Omaha daily bee., 1874-07-17
Political Temperance.

1t seems to be generally conceded
among intelligent temperance men
that prohibition tested i'm all parts
of the country, and that it is equally
a failure in Maine and Iowa. Its
object is to stop, or at least to de-
crease the consumption of intoxica-
ting liquors, and it has, according
to statistics, none neither. More
LIQUOR is guzzled in Boston than in
st. Louis, to-day, in proportion to
the population, and that fac. alone
shows that prohibition does not pro-
hibit.
Hence, In the face of fact we have
no hesitation in predicting that no
political party will hereafter succeed
in q few localities, that inserts q
prohibitive plank In its platform,
men have lost faith in its doctrine.
Some of our temperance men,
therefore, are now suggesting that
the evils complained of may be met
i'm another form.
1t is well known that the reason
that drunkenness to-day Is worse
than the drunkenness of a century
ago, although everybody indulged
then openly and now q considerable
proportion of society r practically
abstainers, is that the system OF
adulterating liquors with poisonous
substances prevails to so alarming
an extent.
Here, then, Is a practical evil that
the law can abate and against such
an abatement no man can say a
word. 1t should be made a penal
offense to manufacture, wholesale
or retail adulterated or drugged
liquors. To-day so universal is the
custom of drugging that a pure
article cannot be obtained in the
ordinary market, either by the
dealers or consumers. Nothing but
accurate chemical tests can be re-
lied on, and from Maine to CalifOr-
MIA there is not one package of
vinous or spirituous liquor In ten
thousand that is what it Iurports to
be.
1t is all 'sdoctored" and made far
more poisonous and dangerous to
the consumer by such doctoring
than would be a pure article, not
withstanding it would have more
alcohol i'm it if pure.
Alcohol is bad enough, but
strychnia, stroniia, anthony, fusil
oil and oil Of vitrol, is far worse as
q beverage.
But strike at the foundation of
this serious evil by a law confisca-
ting all impure or adulterated
liquors kept for sale either as q SOL
vent of medicines OF p beverage,
and otherwise Furnishing the holder
or seller, by severe penalties, and
there would be a perceptible change
for the better.
The local option law is another
plan proposed. This is to regulate to
cites and counties the right to de-
termine each for itself the question
of license and no license. leaving to
q vote of thepeople the right toregu-
late the affair in and for them
selves, and the nearest approxima-
ton to Justice will be had that Is
allowable, each community being q
law unto itself in the matter.
As these measures are not OF an
extreme and oppressive character,
we commend the attention OF people
of all parties to them, and have
hardly q doubt that in time public
opinion will pass favorably upon
one or both of them, and we s1g-
gest to temperance men everywhere
that q united effort to carry some
practical and attainable measure OF
This kind will accomplish more In
one year, than Q lifetime struggle
with the abusive and Ethiopian ef
Tort to force temperance by the di-
rect and autocratic prohibitive Law.
Beyond the limits Of these two
measures we believe no law can be
that will be better than .
'ope Of saud.-Linc0ln Journal.