Liberal Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1872-1???, 1873-08-16
THE ILLINOIS LIQUOR LAW-IFs
DEFECTS ANDITs ENFORCE
MENT

Last Sunday evening tho Rev.
ii. w. Everest gave his closing lecture
on the above subject. It was crafty
ing to note the large attendance and
the growing public interests of these
lectures.
The speaker said The State Law
provides, First, that liquor shall moi
be sold without license and the giving
OF bonds and securities. Second, that
liquor shall neither be sold nor given
to minors, drunkards and intoxicated
persons. Third, that damages may be
recovered by those injured in person
property or means of support. The
municipal law further provides that
saloons shall be closed after midnight,
on public days, and on Sundays.
THE DEFECTS IN THE STATE LAW.
|. 1t legalizes crime 2 It's fun
damental principles are unsound, viz:
That there is no wrong on the par: OF
the cellar if his victim ia of age and
sober; that we may repress the esults
but not the causes which lead them II
is half measure permitting to steal
one hundred dollars but not a thousand
permitting to sell man alcohol but
not after he is drunken; 1t assumes
that when a son or husband has been
ruined mere money can pay the dam
age. 3. The law contains no effective
provisions for its execution, the fra.
mers OF the law tried hard mot to do
1t. t. 1t does not meet the case. 1t
permits the sale TO nearly all classes
It merely says you shall not shoot gouaq
game, nor n man after lie is dena -sa Ill
not sell to drunken man ;. It takes the
fraftic away from the poorest and gives
it to three thousand dollar men with
good backers-makes it respectable.
8. 1t is machine for the mauufac>
ture of drunkards, while it is the duty
Of the police to promote the business
BY taking away the straw, by hiding
up the shame.
WHY THE LAW Is NOT ENFORCED.
l. The executors of the law do not
intend to enforce it. Why should they
exceed ir temperance zeal their pre-
decessors? Why should they manacle
themselves with whisky rings?' Why
shoull they offend their employers and
lose the next election? Why should they
make war on public opinion?
2. The power of the whisky party,
their numbers, their capital, their ac--
tivity, their zeal in this unholy cause.
are prodigious.
3. The number and variety CT tenn
perance sneaks; those protesscd Chris
tians who take dram now and then,
or who have an interest in brewery or
distillcry; those who have rooms to
rent: those who fear the loss of trade
or property; self-,onccited sueaks who
are too wise to become temperance
fanatics; and pious sneaks who are
too pure to wade in the muddy pool OF
politics.
Shall the law, poor as it is, be on
forced? Public opinion is against it.
What is rublic opinion but your
private opinion and mine? Change
private opinion and public opinion will
care for itself. Lot all the preachers
discuss this subject; let protracted TEN
perance meetings be held; let church
discipline be enforced; if any respecta-
dte man will champion the run traffic
let public discussions be held. Let
men stand by the prose-
cutions and furnish tho money to carry
them through, let US stand by and re-
elect the men who will execute the law,
and above all let us train our children
to self-control and to an utter abhor-
renee of drunkenness.
The speaker closed with the follow
ing: "To bear solemn testimony against
this sin has been the sole object of
these lectures and this object has been
accomplished. The results are oil that
could have been expected The city
is monster, with twenty thousand