The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-02-01
LIQUOR IN ILLINOIS.

We learn with satisfaction that the act
lately passed ny the Legisiat Ire of Hi
nois regulating the sale Of Alcoholic Ii
quors was sustained by decided major
ity of each political party. 1t'passed the
Senate by Sc to q. and the House by log
to 43-only Democratic Senators and
tout of 34) Democratic representatives
voting Nay. The Chicago Tribune thus
explains and defends the measure:
For once, at least. common sense has
entered into legislative reform measures,
and some knowledge of human nature
and the workings of mems minds have
been displayed, both in the framing and
enacting Of the bill, so that 1t now stands
in practical relations TO what all men
regard as an inherent right, and its op
Grafton, when it becomes law, will be
strictly in accordance with the operations
of that right. 1t is thoroughly in accord
with Democratic principles, and in sym
pathy with that intuitive feeling in every
man S breast that he has the right TO be
master of himself and his own actions.
1t acknowledges that \ has the right to
sell liquor and that B has the right to
drink it, bat holds them responsible for
the use of that right, and estops both \
and B from the abuse OF it. The lem
perance enthusiasts hitherto have said :
You shall neither drink nor sell whisky;
and in saying this have Immediately en-
.countered an insurmouutabie difficulty IN
the shape of the Inherent conviction IN
lie minds of most mer, that they have
Just as much abstract right to drink wins
y as the Temperance man has to drink
vater 1t allows the use. but it forblds
the abuse. and gives the damages to the
parties who are damaged. 1t does away
with the expensive and obnoxious ma
chinery of the Maine law-the constabu-
larry, special police, spies, and detectives
who were necessary to- but had no inter-
est in, its enforcement further than earn
ing their salaries, and were ready to waive
that interest at any time for a pecuniary
consideration-and brings an interested
prosecutor into Court in the person Of
the wife or other party who is damaged
by the saloon-keeper, the guardian who
sees his minor charge going to destruc-
ton, and the widow who has lost her
protector by reason of the keeper of the
dram-shop and his abuse of his right. 1t
thus becomes self enforcing, unincum-
bered by costly and inefficient machinery
and warranted to work when applied. Ii
it does not work, it is simply because the
only ones who are interested in its en-
fnrcement do not wish it to work. Be
sides this regularity of self enforcement,
it will enlist the assistance OF very con-
siderable class of saloon-keepers them
selves in carrying out its provisions. The
more respectable and decent class will be
in favor of it; and thus its operation will
effect the lower resorts, where all sorts
of poisonous compounds are dealt, where
the bagnio is almost always associated
with them, and where thieves, harots,
and all classes of Gisreputable characters,
nightly associate 1t will drive these
characters away, and will prevent land
lords from leasing their premises to such
and thus have the tendency to reduce
the number of saloons. 1t should be re-
membered that the Illinois law is even
more stringent than the Ohio law, upon
which it is based, and that, under the
operation of the latter LAW, conviction
and punishment have never yet failed to
follow the Institution If Il suit. We may,
therefor, reasonably infer, that its ten
dency in this city will be to reduce ma
terially the numtcr of salnunS. now
amounting to Geariy 1000 and that It's
benefits in co'Iutry towns where there are
but one or two saloons, will be iucalcula-
blc >
Again we urge the Temperance men Of
Illinois to do their utmost toward sus-
tainiug and enforcing this act. They
doubtless prefer absolute Prohibition :
but should they, on that account, take
the sulks now, they will need friends
when their turn shall come, ii it ever
does come. Help enforce this law, and
then, if it proves failure, you may fair
iy ask your neighbors to help enact and
sustain better one