West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-11-08
The Liquor and Beer Question.
BY GEORGE W. ATKINSON, ESQ.

BY GEORGE w. ATKINSON, ESQ. s
1t is maintained that the ques-
ton of the age, and the one which
interferes most with our national,
advancement, is the Labor problem
some call it Communism. 9th
ers claim that the Tariff is the
most important. Others claim
that Taxation is the question of
the hour; and still others that
Capitalization is the rock upon
which the Union Of our fathers
must ultimately go down. All
these are important national prob
lens; but | maintain that the
one which underlies them all
which overtops and overshadows
all of them, is the Liquor problem.
| For the laboring men Cor at least
large percent of them), it does
not concern them so much what
their salary shall be, as how they
can keep the liquor and beer sell
ers from getting a considerable por-
tion of theii hard earnings. With
sobriety, the tariff will adjust it
self. Stop the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors, and
taxes will drop down more, than
one half what they now are. And
as to Capitalization, there is MOTH
ing in it. If a nation is sober
and industrious, there is no danger
of it's ever merging into central
power arbitrary enough to swallow
up or destroy state organizations.
The question of all other .ques,
tions is the liquor question; and
what are we going to do about 1t ?
It is upon us in number of states,
and it must be met some way.
| There are two great political
parties in this country, and main
tain that one of them must take
the side of the people-the side of
humanity, the side of morals ON
this great question. If the Repub
lican party, which has hitherto
generally been found at the front
on all reformatory measures, fails
to come out squarely for the people
and declare for national prohibit
ton, the Democratic party will,
however paradoxal it may seem
to some, to those who have watched
its history these twenty years.
But the liquor interest says il is
unconstitutional, it is anti-repub-
lican to legislate against the liquor
traffic Let US look at this for
moment. | admit that it is uncon-
stitutional, ;mpracticable and
wrong to regulate the quantity,
quality or character of a mans
food or clothing; yet society-orga-
nized society, if you please, which
is government-has a right to pro-
tect itself against vice and crime,
and especially to protect those
members who are weak and most
need its sheltering care This it
can do and does do, by it's police
and taxing Power. Every one will
admit that it has the right to not
only legislate to punish wrongs of
all kinds, but to 60 still further
and enact laws to prevent crime.
In the exercise of this right, laws
are passed to prevent nuisances: to
prevent the sale of poisonous drugs;
to prevent the sale of tainted or
unhealthy meat; to prevent the
sale Of "swill milk )" to prevent
persons from carrying dangerous
weapons, such as Bowie knives and
pistols; to prevent men from fight
ing on public streets; to prevent
towns and cities from being inocul-
Gated with contagious diseases-all
these things are the subjects Of
legislation in every state IN the
Union. Upon the grounds stated,
society claims the right to, regu-
late by law anything which pro-
duces crime or is Injurious to the
moral, mental or religious well
fare of the people. H
Now the question arises wheth-
err the sale Of liquor produces crime
or is injurious to the moral welfare
of our people. If it does these
things, then the states have right
under the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States to suppress it. This
question has repeatedly been de-