Daily Republican., 1880-05-12
Tho Lieense eluestion-No s.

Il
From the seeming inability to sup
press the unlicensed selling Of strong
drink, any person who is willing 70
engage in the sale OF liquors, who hat
either little money or credit enough
to procure q few necessary fixtures
could become q liquor dealer. Unli
censed places were opened all over the
city, even In the most central and pub
lilo parts such places flourish with i'm
punity. In proportion, as the number
Of saloons increased, the chances ol
making respectable living out Of the
trade decreased. Unprincipled men
sold to anybody having money, not in
quiring whether person calling for a
drink was minor or mott AS long as
the money lasted drinks were furnished.
Some OF these low unlicensed places be-
came retreats for bad men and young
boys, and the latter soon acquired the
evil ways of the former. Rowdyism
and iutoxieation increased at q rapid
rate.
An unlicensed dealer who sells liquor
to these FOUNDERS, actually becomes the
slave of hem, because liquor has to be
furnished, whether money Ia forthcom-
ing or not. II drinks are refused
threats Of prosecution follow; II threats
are not sufficient, 4 scuffis on some pre-
text is generally raised, row occurs,
and bloody heads or black eyes are the
VS, hA nf m al nm
information is lodged before justice Of
the peace, warrants issued, and when
the hour Of trial arrives, the culprit is
there, but no one 10 fasten the misde-
msanor on him, tie witnesses having
either relented, or some more effective
measures having been used to insure
their absence, the county pays the
costs, and the unlicensed dealer contin-
ues his business.
A law To be efsotivs must be just
law, it must not discriminate against
citizens, 1t must not operate in favor OF
some to the detrimsnt of others. Un- i
just laws are only made to be violated,
they cannot he enforced, except in
small communities, where every per.
sons doings are carefully watched by
every body. Every fair and liberal
minded man will coincide that the oh.
ect for which this law was enacted,
Aas totally and utterly failed instead
If diminishing the number of drinking
places, the effects Of this law have
doubled them instead CT getting a
letter end mere respectable class Of
.avern keepers, everybody can open q
Ihanty without obtaining the signature
II a single person, or paying a single
,ent for the privilege OF selling liquor.
stringent license laws, prohibition, To-
;al option or bell punch laws have al
Ways resulted in failures. The follow
ng figures speak for themselves. Tue
Bureau of Statistics of Labor Of the
state of Massachusetts,, issued January,
S79, after careful and impartial COM
from reports OF town and city
Jerks, chiefs OF police and frem court
md trial justices, We quote the fellow
ug statement, giving the result Of pro.
libitory legislation in the year 1874,
ompared with 1877, in which year II.
erses were granted
ARnEs!s FOR DnUEKEENEss
J nder the prohtbitory law Of lsT4.. 1904
Jnder the license law Of lS77......... 2,e57
CONVICTIONS FOR DRUNKENNESS.
Jnder the prohIbitory law or lS74.... 2S,9sl
nder the license law OF ls17......... 1882
;umber Of places where liquor was H.
legally sold under the prohibitory
law Of 1874. Observation-Disclosures. bo89
lumber Of places licensed to sell liquor |;
under the license law OF 1877 ...... 5,2T3I
On complaints for illegal
sales under the piohibitory law Of II
lbItg..s..... ..................... 3.o44 ,
y. under license law OF lS7T.......... 1898
The State Of Maine has 8 prohibitory
Nv. During the political turmoil,
hen revolution was hourly expected,
ls Mayor Of Augusta issued an order
losing all the saloons. If prohibition
,uld be enforced there would be no
aloons, and consequently no such
rdsr needed. Pennsylvania tried the
'oal option plan but repealed the
tatute again after one years trial.
irginia, enacted the Mofet bell punch
w, which, not having worked salts.
'ctory, was repealed by the present
'gislsturs. NJ.