The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-11
Hancock County and the Proposed
Amendment

New CUMBERLAND, February 7, 1881.
Editors IntslIgencsr.
The present temperance movement
shows what can be done by concert OF &C.
ton. The State organization has sue
Ceeded in reaching almost every county
in the State, and in sending in to the
Legislature about 1900 names to petit
tons for an amendment to our Constitu'
ton prohibiting the manufacture and sale
OF intoxicating liquors in the State, l
would suggest that the bill be amended 80
as to read "prohibit forever the manulaC'
ture or sale" As the bill now stands
might not man manufacture intoxicating
Iiuuors il he did not sell in the State?
And could he not sell provided he was not
8 manufacturer?
Owing to some overnight, the banner
county OF Hancock has not yet reported
single name, but we expect to send in to-
day a few names hUrriedlY gathered in.
Stesd of list, as we could and should, OF
a thousand, For 40 years we have not
had a distilery or dramshop in our lin
its, and We hope the adoption OF the
amendment will in like manner bless
every county in West Virginia. The
State OF Maine extended our example
all over the country several years since,
and in 1850 Kansas adopted the same plat
form, which We hope in time to see
adopted by every State In the Union.
GOV. st. John, OF Kansas, in his annual
message to the Legislature Of that State,
Just assembled, after reminding that body
that the amendment had been adopted by
amajonty OF 5000, says:
"lhis amendment being now part oil
the Constitution OF our State, 1t devolVes
upon you to enact such laws as are neCes-
sary Tor ita rigid enforcement There are
but few citizens to-day in Kansas who will
not admit that 'dramshopa' are q curse to
any people, More crime, poverty,
misery and degradation flow from
them .--thaIl-- from all other sources
combined. The real difference Of opinion
existing In relation to them, is not 30
much as to whether they are an evil or a
blessing, but rather as TO what course
should be pursued towards them. Some
have commended that they should be liCens.
ed, but it seems to me II they are an evil
no government should give them the sane
ton OF the law, They should be prohib.
tied as we prohibit all other acknowledged
evils. 1t has been urged 40 an argument
in favor OF licensing dramshops, that under
that System large revenue Is derived.
Granting this to be true, ! insist that we
have no right 10 consider the ques.
ton OF revenue at a cost oil
the sacrifice OF principle. All the revenue
ever received from such source will not
compensate for a single tear OF q heart
broken mother at the sight Of her drunken
son as he reels away from the door OF a
licensed dram.shop. But viewing the
question solely from financial stand
point, all persons who take pains to give
the matter a thorough and impartial In.
vestigation will be forced to admit that
every dollar OF revenue derived from such
license costs the people not less than ten
dollars in loss Of time and property, costs
OF courts, prisons and poor houses, saying
nothing OF the destruction Of the physical,
mental and moral element OF mankind,
which cannot be estimated"
The Governor closes his message with q
sentence worthy to become the motto Of
every good citizen In every State, viz: "Let
1t not be said that there Is an evil in the
State greater than the power OF the peo'
pie"
Hancock county will give 500 majority
for the ratification OF the amendment II
we are permitted 10 vote upon 1t.
j. II, ATKINSON.