
that it permits the sale of Intoxicating drinks.
Now, the evil does not grow out of the manner Of
selling but the nature Of the thing sold. a y
Arsenic would kill man as quickly when
sold by the most enlightened physician, as u
would sold by the most ignorant clown; ana
so licensed whisky makes man just as drunk
as unlicensed whisky. The evil effects pro-
duced by the liquor are exactly the same,.
whether sold by rich or poor, saint or sinner,
i'm marble palace or a mud hoyel. And while
the fact remains, all attempts to suppress IN
temperance by license laws are as absurd as
to attempt to put outa fire by prescribing who
should put on more wood Finally, such a
law is wrong in principle. The traffic is in
ltoxicating liquors as beverage is either right
or wrong. If it is right it ought to be let
alone; it ought not to be discouraged or tram
al .rv r1nnre fhan sallinc, fru Goods or fha