Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-22
TIE REV LIQUOR LAW.
Its Oppressive Features.
QUIZ GERMAN cITIzENs INDIGNANT AND
OUTRAGED.

We publi.h the text of the new liquor
law. to-day, in order that all persons inter
ested may read for themselves aud form
their own conclusions. 1t is far worse than
no law at all II is clearly unconstitutional.
Its Objectionable features are many. The
most obnoxious, perhaps, 10 that holding
the owner of property responsible for he
damages oceasioned by liquor being sold
on the premises. This clause will prove
fruitful source of evil, dragging inSocent
parties into contention, and 10 a thousand
instances, rendering them the victims Of
mercensry conspirscies. The entire law
seems to have been framed with the view
Of assisting knavery. Vazsbonds are liz
orally invited to extort money from ell the
liquor dealers 10 the state, and from ell
the men in the state who own property on
which liquor is sold. Bow morality or
temperance are to be subserved by the pas
sage of such an enactment we cannot see.
There is no more generally accepted
truth than that you Cannot legislate men
into either pieiy, morality, or temperance.
The age for legislSting and roasting men
into piety has passed away. The expert.
ment as concerns temperance has now been
going on for . score Of years, but is equally
dead failure. The best that can be done
is to regulate such evils as it is proven We
cannot eradicate. Regulate the liquor bus
mess, by Gil means, but let US not be 40 silly
as TO attempt 10 do away with it, nor to OF
press those engaged in IT, or who are indi-
rectly Pro6ted by it. The present la~
seems designed less to suppress evil than to
perpesrste it. 1t is an act of oppr sssion
that will rest heavily upon thousands Of our
citizeos. Who ever before heard
of Legislature proposing. TO pun
rsh one man for offences
committed by another. And YET, such a
prepos;eroua idea lie one Of the leading fea
lures OF this odious law. 1t is not necessary
for US to discuss each point in detail. The
iGnumerAbie objections We might urge will
3. once occur to the intelligent reader,
Such law cannot stand on the statute
books Of this state, or if it is permitted TO
stand, II must soon become dead letter.
Since il is clearly unconstitutional it should
be vigorously resisted. The liquor dealers
Of this county, and the men who rent prop
cry 20 then, should com bins and contest
every inch. We do not believe there are
two legal men OF ability 10 this city Who
will not prouonnce the Law demonstrations!
and oppressive.
Messrs. Morris aud Johnston, the RspGb-
licsn representatives Of this coenty in the
Legislature. both vo,ed for this Law.
They we're assisted TO their seats by the
suffrNges Of hundreds of liquor dealers,
brewers ard men who rent property TO be
occCpied by liquor dealers. And yet, after
getting into the Legislature, they have
turned g gbt around end betrayed tie inter
tsta of this large olsss OF their constituents.
As German Republican Of this city has
, expressed it, "they have cut the throsts Of
TIE men that supported them Our Ger
mon Republicans are excessively Indignant
at ell this We can tell them one hing.
lust 30 long as they support the Rspubli-
can ticket they muBt expect just this sort
OF Legislation. The leaders Of the Rspuhi.
can party everywhere are Puri-
tAns by instinct and education.
There 10 nothing TO mite the Ger
maus with such men. Therefore, why do
the Germans vote and act with them? 1t
il a mystery. We have no more Intelligent
foreign born citizsus in our uids. than the
Germans. And yet they submit year after
year TO be used like puppets By these TN
scrupulous demAgoguss. and this is the
reward they get. Many Democrats viii
say Good enough for them We do not
think so. The Constitutions of States are
slightly enou gh regarded now days. We
believe they should be respected. and that
the rlgtI Of property and the rights of ind
vidaAls should be respected also. This
liquor Law teaches Us now ready arbitrary
power Is to encroach on the rights Of iudi-
vlduAl citizens. after it has once set the
barriers Of state at defiance. 1.-THE righ,s
of property are to be no longer regarded ~
this bogus republic Of ours, it would be far
better to have a monarchy thai would Aot
to the contrary. No monArchIGal govern
msn, would dare to pass such law ss Hi
Dois has Just placed upon her records.