The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-01-27

ton by license for money. This is in
effect but an increased price for the Ii
cense. We object to the whole system
as wrong in principle and worthless in
practice.
l 1t is false in law. While the pol
icy of selling licenses for evil has gained
legal recognition from supposed necessity
sound law spurns it. II a business is
harmless law has no right to interfere
with it. If it is inju ious its duty is to
suppress it. Extorting money for any
thing else is unlawful. And as this law
does not pretend to aim at suppression it
is baseless and wrong.
2 1t is hypocritical and absurd. 1t
assumes the criminality of the liquor
trade, imposes fines, then makes those
fines the consideration for giving that
crime legal protection! A thin middle
indeed.
3 1t makes the legislature and the
state the most criminal party. The law
assumes that the traffic is injurious to
society and imposes a penalty. then for a
paltry sum surrounds it with all the
protection oflawful trade. If those who
commit the wrong should pay for this
injury the state will have the largest
share, and to extort it all from its
co-partners because it has the power, is
mean business. 1t is indeed becoming
to provide tor the toll of. its own mill.
but 90 it fairly.
1t will readily be seen that our laws
on this subject are lawless and unworthy
of civilization by supposing the same
treatment of other crimes. Make rob-
berry and counterieting legitimate bust
ness on the payment of fees. and who
would not blush for the state, and for its
courts if treating such acts as law! Ban
dts and robbers in Germany have been
SO closely pressed that they have made a
bargain with the little state Of Monaco
in Italy to harbor and protect them in
their pursuits FIR the generous sum OF
10000 year. which doubtless goes far
towards paying its taxes. Minnesota
protects far worse evil than that for
one cent on, the dollar. Compare this
with the grand reply OF the Pagan
Emperor o! China when pressed by
British avarice to admit the importation
OF opium for the revenu- it would afford
him. 81 will never consent" said he,
''to increase my revenue from what Is
injurious to my people," Who are the
Pagans?
5 This law is repudi alton of repub-
licanism, which assumes that the pee
pie are capable of selfsovernment.
Here is an enormous source of poverty
misery and waste taking from our hard
industry annually sum equal to one
third OF our wheat crop al direct cost,
and as much more incidentally; leading
to three fourths OF our crimes, filling our
Insane Asylums, prisons, jails, and cor
rupting our public life and now calling
tor another State Institution expressly to
provide for the debris of this inhuman
business. Yet here is this public con-
fession that we are incapable OF any
better remedy than to sanction it by law.
then wiring from it a petty fee, and let it
roll on! That Asylum will be II centen
NAL monument of our reputation of
christianity, republicanism aud manhood.
These forces ii resolutely employed
would soon make that Asylum needless.
6 1t will retard substantial reform.
There is nothing in it remedial OF the
great evil, while it tends TO quiet and
delude the public conscience, and divert
from effective remedies. 1t will root a
false system still deeper in the institutions
OF the state, and strengthen the liquor
cause by unfair treatment. 1t will add
to the statutory shield which alone pro-
tects the evil from the fatal grasp ofthe
common law. IT the manufacture and
traffic in Intoxicating li1aors tor bever-
age is injurious to society aud therefore
criminal, stop them. II they are not.
let them alone. Here is the only pro-
vince OF law. OF moral consistency and
hopeful remedy, while every measure
compromising these principles is worse
than useless. To this the public mind
and heart must he trained and can be
The destiny ofthe state is involved.
a far wiser measure than this
would be to assess \ tax equal to that fund
tor thoroughly enlightening the people of
Minnesota on this subject. No other
equal appropriation would compare with
it in permanent good to the state. We
move the amendment.
CITIZEN
Northtield Mimi.