Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-16
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
Are the Majority of Criminals Intemper-
ate?


To the Editor of the Winona Republican:
Your correspondent Sussex" in his COM
munication of the lat, seems to delight in quib-
bling about our of the words laws and or
dinances," and supposes that when we say
law" we mean statute" etc, etc. Consider
ing the overwhelming Importance of such dis
tinctions as compared with the real points at
issue in relation to the liquor question, a d
considering, moreover, that the writer of this is
unlettered and writes generally to clear up a
subject rather than to befog it, we may be par
doned, perhaps, for maintaining that there was
no confu ion of terms in our former commune
cation, but on the contrary that the ideas con-
Invested Of all technicalities. 1t was therein
stated, and is here reiterated, that the re,,eal
of the law passed last winter does not leave us
without any law governing the liquor traffic.
but that the laws and ordinances In force at
the time of the passage of that law were reviv-
ed. That while admitting the inadequacy of
those ordinances in some respects, the position
was taken that neither the present nor the past
condition of the liquor traffic in this city war
ranted the extreme and unjust law of last win.
ter. Particular stress was laid upon that
clause giving premium of ten per cent. in ad-
dition to his regular fees, to the city attorney
for prosecuting cases arising from violations Of
the student clause.
The pith of ''Sussex's'' article is a general en-
dorsement of last winters law, probably on the
ground that the end jnstifes the means; and a
denial of the ten per cent. premium. He says.
1.-THE law contains no such provisions" but
that it does provide as follows: When a bond
has been forfeited by violation of it's terms
it is made the duty of the city attorney to bring
suit on the bond by civil action and collect the
same for the city, aud it allows him for his
services in conducting such civil suits and
making such collection, ten per cent. Of what
he collects Now the law does contain clause
giving to the city attorney bonus of ten per
cent. for prosecuting upon a violation of the
bonds, the exact language being, flor every
such prosecution he shall be entitled to receive
for his use, in addition to his salary COM
pensation''-we repeat it for the benefit of
'Sussex'-''in addition to his salary or COM
pensation as city attorney, ten per cent. of the
penalty thereby collected To such plain
language as this there can be but one interpre-
tation, and when we giveit that we think we
are the freest possible from the charge of ''mis-
representation"
In regard to the student clause Sussex claims
that the liquor vendors position is the same as
the bankers. and that just banker requires
Identification before paying check or draft
drawn TO order, so ought the liquor vender to
require the Identification of strangers. The
two cases, while presenting some points in COM
banker, If he makes mistake, or accepts evid-
which is false he loses simply the face
value OF the transaction, and the party lmpos-
ing upon him becomes a criminal in the sight
of the law, subject to arrest and imprisonment,
on the charge of obtaining money under false
pretences- But In the case of the liquor dealer
the situation is exactly reversed. If he makes
mistake, Oh accepts false evidence he loses
not the face value of the transaction, but his
whole business Is at once wrecked, his license
becomes void, his bond forfeited, and his
reputation ruined. Not only this, but,
travesty of justice-thee imposter who has
brought this evil upon him allow ed to go
scot free and to appear the chief witness
against him! We admit that liquor has its
abuses, that it is answerable for many crimes,
but We can not and we shall not admit that an
act of such glazing injustice as this could ever
be warranted by the worst possible abuse
to which the liquor traffic might be subject
ed.
1t has been said that Winona county sends
more convicts to the state prison t,an any
other county of the State, and ''Sussex' sees
in the objections of many of our citizens to the
law of last winter the of this state of
things. Now there happen to be two ways of
looking at this matter. If there was more
crime here than in any other county, other
things being equal, We night reasonably expect
such q result; but If, the other hand, our
sheriff, marshal and other officers were excep-
tionally vigilant might expect a precisely
similar result Now the fact is that, situated
as we are, we are necessarily the gateway to the
southern part of the State, and consequently
we have, during the summer months, very
large number of transient people, including
harvesters, tramps, and a rough set generally.
On this account it happens that many crimes
committed here, and accredited to this county,
are by men who have been here but few days,
often but a few hours, and, thorefo' instead of
holding up such evidence against us it should
rather speak in our favor. for were it not for
the energy and watchfulness of our officers
these criminals would escape. We happen to
sent from this county during the last five years
and as facts speak louder than word we here
with present it.