The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-07-04
The License Business.


another column it viii be seen that at the
special mcrtin@ on Tuesday evening ,he
council by a vote OF . to 4, agreed to renew
She licences Of our liquor dealers for aEcther
wear from the lst INST
Except that the recommendation % our eX-
cellcRi mayor, b increase the lcencc TO 800,
should have been adopted, we think, under
the circumstances, the council did right. 1t
is possible there may be exceptional locations
here and tilcre where absolute prohibition
one Of those places. 1t has been tried here
under former and much more favorable cir
cumstaaccS than the present, and failed ig-
ANONYMOUSLY. Thatit would fail as signally
again, no man in his proper senses will I'M
dertske to dispute.
But we are met with the argument: Grant
ed that prohibition would fail! your license
nscney !, a composition for sin-thc price of
! blood; IS il digniGcd or manly for the city to
receive 1t? That may be question OF high
ethics, but in the present state Of the city's
finances we doubt whether the people would
be inclined TO applaud the council for put
ting on dignity and allowing street crossings
to 20 unrepaged, cutters unopened and nui-
sanccs undated on mere question of digni
/ ty or moral hair splitting.
After twenty or thirty years Of experiment.
the world is getting pretty well satisfied that
coercivc legislation is not the proper means
ito prevent dram drinking or to suppress
drunkenness. We need not refer to the expe.
riencc in Blaine, as recently described by DR..
Dlo Lewis, or III Massachusetts, Iowa, New
York and elsewhere. The experience in all
cases has been uniform. Instead of prevent
ing or sNppressing the liquor traffic, the ef
feet of prohibition has been only to drive i'll
into more INSCRIPTIONS hands; and the ten.
dGncy has rather been to make vicious and
disor2crly sellers and drunkards, where for
merly the sale and use were regular and sub |
ject to checks through respect for police
authority and public opinion,
There are fundamental principles under
lying the question, which temperance enthu-
siasts are apt TO overlook. Can u statute
which undertakes 20 exclude from. the table,
by pains and penalties, an article Of diet
which a large body of the people believe to
be legitimate, and which is recognized us
proper article Of commerce IN every nation,
and in all history has held aplace among
the nccessarics or Injuries Of society, be re-
garded as consistent with American IDEAS of
personal liberty?
Grant, as We freely do, that the use of
uine or beer as a beveagc, however temper.
!tcly Is Of dangerous tendency by reason Of
he EXAMPLES the temperate use of any
hing By one man to be pleaded Is an apollo
3 for its abuse by another? IF Il is proper
or the government TO step IN and restrain
eie man Of his own just and rational liberty
o regulate his private conduct and affairs in
matters wherein he oticnds not against the
suhlic peace good order or decorum, or the
personal right of any one, then The govern
2ent can punish one man in advance for any
,ther possible fault OF another The argu-
lent" says an eminent New England writer
II this subject that because one man may
fcnd, another must be restrained is the ,
owcst foundation Of tyranny, the corner
tone of despotism.' .
Our whole political system and habits of p,
bought and feeling must be changed before =
rohibition can be enforced in this free land
I is very true, that if the officers always did
keir duty, and If the temperance people 7
would he prompt to make com
iaints and exercise perpetual vigilance to
&c that the law is enforced, much could be
one to reduce the traffic. But they don't 7
10 IT, Why not? Because the law does not :,
cc0rd with their own inward better feelings,
10 more than with public opinion generally e.,
Ina word, the principle OF legislation is ;
rot Il proper one when carried 10 its logical
conclusion. II is "paternalism" in one Of its ~,
Iroalest and most odious phases II pro.
,oses such an interference with mems habits =,
md appetitcs as even among in innate friends
d resented as IN impertincnce. When the
,hacaeter Of our American people becomes !
ueh that they will quietly submit to it, they O
viii either have attained moral point SO
Elevated that such legislation will be useless,
n they will have sunk TO a condition 80 alb q
&c, as 10 combine all the essential qualities
lecdti,l - make them fit subjects of dcspo
ism. E.. II
Gen, Sherman, as has been announced for |