The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-06-22
A WISE MEASURE.
THE PRoHIBIT DRY ORDNANCE.

option law.
Under the law of thu State tn
Police Juries of the vstous .Parishe'
have the power to <ishhold license
from any one to sell intoxicating
liquors, or they can submit such az
ordinance to :he vote Of the pcopl.
of the Parrish, ward or town. Should
a majority Of the votes cast be in ia
vor of prohibiting the sale, a. at
election held for that purpose, ther
the Police Jury is authorized, unde,
section 27s0, Revised Statutes, tc
adept such regulations as may b.
necessary to carry out said ordinance
The citizens of Rapides are to vote
ogshis ordinance on the End day Of
August next, but the ordinance will
not 60 into effect until the FIRST OF
January, 1882. The reason for this
delay is that the Police Jury doubt.
their authority to annul licenses al
ready granted by the State and Par
ish We think it wonld have been
better for the Police Jurors them.
SEXES to have assumed the authority
AMI passed the ordinance without the
trouble and expense of submitting
the same to the hazard OF a ballot.
We feel assured that had they acted
on their own responsibility, they
would have been supported and en-
dored BY two thirds of the thinking,
patriotic citizens of this Parish.
But the issue is left to the people,
ard momeDtous one it is. On this
as we'll as every other question Of
concern to the public, the DEMOCRAT
will boldly and fearlessly take It's
stand. We are for the adoption of
the ordinance. Presented to US. for
our consideration, is the encourage
mem or suppression Of a vice that
is doing more to destroy our progress
and prosperity than all Others com.
bined. The whiskey traffic, she e.
cessive intempsfabce to which our
population is addicted, ha, done
more to retard our onward msrch, 10
the last ten years, than all other evil
influences and mis- fortunes combined.
1t has demoralized labor, destroyed
capital, and made a large percenta &c
of the male population drones and
consumers, instead of producers.
1t has pauperized hundreds of iami |
lies, bGghted the hopes and h.ppi-
hess Of many noble wives, who are
left to struggle for the support of
helpless children, while the hus-
bands and fathers, diseased, wretch
ed, worthless yictims of the alcoholic
king, are Unable to withstand the /
temptation and conquer the insidu-
Gus enemy. 1ntemperance is the
cause of two-thirds of the crimes
'om mitted, and year after year
thousands Of dollars are expended
" the community in criminal ex-
'enses, that should not be. {
The recent budget of the Police
Jury of this Parish shows the expen-
es for the current year to be nearly
wenty.one hundred dollars The
INIT Of taxation is ten mills on the
'ollar. This, the Jury find, is nee.
ssary to meet its current expenses.
t ls safe TO say that the property
olders pay FIVE mills taxation, for
'e suppression Of crime, two.thirds
which can be traced directly orI
directly to whiskey. While this is
'e case, only one mill can be appro.
rated to the support of the public
'hools. 1s it patriotic, is it wise,
encourage such an expensive evil,
at is linked with so many woes, so
any troubles and so much ruins
Are we to use the large sums
ised by taxation in supporting pub.
schools and educating the youth
the land, or are we to expend it
r the suppression of crimes that
attributable to the whiskey
lMcf
Win we vote to build up desolate
mes, to diminish crime, to destroy
nptation, and guard every interest
society, or will we encourage it
d thereby perpetuete the worst en-
%" "nr prosperity This is the
esI'on that addresses itself direct
to the conscience OF every voter
while the greatest latitude
'uld be accorded to the liberty Of
'usht and opinion, yet we arel
ok TO say, from our standpoint.
II SAere should be but enc thought
The subject and that IL uroD nup