The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-04
neguia1ing lnc Liquor .Ianlc.

The high liquor license law OF Illinois
went into effect July /, and though it is
too curly to judge OF results the law seems
tohave the support Of public opinion, the
tlrst step towards its success. Any city,
town or village may prohibit the sale Of
lionor within its limits. Where there is
not prohibition there is a license fee Of
S50O or more, the license being forfeited
where the privilege 10 sell is abused. 1t is
thought that the distinction made in four
oil LICENCES 10 sell beer will discourage the
use OF alcoholic liquors and to that extent
prove public benefit.
The Chicago Tribune says that this law,
taken in connection with previous legis-
lation on the liquor question, renders the
relations between the liquor dealers and
the people Of this State more equitable,
satisfactory, and permanent than they are
anywhere else, and as nearly perfect as
any legislation can make the regulation Of
human iIaiIties." The Tribune adds:
There is provision for prohibition in the
ouiy practicable way for enforcing it-local
optlon-and also for the most practicable syG-
tom Of regulation where prohibition cannot
be enforced, These conditions are In every
way more favorable TO public welfare than
any aGoIt We attempt at aOsolCte prohibition
throughout tue state or any retusll 70 recog-
nize the liquor traffic rs legal.
Tnu experience in Ono is instructive.
During more than thirty years the ConAtitu-
tlon oil taat State has forbidden the Leg STA
ture TO authorize the iSsus OF any licel se or
permit for selling intoxicating liquor. Dur
ing that tiuie the NEST determined prohibit
OTy movements have been passed to abolish
the aaloOrs and 70 harasu and punish the
men who kept them. Fines aad imprison.
meat, ri0iOus onsiAughts, the fre.hrand,
prayeI-meeLing CrlsAdes, and every conceiV.
abls means hNye besn employed by the zeal
ots and fanatics 10 iHtimidpte, suppress, or
convert the salOoE-keepers, but all In vain
The number Of saloons In the State grew to
II 900, US reported by the lulernal-Revenue
Department OF The General Government, and
the politics OF Ohio has beeu constantly dfl-
turbsd by the agitation.
In Kansas ths Constitution was shaped 10
pruyent drinking by prohibiting the manu-
fsc!uro aud sale OF liquor, but the result Is
that the Constitution ls dehed and liquor
continues 10 bD sold and dtank openly aud
without any tax, restraint, or regulation
Whatever in most OF the citiea and towns
Aud the political reaction was 80 great that
tne chief apostle OF the prohibition crusade,
Gov 81, John, was diBasttously defeated by q
high.license Democrat IN State that gives
IOOOO Republican malority.
In Iowa the same prohibitory effort hes
been made, Notwithstanding the utter failure
oil the hansas prohibitory experiment, and
there sE prospect, not only that 1t will meet
with the same defeat as IN kauERS, but that
II Twin also oyarturn completely the political
? control OF this State II the dominant party
snall persist In It. In these ard all other
States where the law undertakes 10 prohibit
liquor, or where the liquor traffic Is not rec.
ogniZ al as lawful the state and local Gov
erDmsnts have been deprived Of all revenue
from tie most profitable business transacted,
OF ali decentralization for the manifold hard
sbingand exponssg imposed upon the public
BIZ Tho Honor truttlc, and OF all opportunity
for regulating aud restricting that traEic.
In the West, during the past winter the
liquor questitn has occupied a large part Of
the attention Of the Legislatures, and in
every case the aim seems to have been to
deal with the liquor question as a practical
problem, and either to get 1t out or keep 1t
out Of politics, The same question is
creating new interest in the East, where the
high license laws and stringent regulations
Of tho West have made favorable i'm.
preston.