Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-04-26
hlCENsINc CRIME.

Inc Dcmoeratic newspaper Of this cit,
pleads loudly for law TO license the Grim,
ct liquor selling, ard declaims fierce
" against the present prohibi,ory law O
this State. l, intim,te ties that we are moro
theoretical than practical, as we'll as dishon
est II She suppression--or at least par
tial suppression-of one ofthe most heinous
crimes that afiict society be impracticable
aud If our habits and example give the lie
to the principles which we advocate, then
We plead guilty to the mild accusations 8,
our neighhor; but we clsim it is Just az
practicable TO suppress, at least to q grea,
extent, the crime Of liquor selling as that Of
murder or Of horse stealing.
There are some good people who wish
well to the temperance cause, and at the
same time advocate license Law as best
calculated TO promote that cause. They
have adopted peculiar course Of reason.
ing which they neglect to apply to any other
crime than that Of liquor selling. We de.
sire to call their attention to the utter falla>
g OF their reasoning. and to show tina, the
logical application OF their theories to hu.
man government would open the food gates
Of crime, and create uncomfortable anarchy
and confusion. Our neighbor takes up
these arguments aud filings them forth with
self satisfied air which says, SNOW YOU
have IT,"
Two hundred horses have been stolen
from Fremont county, in this State, and in
only two instances have the calprits been
brought to justice, and even then only BY
the summary court Of Judge Lynch.
Now We claim upon the same principle
that liquor license law would suppress
intemperance, horse-,hief license law
would suppress horse-stealing Iii, is RICH,
to have Law agains, horse theft, it is rsyh. |
to have law agains, liquor selling; if enc
is practicable, so is the ether. The Conssy.
ratire says our prohibitory law promotes
insemperanee. So it nigh, be said ,ha,
our Law against theft promotes horse>s,ea,-
inr. Have We not just as good evidence eft?
Just think of two hundred horses stolen from
single county, and not . solitary conyic-
ton by law! But is it the law which does
this! Take away the Law against .hei. and
see
But It is said that with license law, the
licensed liquor seller would ferret out TN :
licensed sellers and bring them to justice l.
Why not preach the same doctrine in con Ii
nectiou with horse,hefi7 The principle is P
tie same in both cases, but there is not !,
sane man in Buchanan county who would !,
advocate it in the case of horse stealing. IA
Nor has experience with license laws JUST 81
ned such an assertion. When in order to &
the suppression of crime, it becomes neces Or
sary to legalise it. We may well conclude M
hat the people fail to possess tina. moral Of
stamina. and that due regard for law and p
order which Is essential to successful self
government. The principle advocated is as to.
often, root and branch, as the crime sought ms
10 be done away. l,i
II is said that the prohibi,ory law is not c,r
enforced, and therefore the crime against III,
which the law is designed to operate ought W
o be licensed. But the law against horses de
hsftis not enforced, therefore upon the -
ame principle that crime oughsto be licensed. fal
The Law against murder is not always en- thu
orced, therefore that crime ought TO be T. IN
enssd, and SO Oh with every crime on the -
alendar. Now the same rea sons to a verv na
,reat extent which hinder the execution II TIL
be law against theft, prevent the enforce> Is
nens Of the law against liquor selling. r. r.
)nce catch the criminal, and secure indis ali
'utable evidence agains, him, and no diff. th'
ulty will be experienced in enforcing tie IN
AVS, but be who would argue that because n.
is generally difficult. to catch murderer. i'm
be law against il Should be abrogated aud vi
be crime licensed, so that it would be IN
,ade the interest Of those licensed to muir T., ~
er to bring TO justice those who we're not. or
Iould be treated as little less than luna,c. q,
nd As . dangerous member of society. M
let it is no more absurd than the argument ng
! favor Of . liquor license law. The prin. or
ple, if correct, viii apply to all crime which th,
found difficult to properly punish. Bat
4 it be applied-let murder, arson, theft &C., r.
. licensed, and how long would any man Il,
no values life or property remain in the olt
'untry! The true principle is, nerer to err
,riM crime The obj ct Of Law Us
to protect society. II . Law by its own de- a.,
cts, renders itself difficult of en- orcement, in
e only true course is to amend and perfect lie
; but never 70 compromise with crime. ~
ur present prohibitory Law is defective, and w. ~,
r the very reason that it attempts partial vi
'mpromise with crime, thus shocking the to
oral sense Of the people, and repelIing that me-
'arty support which would be accorded :.
ere the Objectionable features eliminated. Oh