The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-01
PRACTICAL TEMPERANCE.
Mr.. Beecher Discourses of the Three Modes
of Treating the Drink Evil
From Lust Sunday Nights Sermon.

FROM Last Sunday Nights Sermon.
There are three systems, substantially,
offered as a remedy. The first is the system
of moral education for the sake of pubic
sentiment that will easily control the
methods of intemperance Second, the sys-
tenn of Limitation of the supply which
may be called the system of regulation, or
the great license SYSTEM and thirdly, the
system of limitation which has two-fold
form-frst, in its earliest and historic devel-
opment, the prohibition of the sale abso
lutelv, and, in its second and later form, the
prohibition of the manufacture so that
there shall not be anything to sell; and, In
order to make that immovable, it is proposed
to insert the prohibition of the making and
selling into the constitution of the State
and nation. When you have the con-
stitution of the United States altered by the
vote of the constituency of the population
of this continent, l shall be in heaven so
long that shall almost forget what the sub
ject is. But the men propose this as a rene
dial system for the evil. As to regulation.
the liquor traffic has been taken out
from the ordinary commercial elements and
lowed to sell any more without the city al
lows him to do it. 1t is like manufacturing
powder or keeping it. The city of New York
does not allow man to keep over a few
pounds of powder in his store. The city will
not allow dynamite to be manufactured or
kept in the store. 1t is considered very dan
gerous, and it is very good business if it is
kept in this country and not taken to Ire
land. The same is true of pyrotechnics.
There is limitation put upon these things.
Selling liquor has been considered u danger
Gus business, and therefore, for the protec-
ton of the community, it has thrown about
it certain provisions-it is called license, but
regulating sounds better No man is allowed
to sell liquor simply because he wants to.
The liquor dealer requires special recon-
mendation before he can SELL When he gets
his license, he is limited. Our law forbids
him to sell on Sunday, because it is a vaca-
tlon day, and the common people get their
wages on Saturday. He cannot sell on cleo
ton day. 1t is an attempt to throw around
the sanctity of the ballot-box that protection
which will allow men to go there to perform
their sacred duty. They cannot sell to
minors. | am not talking nonsense-selling
liquor is dangerous business 1t is said
that Che whole license system is wrong, as it
only legalizes the business No it don't only
to certain extent. 1t is a choice between
an unregulated and a regulated. 1t is
question whether men shall be fined in order
to raise fund to pay the expenses of the
vices that they thus create But the men
say you permit them to create the vices"
Oh, no! Not willingly. We say if we can
not make them stop selling we will make
them pay the expenses of the courts jais
and pOorhouses. That is better than moth
ing. In this attempt to regulate, the best
thing that can be done in many regions is
what is called local option. Give to every
country or to every municipality or town,
the privilege by vote of determining wheth-
err they will or will not allow the sale OF
liquor in their place, ard if the population
is homogeneous they will favor local option.
That has done good work and is doing good
work. Local option would be driven sky.
high in Brooklyn or New York-no. not sky
high here but down the other way. Next
comes the license system as it exists in a
city like this There is a great deal Of dis
satisfaction with the mayor, with the
excise commissioners, with the police with
the district attorneys office and the courts
about this subject, but am not here tonight
to say that they are absolutely blameWorthy.
| am not here to say that they did not do all
that they could. | am not here to say that
they have not been pushed by public senti-
ment, coming upon them from divers quar-
tiers; but | am here to say that this sweeping
condemnation is uni ust and impolitic 1t is
said that the Sunday law in this city is no.
toriously not kept or enforced; the sale to
children is almost as if there were no forbid
ding of such sales. have here some state
ments which have been carefully drawn up
by Rev. Mr.. Stiles. There are 2,640 licensed
saloons IN this city. l suppose there are
about 800 unlicensed places where liquor is
sold. For 100000 inhabitants which is sup
posed to be the population of this city, 2640
licensed saloons amount to one for every $50
persons, counting men, women and chill
dren. In the city of Brooklyn there is a we'll
of whisky for every $50 persons. That in
cludes little children, babies in the cradle,
men in all stages, and the women, and it is
only charitable to suppose that only one
woman in fifty drinks, Do you need as many
places as that? ( A voice, "No")
| want to show you something taking up
a roll of papers]. l want to show you one of
the wards of the city of Brooklyn. Here is
the Sixteenth ward. Every one of those
black blocks represents licensed liquor
saloon. [The map was almost entirely COW
cred with them.] But in justice to the ward
l must say that perhaps the majority OF them
are lager beer saloons. They don't sell in
toxicating drinks but only lager beer. Well,
that's a great deal better than if it was
whisky. But look at what the excise COM
missioners have to license for the comfort,
education and piety of the Sixteenth ward
Well, will admit that there is something to
be learned by our honorable commissioners
yet. But allow me to say that they are not
altogether permitted to choose, for il a man
comes to them with a fair character and
brings the testimonies of his neighhors that
he will not abuse the liberty, they are not at
liberty to reject the man because there are
so many saloons in his district. One of the
reformations that ought to take place is this:
that there should be legislation that there
should be so many licensed places to given
loca ton. l do not believe that we need
more than one drinking hole for every
thousand people-one for every two thou
sand people. We never had such regulations
regarding wells I know about that, because
had to go and fetch the water when l first
came to Brooklyn.
Now, l say. lay out the city into certain
districts and then give the commissioners
power TO distribute one saloon for given
portion OF the population, and then say