The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-05-02
ENFORCEMENT OF THE TEMPER
ANCE LAW. NOT A PARTY
MEASURE. THE TELEGRAPH
AND THE UNION ALIKE IN
FAVOR OF ITS EN-.
FORCEMENT.

been as successful as could reasonably b.
expected. The old licenses did not ex-
pire till the first of May and those wh'
had licenses claimed the right to sell dur
ing the time for which they were grant
ed Though this was questionable i
was best perhaps not TO contest the RICH
in the courts, as the time for which til,
right was claimed was of but short dura-
ton.
ed, the first and very important ques-
ton is the number Of new licenses which
shall be granted. The number of new
licenses to be granted IS discretionary
with the Mayor and Common Council
or the municipal officers, and the ques-
ton arises By what principle are they 70
be governed in their discretionary action.
Two courses may be pursued: One, to
grant licenses to such number only rs the
public good aeems to require; the other
to grant licenses to all who ask them
and can give the required bond and SC
curities. BY the first course the officers
exercise discretionary power. By the
second course they surrender their as
cretioD to those who ask licenses And
we submit to all excise officers that the
law, their oaths Of office, and their oil
ties, require them to exercise the dis
cretionary power vested in them, ard
not to surrender it to those who ask l.
censes. And we submit to them also
that their first duty is to determine the
number of licenses the public good re-
CURES to he granted, and that their sec
end duty is to grant no more licenses
than the number which they have deter
mined the public good requires.
The number OF licenses being limited
to she requirements of the public good
aud the number of places where liquors
are sold being greatly lessened the en-
forcement of the law will be compare
lively easy. And in the enforcement of
the law wise discretion should be used
The object should be to prevent rather
than to punish infractions Of the law
But, as the law has it's penalties, clear n
fractions should not escape without sub
lection to its penalties. If this course IS
pursued we do not believe that there can
be opposition enough raised to the law
to prevent its enforcement or to secure
its repeal. But if those opposed to the
enforcement of the law and IN favor Of
its repeal are organizing to accomplish
their purposes, those in favor of the law
and of its enforcement should meet or
ganization with organization. They
should never allow the enforcement of
the law to be defeated aud Its repeal to
be accomplished ny their default. And
we trust they will be prepared to nice,
whatever emergencies may arise.
In this city the Temperance Law and
its enforcement are not party measul es,
The Democracy now furnish a due pro-
portion of temperance men who sustain
the law, and we believe that this city is
not alone in this respect. Many Demo-
Gratis in other parts Of the state will sup
port the law. George Hyer was warm
supporter of the law and his influence
was felt by the Democracy throughout
The state. But George Hyer of the Osh.
kosh Times, has gone on higher, to his
reward al d to better times. His works,
how ever, do follow him, and his influ-
ence In favor Of the law will still be felt
by the Democracy Of the state
The Kenosha Uuion and its editor
now stand fairly committed to the sup
port of the Temperance Law. When
Judge Webster first announced himself
in favor OF temperance we felt that,
when his better nature fully gained the as
cendancy over his surroundings, he
would also be in favor of the Temper
ance Law. And we have at various
times published his editorials, or quota
lions from them, with the view of put
ting him on record in the TELEGRAPH,
as we'll as in the Union, in favor OF tenn
perance and the enforcement of the TEN
perance Law. And the quotations
which win be found in this paper leave
no doubt of his position. He is fully
committed to the enforcement of the
Law. The editor of the Union and our.