The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-16
within the bounds of decency, for fear of Of
Tending them and causing them to complain

Wlenln VIC UVunQ6 VI OocoAoy, Aux Ao6l VI VI
Tending them and causing them to complain
of him for violations of the liquor law.
To US, it really seems that the true inter-
ests of the county require the adoption of a
we'll regulated license system, permitting
none to sell who cannot procure good bonds
to keep an orderly house; charging, say
5000 year, from each house, all to be paid
in advance.
We would encourage temperance, and tenn
perance societies, and urge oil people to re-
frain from visiting liquor houses, and from
| the use of liquors, but we would not attempt
| to promote these objects by law, for we have
| yet to see any beneficial results from such a
course.
The prohibition of the sale of liquors, I'M
der any form of the Maine law, is not only
uncalled for by the community, but it Is OPP
! posed alike to their interests and their char
aoter. As far as our county is concerned,
| this law remains On the statute book to no
other purpose than TO excite contempt for its
idle inefhciency to weaken that general re-
spect for all law which is the bulwsrk of
safety for every community, and to furnish
fat fees for the county Offices while increasing
the taxes of the people and running them in
debt every year. Nor does it improve or
protect the morals of any community where
it exists. A prohi bitory law cannot be en-
forced a judicious license law can. Com
mon sense, to say nothing of what is imper.
atively demanded by the people, suggests
that, the latter is the one to be enacted by
our board of supervisors,
So far as the principle of license law is
concerned, it is fairly recognized by the rev.
enue laws to which general obedience is
yielded without protest or a murmur. 1t q
class of men taxed by the general gov
ernment on such articles of traffic as they
choose to import, they have an unanswerable
argument at their haud for the inviolabiIity
of the traffic itself. And if, in addition to
this, they pay into the treasury of the United
States tax on such profits as are realized
from this traffic, the argument against the
right of county to destroy the sources of
| their recognized income, or profits, is
strengthened too much to be shaken The
county may as reasonably attempt to put a
stop to importation as to traffic. Both are
accounted legitimate by the general govern
mont, and in both is that government imme-
diately INTERCEPTED and represented. What is
universally demanded and upon such de-
ma1d it is that all efficient action must be
| based fair and equitable license sys-
tenn. that shall exercise the actual discretion
ary power which is vested in tue county to
the extent of the protection of the whole
| community. More than this is arbitrary,
and becomes worse than needless by reason
of the opposition it excites in every quarter.
| For just this there is great public need,
since it will be promotive of temperance and
public morals, without infringing on the
rights of the dealer in spirits on the one
hand, or invading the undeniable rights of
the individual on the other. Were there not
such body of reason on the side of a proper
| licensing system, it would be quite sufficient
| to say that it has the countenance and sup.
port of lsrge majority of the community,
and 1t becomes the board of supervisors to
| give heed to that public sentiment, thus ad-
ding thousands of dollars annually. to our
county revenues; reducing taxation; rid
ding our courts of numberless vexatious and
malicious law suits; cutting off the fees of
over-ied officials, acd placing all dealers un-
der bonds to keep orderly, respectable hous-
es, or forfeit their licenses