The Hickman courier., 1874-04-04
Opposed 10 sne New law.

EGttOT LysFttF
We eau hardly touch this much discus
sed subject in the space of fifty lines,
especially an introductory article. though
your restriction is probably we'll. 1t VIII
bring communications to the point. bat
leave some points liable 10 be misunder-
stood for the want OF space 10 pursue
them TO conclusions. But trust al want
TO arrive AT truth.
am opposed TO the so-called Prohibito-
" Law, more properly speaking the
Barrel Law" and for many reasons:
Ist Because the present License Law IS
Z better law.
2d. Because. If the new law was the
best il is in possible TO enforce II IN Ful-
ton county.
Sra. Because. the new law belongs 20 a
dangerous and fanaticai class Of legis-
latiou.
18th because, the new law leads the
Temperance cause Of the county INTO Poh-
tics and religions, either OF which being
so much the stronger in the hearts ana
minds of the people, temperance must
suffer by the admixture.
The iield of argument is 50 lill mitaoie
that one is lost to know where u com
mence; but the above positions are
enough for this one ar,icle.
Let MS look into the first proposition:
The present law requires every dealer IN
liquors to give good and sufficient bond
Why? To tie end that he may De re-
sponsible for violation o. law. II mere
are those engaged in the trade without
good bonds IL is not the fault OF the pfe@sAt
law. because the present law req"tI &
that they shall give good bonds. The pres
enf law REQUIRES liquor dealers 20 keep
1sdeeept and ORDERLY houses and i { there
are instances where such IS not the ease'
it is moi the fault Of tie present law, Dul
Of failure to execute it. The present
law forbids the sale OF liquor 70 minor
to an intox icated man; and 1t alse gives
TO the 7e,fe or Gng relative Of confirmed
iuebriate the right TO sue any vender oi
Intoxicating liquors. who, after notice
not to DO SO, sells any hquor TO such IN
ebriate. The law also prescribcs that
there shall be recovery of not less than
twenty dollars damages IN every such
case. The present law makes other re-
strictions on the trade. If there are
aggrievements on any of these points and
the land is full Of them, yet, the fault IS
not in the present law. but upon the con-
trary the present law prohibits under
penalties. l could exemplify further, but
compare this with the proposed law. re-
mem bering the while that the present law
brings in revenue to the Government. 10
the State, county, and each corporate
town.
The proposed new law, by prohibition,
of course throws of all bouds. restrictions
or regulations by outiawing the whole
trade except that for medical purposes
and by the barrel. If there is any drink
ing, by selling. loaning. or giving away,
otherwise, il will be illegal and of course
those who SELL loan, or give away are
irresponsible so far ~ bond. restrictions
or regulations are concerned / believe
that the new law viii be evaded and that
irresponsible parties will handle the
trade. The history of prohibitory laws
in his and other countries warran, the
belief. But we will not 90 outside the
United States From 1896 there has been
from time to time ebulitions in favor of
prohibitory leCislations; but it culmi-
mated so TO speak, in 1851, when the
Maine Legislature passed the ''Maine
Law" One State after another has pass
ed similar laws. till twelve, including
the New England States, New York, Della
ware and Pennsylvania. indiana, Min
nesota and Ohio have had at one time and
another such legislation on their statute
books. Al but three Of these States have re-
pealel them. Ohio and Michigan had pro-
hibition engrafted in their constitutions,
and they are still in theory total abstain
ers Any one who will read the current
prints of the day, noting the Woman s
crusade now going on against whiskcy
and saloons in those States, may judge
for themselves, if prohibition has been
successful If the trade was suppressed
there would be no use for those good wo-
men to 20 about praying for riddance OF
saloons, etc The ilass~~s,ify of man has
always found ways TO evade the most
rigid laws on this subject. Two years
ago the county of Harlan, and the connty
Of Crittenden. and the precinct OF Gtas-
cow Junction in Barren county. and Cave
CITY .precinct- in the same county, BY
authority of the Kentucky Legislature,
voted upon themselves prolIibitory laws,
precisely similar to that now before the
county of Fulton After trying II two
years. the Legislature just adjourned re-
peGled the law n those four named places
Why did the people of those counties ask
n repeal2 We must conclude, because II
did not operate as we'll as the present
license law 1t left them with all the
evils of whiskey, without any OF the pro
lection, restrictions. regulations or pro-
lection that responsible dealers are sub
iect to under license see can notice
even the points marked out for myself III
this article
Even if the facts OF history were favor
able, the peculiar geographical situation
of Fulton county renders enforcement
| absurd and impossible.
Take the town of Fulton. One side OF
the public road is Kentucky, the other rs
Tennessee. Prohibit it in Fulton, aud the
dealer only has to move across that road
From his Tennessee stand he can sell TO
minors, drunkards, and impure liquors,
and laugh at Kentucky law aud officers.
| OF course, all will admit that il cannot, IN
| the least. stop the evil in that town OF
1 part of the county; but the new law does
/ deprive them of what revenue might De
/ derived from the trade, and what protec-
tion there might be in the present reg
! ulations. The same is true of Jordan Sta
/ ton The Tennessee saloon might attraci
little more trade by reason OF the DIM
/ Guilty in getting it in Kentucky, and pos
/ sibly bring few more dissipated char
| acters to that station on Saturday even
| ing, but no one can say that the evil VII
/ be iesssned, so long as the Tennessee law
! exists. Crutchfeld, Moscow, and WOOD
land Mills, are somewhat similarly slta
ated. The Lake section of Fulton is tns
same; while at Hickman We are confront
ed by Missouri, and the great Nations
highwsy--the Mississippi. Our eoans1