New-York tribune., 1872-01-16
LIZ 1NU LLOEOR.

Our State Temperance Society meets at Troy
on the nth, and will doubtless consider and
decide upon the action which the Legislature
will be requested to take in behalf of Tenn
perance at its present session. The principle
of Local PrOlibtion-that is, OF allowing cach
CITY End each Township to decide for itself
whether the Liquor Traffic shall "r shall not
he licensed v-'.' its nmltS--ls now very gem
c,,.ly accepted but different modes Of action
are suggested. and these will naturally come
up for consideration.
We plead for the Ballot, az every way more
Trustworthy and less troublesome than that Of
Petition. Who can say whether the names on
petition are or are not all those of legal
votersf Where the same name is signed to IL
petition for and one against License, who can
tel Which is genuine, or, when both are so,
which indicates the signers real wIsh2 All know
how easily most people sign petitions and the
longer list of signers will often indicate SUI
pelior activity in circulating petitions rather
than greater strength And then such circula-
ton involves great effort, which might be
better bestowed. What we suggest is that
each voter for City or Town Officers shall be
authOri zed to deposit separate ballot indOrscd
"I,iquor Question: and reading within LII
"censer or "NO License" as may be his
choice. The vote on this proposition being as
certained and declared, let it be received and
respected as an imperative mandate, directing
or fOrbdding that Licenses be granted for the
year ensuing. At the next election, let fresh
vote he likewise taken and likewise respected.
This plan avoids the confusion Of issues in
volved in the election of officers rs License"
or anti-IIcense." while other considerations
must inevitably influence the result Let each
voter make his choice of officers precisely as
he now does, in full assurance that the Excise
question viii be decided on its own merits
and by n distinct vote. No caucusng, 10
wire pulling, can avail under this PLAN if q
majority favor grog-shopS their votes will say
so; if not, they will say just that. And each
years experience will be influential upon next
years decision, "a it should be. No other plan
seems to us so direct, simple, fair, and mex
pensiye as this.
The License act which has just passed tho
Legislature of Illinois is remarkably stringent.
Its leading provisions are as follows:
1. No selling without license.
2. No license until the applicant shall have
az sureties that ho will pay all damages which
any one may suffer by reason of bis selling.
3. suit to bo brought in behalf Of the State
against any seller Of liquor whereby injury is
innctod-whatever sum may be recovered to
be appropriated for the redress of such injury.
If this act shall be faithfully enforced-as
why should it not beP-it must shut up the
lower stratum of grogshops and saloons, re-
sircting the liquor traffic to dealers who
would be constrained by pecuniary interest
to say nothing of moral principle-to sell cir
cumspectly, cautiously. No one licensed under
this act could afford to sell to a tippler or n
minor: few would take the risk of selling to
q good fellow who was trotting down the
road TO ruin at q 2:i0 gait. Of course, We I'M
derstand tho objection of principle urged by
Prohibitonists against any form of License {;
yet We counsel tho Temperance men of Illinois
to give this act fair trial by aiding its
enforcement,