Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-03-03
From the STATE Capital.
IzyrkRsox cirr, Mo-, Feb. &c. !,

661FEASVA I1F1, MO-, Z co. 20, Isl.
IL. Registcr-
Legislation Is still the predominatin
occupation Of = large class at the Stat
capital. and the majority of the law
makers seem AZ anxious to emulat
their predecessors as at the begginnin
Of the session. Bills are introduce.
with as much ardor az though tn
lives OF whole communities or the ex
istence Of the State depended upon ii
NOR do I consider this condition of al
fairs will be discontinued until the tim,
specified by law. or ten days prior t.
the day Of adjournment, which from
present indication will be a day be
tween the 18th and 18th Of March.
To-day has been spent in the discus
sion OF the capitalremoval proposition
and 1t was really interesting to hear tn,
arguments pro and con; none hut biz
guns took part. jefferson City was Out
IN full force to lobby against the ques
tion, aud know property holders here
were never 30 anxious before. A vote
was reached, however, late this after
noon, and resulted in the defeat of the
Sedalia force, and am not sorry.
My principal object for writing this
week, Mr.. Editor, is to perform duty,
as l take 1t, of expressing my views rel
alive to the prohibition question, which
IS, to some extent, agitating the people,
its adherents and opponents alike. 1
feel the more impelled to do so because
have been called upon for an express
sion by your Des Arc correspondent,
who is known to be prominent citizen
and responsible man. Then, as a rep
rescntative Of the people,. it is my duty
to declare to them the reason why am
opposed to what il called prohibitory
legislation, and I cannot conscientious
Jy vote for any measure which is calcu-
lated to do harm to the material inter-
ests Of Missouri, and drive capital in
immense sums beyond her borders.
In the first place. prohibition does not
prohibit. o1aw can be enforced which
is not in full accord with public opinion,
and which does not have back of it some
clearly defined and general demand on
the part Of the masses. In my view of
this case, mo such demand has been
made by any considerable proportion Of
the people OF Missouri, and that no con-
siderable proportion really desire any
such sumptuary work. There are mil
lions upon millions of dollare invested
in this State in the manufacture OF
Ilqnors, wine and beer, and in the sale
and distribution of TIL e same. The ag-
gregate Of land cultivated as Vineyards
in Missouri is very large. The capital |
Invested III all these industries ramifies /
Also through every avenue of trade aud |
traffic; It gives work to multitudes of /
Inen, supports Of multitudes Of families:
pays to the State Government q very
revenue, and bears very
part Of State and county
taxation.
From . moral standpoint, also, it is
in insitsputable evidence that where
pTohibitory laws are in their fullest and
lion Of alcohol in all OF Its various forms
% nut OF all proportion to what it would
be If the whisky traffic was regulated
by just-and sensible legislation. eau
not at this time, in the space allotted
me for this article, 60 into full discus
sion OF this aspect Of the question:; yet,
II all official reports are true, Maine ID .
fair sample Of the lamentable failure or
legislation. For instance,
hear what Neal Dow, the great tenn
perance reformer, says on the subject.
Hes says: whisky In Maine Is carried
IN small bottles in the pockets Of the
iquor dealers and dealt out on the sly;
I In put into tea.pots and placed upon
h hi nt< c1x ri F. e S~
walls Of houses III tin cans, with small
'ubber pipe by which to draw it off; it
= concealed IN small bottles in the bed;
t IL concealed in bottles under the floor.
tut there through . trap that can be
'nly reached by removing the bed; it is
in small fiat bottles in the
Ish pit under the ovens of cooking
tOves; 1t il hidden in wells attached
0 strings fastened some inches below
he surface of the water, it 10 under the
loor of the pig sly; it 10 hidden away
lpon the dat roof of the house, access to
being had only through . scuttle; it
= hidden in attics, under the floor, and
CELLARS" and, In fact, it seems there
no secret place in which it may not
70 found.
Furthermore, this is no time, in my
plnj0n. to cast into the political arena
n Missouri question 20 full of strife
nd bitterness. Constitutional liberty
. lighting for its life. Its lifelong
hampton, the Democratic party, can
'Ot carry single additional ounce OF
vetght II 1t Is intended to win the fight;
or will the Republican party, with all
. boasted prestige and power, Of its
Wn option, enter political campaign
4 Missouri with "Prohibition'' AZ its
attic cry. Not that majority Of this
k11xnt - ~ n n.