The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-08-11
Free Whiskey.AA

at Des MONIES, was opposition to the
Prohibitory Liquor Law of this State
The resolution is as follows -
"Resolved, That the Maine liquor law
is inconsistent with the genius Of free
people, and burdensome in its operations
it has vexed and harassed the citizens,
burdened the counties with expense and
litigation, and proven wholly useless in
the suppression of intemperance.' %
Now there may be an honest difference
of opinion, even among true temper
ance men, as to the efficacy Of prohibitory
laws for the suppression of the evils of
intemperance. Many men, sincerely de-
sirous Of doing what they can for the
eradication Of this curse from the land,
may not, and do not, consider the prohib-
ltory enactment the best method of ac-
complishing that purpose, and therefore
oppose it. They have generally, how
ever, we believe. viewed the operations
of the law in places where success was
impossible because public opinion re-
fused to strengthen the hands of those
who endeavored to enforce it. Any other
law is alike impracticable under such
circumstances. If community does
not sustain an erac tment with the moral
force of its countenance, the physical
force of the officers Of the law will be
powerless for its enforcement. We know
such was the case with the Prohibitory
Law in our own county. Until the peo-
pie were generally stirred up to realiza-
ton of the evils which rum was produc-
ing among us, liquor dealers laughed at
prosecution-mocked at the officers who
attempted to stop their illegal traffic. 90
But as soon as the force of public opinion
backed the officers, we all know how eff
cacious for good the law became. There
is no doubt, however. that in many pla-
ces, the Prohibitory Law is totally dis
regarded, and that the traffic in ardent
spirits is virtually free; and though
there cannot, either, be any doubt but
that this results more from the luke
warmness or opposition of the people,
than from the imperfections of the law,
still we are free to confess that many
men favorable to the cause of temperance,
have thus been led to regard the pro-
hibitory act as Inadequate. 1t may be
that our Democratic friends at tho, late
Convention were men of this stamp
have a sincere desire to stop the sale of
ardent spirits, but have different and
better method Of doing i than through
the operation of the Prohibitory Law
If so, why do they not tell us what that
method is? What do they propose to
substitute for the present law The Iowa
City Reporter, Democratic oracle, as.
serts that the party has defined its posi-
ton boldly, clearly, and unequiyocal-
ly." 1t" falls back upon the license sys-
tenn. which it has uniformly advocated
in times past, as the only practicable
means under proper and efficient appli-
cation, for diminishing the evils of in
and instiluting that gradual
change in public sentiment, which, by
lessening the demand for liquors, will
finally procure the cessation Of their
and sale. :" This, the Re
porter says, it necessarily does, by de-
the Maine Law. We cannot
see why. We do not know that it neces-
sarily follows that because the party de-
nounces the Maine Law it favors Lii
cense Law. In fact, there is good reason
to suppose that it has no more affection
for the one than for the other. When, in
that Convention, Mr.. MAHoNY, of Du-
buque, offered resolution declaring that
the prohibitory system is wrong and i'm
practicable, and that a return to the H.
cense system offered tie only means of res
tricting tie traffic scithin safe limits, the
resolution was instantly laid on the table
by an overwhelming majority. Did this
show a disposition to fall back upon the
license system? We think not. We
think the Convention, by refusing to pass
this, but adopting the other resolution,
showed that while condemning the pro-
hibilory act, they were not ready to de-
clare-in favor of license law. What,
then, do they propose to do? We think,
in the present aspect Of the case, the
people of Iowa have good reason for sup
posing that they have declared for Free
Whisky. If not. we should like to be
enlightened as to their intentions. Un-
doubleday. if not opposing the temper
ance cause. our opponents are misunder-
stood by their partizans. for j. O. Def
wrLER, the popular lecturer upon tenn
perance, heretofore an active Democrat,