The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-02-22
Legislative Gossip.

When the bill ITO protect the people
ef Minnesota against the taxation. pans
perlsm and crime resulting from the
manufacture. sale and use OF intoxicat-
ing liquors as a beverage, came up on
ats fiaal passage in the House, Mr.
Bently said he desired to correct SEINE
Misunderstanding that existed. The law
was merely revising the present order OF
things. Prohibition the law, instead Of
license. Nothing in the bill prevented
the brewing OF beer at home, as many Of
tae scandinavian families do He re-
fcrred TO several special points in the
Dill, and made q strong plea for the bill.
MIR. Wilson claimed that little or ne
opportunity had been afforded the op.
ponents OF the bill to be heard. He said
that surprise had been expressed that q
person of his responsibility should OPP
pose such measure. lie would leave
others 10 Judge Of his responsibility.
habits Tor honesty. He respected tho
gentleman who introduced the bill. Mr.,
Finuey, and would not question his mo-
tivcs He affirmed that ne was q teeto>
faller, and acknowledged the horror OF
the traffic. He only opposed the bill
because IL could not be executed. The
friends ofthe bill probably think the
traffic can be prevented lie knew It
could no.. lie knew that these. moral
subjects could not be legislated on II
tailed In Indiana in Maine the popula~
sion was Of 2 different character from any
other in the country. a practical test
had been made in Red Wing, by Mayor
Sterrett who undertook 10 enforce the
Sunday law. The day it was tried
there was q picnic just outside the Ina
its, and SO many got 0rnnk, that there
wasInot enough sober ones TO holdup the
tight fellows There is law against
profanity, but 1t IS never enforced. The
laws III such cases can never be enforced
until the people are educated 10 it. Why
are not the present laws enforced2 Be-
cause you cannot find the rat that is
ready to put the bell on the cat. No
body cares to hazard mis- business by
fighting 40 str0ng q faction, Ii is 10
use 10 try to stop the evil by legislation.
1t must be done through the children
while they are in the Sunday and sec
ular schools. There Is a difference be-
tween being "a favor Of temperance
and being ii favor Of IS law that could
pEQAAEC ADl@ADr2 SNN 1t@tLl
Mr.. Bean said be was taetoteller.
for his mother told him to let liquor
alone and liquor would let aim alone.
but he felt there WAS too much law on
the subject Inc mothers can do more
thar all the laws can bo framed. Men
were bound TO 40 what you say they shall
not do. lie objected to being lobbied
by people, ns it looked as If they thought
the members did not know their own
minds.
Mr.. Mott said that Mr., Benlly had
hinged his argument upon his idea OF
liberty. lie held that each citizen had
certain inallenablc rights. which were
his heritage aud no man had Il right TO
a0ridge. Ills argument is that The many
shall not be tr&mplcd upon by the few.
Have the strong right TO trample on
The weak lie held that 10 law should
be made which it is known would lie
broken. the supporters OF the bill had re.
ferredsto the financial evils OF the bill,
thus introducing a sordid feature, and
emphasizing the old proyerb that
Money 10 tao root Of all evil" IF we
pass such a law We shall make hypo-
critics, who will sneak behind the door
and drink. The financial points made
by Mr.. Bentley relating 10 insurance,
etc, were al false.
Mr.. G. II. Johnson said he would be
willing to legislate 10 pay all losses
caused b the sale OF liquors. but does
not propose to ruin the trade OF hnn-
dreds ofhonest. valuable citizens, by
closing their doors and taking from their
business. He objected to the feature of
the bill that curtailed mans liberty in
his own home. by preventing his brew
ing beer. or entertaining his friends IT
the law was passed it would open reve-
nue. to the physicians, Of vast dimen>
sious, Tor the whole community will
immediately become sick. He held that
the principls Of temperance should be-
gin ut the cradle. ana what tho country
needs Is sensible, virtuous fathers and
mothers.
A good many iudicrous incidents
transpired during the reading Of the vote
on the temperance bill, every attempt to
dodge by the weak-kneed was
successfully vetoed by call of the
House BY The friends OF the bill.
Sim Child had considerable to say
about the stiffness OF the spinal column.
Anu las iItScloh&i1 Slitits AA AtA pSll4uS
that commodity was notably successful
in one instance at least, that eff DR.. IL.
n. Rice of Martin Co. after recording his
vote against the bill Jim went after him
with one of his mcst seductive smiles
when Mr.. Rice succumbed aud changed
his vote, query, would it not be better to
send up Mrs. Rice next winter.
The previous question having been
moved the House proceeded to 8 vote.
with the following result: Ayes IS,
nays So AS the voting progressed sew
eral members explained their votes. hr-
Calender thought the present law was
al that was required il i. could be en-
forced. No law could be operative un>
lass it came from the hearts of the peo-
rle. Mr.. Campbell said he was TEN
perate man, but he knew the curse that
followed the Incorporate use OF
spirituous liquors. He agreed with the
idea tina. If the presen. Law was enforced
II would be quite as ef'ectual lin closing
the saloons He felt that the bill y ould
srsndas dead letter on the statute