The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-06
From the n. Y. Trlbune.l
Liquor in Politics.

was passed while Maine was still
Democratic State. aud approved by
her Democratic Governor; whereupon
the Liquor men conspired and de
feated his reelection, but were IN
able to repeal the law, which still
stands on the statute book, and was
considerably stifened by the last
Legislature, in an act which required
and received a ratification by direct
vote of the people.
In Massachusetts, a similar act was
passed by an American Legisla
ture, and signed by Gov. Henry J.
Gardner, now a Democrat
The last Legislature of Massachu-
sets instituted a thorough, exhaust
i've inquiry into the effects Of this
law. Scores of men, eminent IN
science, letters, medicine, and iuris-
prudence, were examined as witnesses
about as many of them summoned
by one party as the other, and
ex-Gov. Andrew was counsel for the
License party; the Rev. Dr. Miner,
President of Tufts College, and pastor
of the School Street Universalist
Church. led on the side of Prohibi-
ton. Full reports were made, and
have been widely disseminated. Says
the New York Times:
THE evidence was consequently
most ample, and, in many respects, of
exceeding value.
The weight of the testimony and
the weight of authority were certainly
in favor Of a well-considered License
system, as against absolute Prohibit
ton. The most eminent scientific
men examined; men of the standing
of Agassiz and Holmes Joined with
many of the leading clergymen of the
State in the opinion that legislative
prohibition was no cure for intemper-
ance; that the stringency of the law
became an excuse TO many to violate
its provisions; that it was and is no
tOriously violated in every form and
by every device; and that the convic-
lions reached by means of an execu-
= tive machinery altogether unknown
to the Constitution, do not cover one
1.-THE, perhaps not one in hundred,
of the cases wherein violations of the !
law take place.
The majority of the Committee
IN their report presented the strong |
est points Of the anti Prohibition evil |
dence. But the Legislature decided |
that the whole case should 90 before |
the people 1t IS before tim now,
and viii be shortly decided
The Times fails to add the material 1
fact that the late Republican State /
Convention expressly resolved that
each Republican is at perfect liberty /
to favor or oppose Prohibition as to I
him shall seem proper. And if the
evidence whereof the Times n6tices
only so much as was given on one |
side) is so decidedly favorable To
License as that paper represents il. 1
surely the liquor men should be salts
fed.
They are not, however. They are
trying TO win by underhand means
They are banded in a secret league or
order. known as the "P. L. L." and |
expect to win by nominating their
pledged confederates as Republicans
whenever they can, and by beating
anyhow all who are not of their sort
Ii they can nominate the Republican
candidates, they will do so; if not,
they will bolt and support Democratic
candidates, or get up iudepeudent or
mixed ckets-anything Tor success.
Yet the Times says:
" 1t Is the Introduction Of just such
extraneoUs issues, into a contest In
vOlving national interests of the
deepest and most vital concern to the
whole people, that creates what Gp-
pears a reaction In political senti-
ment."
Who is responsible for " the intro
duction of just such extraneous issues
into politics?" Why will not The
Times speak out? What should she
Republicans have done in the premises |
that they have not done? We know
that they are to suffer heavily by I
" the introduction p aforesaid; but /
how could they have avoided it?
Do you say that they might have /
stifed their individual convictions.
and gone altogether for a.good License
Law? That would not have meuded
the matter. We have such law
here; but the -hiquor men here hate
us as bitterly and will damage US as
heavily as In Massachusetts. Let the
Bay State pass just such an act as
Gov. Andrew proposed last Winter,
and the Liquor dealers will insist that
it be either repealed or disregarded.
1t presented its ultimatum, through
certain citizens of German birth, to
our Constitutional State Convention.
in these words: gr H
No person shall by law be de-
prived Of the right to public or private
enjoyment or pastime on any deg of II
The 1oeek, provided that no person in H
exercising this right shall violate pub
lie order and deeorum, or the proper 4
respect due to religious worship -
Substantially the same proposition II
was submitted by the German inter- II
est to the Platform Committee Of our