The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-04-01

Under this head, the Eaton Regis
ter, of the 10Th, makes the following
just remarks and conclusions, which
we commend to the serious consider
alton of all who are aiding in trying to
eradicate the drunkeries and drunk
ard manufacturers from our land.
Read and ponder:
1t is not unlikely that the results of
the movement now making against the
evils of the liquor traffic will mark a
new era in moral and social reform.
The spirit of the movement would
seem to go to the very bottom of the
whole question of making, vending
and drinking distilled and fermented
liquors as beverage. The status of
the traffic, in its social, moral, crilni
nal and economic aspects, as we'll also
as its bearing upon revenue and tax
alton, is involved in the issue. 1t is
not only question as to the extent OF
the right and duty of society to en-
ploy moral and persuasive means IN
defense of itself against the curse of
drink. but also question as to the
States right and duty to exercise its
police and legal power to the same
end. Shall the States of this Union
60 ON, as some Of them already have,
taxing the industries of the people to
build and sustain asylums for inebri-
ates, and do nothing to put away the
cause that creates the necessity for
their existence? If a man openly and
publicly engages in, and pursues a
business OF selling to his neighbor q
kind OF drink, the tendency and effect
of which is to deprive that neighbor
of the power of intelligent self con-
troll and rational disposition and
management of property, so that 1t be-
comes the duty of the State, out OF
charity for him and his family to place
his property and even his person un-
der guardianship. as Ohio now does,
is it not also the duty of the State to
insist that such business shall either
be wholly discontinued, or in some
way rendered harmless? Is it right
for the general government to hold
out conditional toleration to the
business of selling Intoxicating liquors
by granting what is called govern
ment license?" Has not the national
government, in consequence Of Its
need for great revenues to meet the
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self to be betrayed into a false and
unjustifiable position on this subject.
Possibly it will see its way to better
policy in reference to this matter OF
revenue on liquors, when the Senate
Liquor Commission, authorized by
that body the other day, shall report
the results of its Investigation into
the alcoholic and fermented liquor
traffic and manufacture, having special
, reference to revenue and taxation
distinguishing as far as possible in
the conclusions they arrive at between
the effects produced by the use Of
distilled or spirituous, as distinguished
from the use Of fermented or mali
liquors, in connection with pauperism
crime, vice, the public health. and the
general welfare of the people" Docs
the property Of the country. in conse.
quence of the liquor traffic, have te
pay, in the way of taxes to support the
poor and prosecute crime, more thar
; ten times the sixty-two millions ot
revenue the government derives from
it? Ii we mistake not, some of these
questions will lie answered, at least IN
part, by the woman's movement