Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-27


with us is that we help to "turn the
great license crank" and refuse to "helP
run the prohibition mill.T
Exactly.
In other words we have abandoned a
"mill' which in the course OF eighteen
centuries has failed to grind single
grist; life is short; we have no time to
fool away with utopian notions that
bear no fruit; we are interested in the
present generation more than the ones
to come; We have looked at the situa-
ton as it presents itself nor; and We
have determined to spend our strength
in the line OF that humane and christian
expediency which intelligently and con-
scientiously seeks to do the very best
practical and possible thing to make
every body within its reach temperate
in all things"
We haven't time to follow a phantom
or run mad after lost cause.
We accept the enlightened judgment
of this age, confirmed by every practi'
cal demonstration, that prohibition" is
a failure-a flat failure-a desperately
dead thing = that no live man wants to
handle.
We have come to accept the fact, we
say, that the best intelligence and states
manship OF the age has accepted, to-wit :
that absolute prohibition is all absolute
impossibility. From the U. s. Senator
down to the U. S. savage, the taste for
stimulants is equally manifest. There
is no race OF beings on the face OF the
earth to day which has not in common
use a common stimulant or intoxicant
OF some kind. There never has been,
and probably never will be. Neither
measures Of prohibition, license, nor any
other law or regulation, has been able
to abolish intoxicants or the traffic in
them.
We accept the situation.
Our position is that intoxicants will
always exist, and, existing, will always
be used.
The sensible course is, therefore, to
regulate their use and prevent their
abuse as far as law can do 90.
When the Freeman wakes up to the
situation and leaves off it's pursuit OF
phantom, it will recognize that hcense
which it now denounces as public en-
dorsement of intemperance, is the only
natural and efficient agency for sup
pressing the evils OF the liquor traffic.
1t is the common mistake OF the Free
man and its class OF reformers, to con
strue license as liberty.
The liberty existed before the license
The ''lieense"-so-called-is a restric
ton upon that liberty. 1t is a regula
ton OF liberty.
license is a measure in the line o
prohibition. Garry it ont to its ulti
mate ends and we will have prohihi
ton.
That is to say, license proposes to re
strain and restrict 1.-THE liquor trafti,
wherever it produces evil results to so
ciety. The liberty can be restricted il
this manner until it amounts to prohi
bition. But the theory oilicense is tina
so long as nobody is harmed the liberl!
should not be interfered with.
The reason that license has not cor
rected all the excuses OF the liquor trat
fic is, chiefly, because those who ale
otherwise disposed to take an interest il
suppresslng the evils OF intemperanct
are off pursuing phantoms in the shaps
OF prohibition" and the like instead o
trying TO practically improve the exist
ing laws for this purpose.
Whenever we see that the liquor traf
&c is producing an evil to society We de
nounce it; we demand another turn o
the license crank" We get hold Of III,
thumb-screw an take another turn a
license restriction. When We see mel
drunk on the streets, we thinl
that is an evil within the pur
view OF the license system anC
ask that the crank have another turn
When We see rowdyism, crime, or an!
other outcropping OF excess in liquor
we cry out for another turn OF the crank
We propose to keep turning at thii
crank. We will turn it up to the poin
! OF prohibition, ifthat is the only alterna
tive for the protsction of society. Wher
We can demonstrate that nothing les,
than absolute restriction will protec
society from the evils OF the liquor traf
tie, then the public judgment will justi
fly turn of the crank up to that pom
but not till then. License should give
liberty only within the limits of temper
ance. Let the Freeman join in and heir
us up to this point.
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