The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-02-24
i GnpGtancG.
The Prohibition Question.

1he movement IN favor OF the pruhi-
bition of the sale of intoxicating liquor
has reached a stage when it can no
longer pass unnoticed.
1t is now conceded by all that it is
expedient and just and right that the
Sat o ight to exercize. No one can
deny that the traffic in Intoxicating liq-
ors has become dangerous t. the We
fare of the State: that it is injurious to
the public good; that it leads to dis
'order, violence and crime; that the re-
suits from it are poverty, misery, sick
ness, and the whole catalogue of evils;
that it makes hard times, fills the jails
and poorhouses, increases taxes; ruins
the young men and kills the old ones;
and retards progress in every way.
The State ought to protect the in
terest of the people and communities
oppressed with this terrible curse, and
the people have right to demand pro
lection.
Itis said that il interferes with Il
mans rights, that man has a right to
sell whiskey. We'll, man has no
right to do anything that Is Injurious
to the public good; that causes disor-
der and crime, and endangers life and
demoralizes society. And when he il
dulges in traffic that creates ali this
this disorder and evil, the people have
the right to demand protection 9th
ers say that it is useless to pass these
laws, that they cannot be enforced.
For the same reason they may say
that it was useless to have laws to pre-
vent murder, or theft, OF any other
crime, because these crimes are com
mitted Notwithstanding the laws.
notice that an objection is urged
by some of the press, that these laws
are in the nature Of "sumptuary laws"
laws that have always been regarded
with disfavor. These are not laws to
prevent extravaganza, but are laws to
prevent disorder, and crime, and i'm
morality; OF to uproot the main cause
of them; to abolish traffic that brings
disease, and misery and pauperism.
Some say that the Legislature when
it meets in january ought not to
spend time on the measure, but a.
tend to other matters more important.
Well, Mr.. Editor, what demands more
attention at the hands of the Legisla-
ture than the enactment ofIaws TO pre-
vent crime, and for tho paupers and
the insane and idiotic. Well, 1 have
just been reading from the DIARY Of
an old Criminal Lawyer" He says
that in a practice of over thirty years
he has been engaged in nearly four
thousand criminal cases, and on ma
ture reflection that over three thous-
and of these cases originated from
drunkenness alone. In fifty cases Of
homicide, forty-three were caused by
strong drink / have read a statement
from an eminent Chief Justice Of
England, as follows; after an OBJ
servation of more than twenty years
in the courts, [ have found that if the
murders and manslaughters, the burg
iaries and robberies, the riots and tn
mults. aduiteries, fornications, rapes,
and other enormities that have hap
pened in that time we're divided into
five parts, four Of them have been the
issues and products OF excessive drink
ing-of tavern or ale hoTes drinking.
Another eminent Chief Justice OF
New York says: ''Frm an expert
ence running through many years,
believe it entirely safe to say that one
half Of the crime Of this country
is caused by the Incorporate use of in
toxicating liquors, and of the crimes
| Involving personal violence, certainly
three fourths are chargeable to the
same cause"
L could give you the statistics to prov,
that it Is. also the cause Of pauperism
of insanity. and idiocy, but fear this ]:
already too lengthy, and if the Legis
Iature pass laws and creates taxes Il
provide for them why not root out The
main cause. No one can deny that i
is the main cause of almost al
crimes and of insanity and pauperism
and that it bIights and blasts the hap
piness of families and that the world i
full of the agony it has wrought.
| intended TO show that whereve
. these laws were in force that crime di
: minished, and pauperism and insanit,
but have no time Twill conlude b,
: asking the Legislature to relieve, a
!. least, those cnunGes that petition to b
! relieved Of the reign Of terror and di:
0 order and let them have quiet an
Il peace, and their counties viii soon sc
: the effects of good order and industr
T and they will become prosperous an
= happy.
A GOOD IDEA.
% Butler, Indiana, has a Union Ten
t0 perance Sunday School every Sunda
n afternoon at three o'clock Fac