The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-02-09
THE ANrI-TExPERANCE CONVENTION

On the 30th ult, a convention,
largely composed of Germans, ESQ
largely, in fact, that q motion was
made by Mr.. Haberlein. of Law
renee, that the German language be
used exclusively in their proceed
ings,) was he ut Topeka, for the
purpose of rOtesting against the
passage of, temperance law now
before the gislature, or any change
of the law kLo~n as the Dram shop
Act. This Immunity was misrep-
resented by ten delegates. The
Dramshop Act being nullity, so
far as the execution Of its prohibita-
ry provisions are concerned, in
this and other cities of the second
class, it is not surprising that those
who make their fortunes in selling
liquors should rise in all the might
they can command to oppose the
repeal of law under which they
may sustain their traffic in defiance
OF all opposing majorities. That
this law now before the legislature
was meant to be aim I'D as a blow at
the Germans exclusively, is not so,
unless they exclusively sustain the
liquor traffic. AS citizens, they are
entitled to just as much respect as
are native born, and they can no
more be exempt from legal re-
strAints than native citizens. We
should unhesitatingly condemn any
legislation that might discriminate
in favor of native, or any other class
OF citizens, as against Germans, or
even the "heathen Chinee." We
speak of this law, therefore as ap-
plying to no particular class, but az
having been conceived and framed
for the benefit of the many, and
against the few American, German,
or whomsoever, who are laboring
with all diligence to spread ruin and
immortality through our land. That
Americans, and all adopted citizens
of whatever nationality, have q
right to be heard, and should have
just such laws as by their votes they
declare themselves in favor Of, sub
ject, of course, to the ruling of the
Judiciary, for the protection of life
and property, the preservation of
peace and good order, and the sup
port and encouragement of such le-
climate commercial interests and
enterprises that are, in the opinion
of a majority of legal voters, neces-
sary for and essential to the public
good, directly or indirectly, none
dare gainsay, and we believe that
. large majority of the citizens of
this county are, from purely just
aud unprejudiced considerations in
favor of change in the law on this
subj ect.
The new law, ~ we understand
st, does not contemplate the utter
prohibition Of the liquor ttraiffic,
only in communities where the peo-
pie 20 elect. The Dramshop Act can
not be sustained, even where the
majority of the voters are opposed
to the sale liquors, as has been
proved in T. city time and again.
And howe 1T be other wise with
q law that nAkes distinctions in its
provisions between cities Of differ
emit grades; What is good for one
locality, as 3 general rule, is.good
for another. Give us Q tenn
perance law that win operate
in Leavenworth just exactly as it
will in Emporia-in Topeka as in
Agnes City township-one consis-
tent in all its provisions with the
State Constitution and the will Of
the people, and we will guarantee
the prohibition Of dram shops in this
city and county. The liquor inter-
est represents . very small minor
ity Of the legal voters ofLyon coun-
ty, and that they should be sustained
by the courts, as they have been here
under the Dramshop Act, in openly
and defiantly unfolding their nefAr-
ious business where Q majority Of
the people are against it, il simply an
outrage, and gives the lie to our
boast Of democratic Government.
The good and true citizens, who are
the support Of any country, shOuld
be sustained and encouraged by the
laws in their efforts to perpetuate
those conditions OF society which
alone are the life and hope of q ma
ton, while those who are, from
and sinful motives, SOW.