Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-01-26

| different in the consideration OF this ques-
tion; il remains an obstinate tact, as old
and as permanent as human natnren that
Laws DO Not Mould and Fashion
the character OF men, nor make them re-
ligious or moral. unless the coerciEe power
] of the law is supported by the honest
judgment of the greater part OF the CON-
munity. The law is made for man, not
man for lava fact recognized by high
| authority nearly two thousand years ago;
and in ali legislation for the restraint of the
actions or incliHations of the people, their
follies, education and habits OF life, as well
as their vices, must be considered by him
who would succeed as a law.msker.
1t can scarcely be considered otherwise
than as q mistake to have adopted as part
of the constitution a provision concerning
| the wisdom and expediency OF which there
exists in the community so great and prev
alent q diversity of opinion, which will
| necessarily assert itself with an intensity
not wholly without passion, at each recur-
| ring period when under the Constitution
| and laws
The People are Called Upon
to exercise their choice in the election of
| officers to administer the Government.
| Thus it happens that the Constitution it.
self, instead of fixing the most general out
! lines of State policy upon which there ex-
lists general agreement and harmony, pre-.
| sents q question that serves to provoke
| perpetual conflict and strife. Such con-
| dition Of things can have no other effect
| than to weaken those feelings of respect
and veneration for that instrument which
constitute the chief guaranty of free insti-
| tutions, and the reflex influences upon the
| people will be Of the most pernicious char
acter.
Temperance is virtue that all good citi-
Zens should practice and observe. 1t tends
to make people better citizens, and elevates
the moral tone of society; and like relig-
ion, il should be the common property OF
all, and no political party can appropriate
that virtue to itself. 1t is too sacred to be
made a political question of, and the
thoughtful, earnest temperance worker,
the man who recognizes the fact that it
takes time to work out great reforms, and
that
/ Coercion IL Not the Best Means
TO effect such noble work or reformations,
is the true temperance reformer who
teaches by example and persuades the
judgment by argument instead of coercion
and Jealous intolerance.
He recognizes the fact that ours is free
country,
Where the principles of individual liberty
have taken deep root in the minds Of the
people,
And that they are jealous Of any attempt
to interfere with the personal liberty OF the
citizen, especially with laws that are made in
/ restraint Of the individual actions and GUS
| toms Of the people,
That beset them with spies or hformers,
or subject them to petty criminal annoy
| ances,
Instigated by busybodies or selt.cousti.
| tuted conseryators OF the temperance
| cause,
Or attempt TO regulate their conduct
when they do not trench on or invade the
/ rights of others,
Or that attempt to dictate how they shall
| order their daily life or conduct,
| Whether that dictation attempts to in
| terfere with the exercise of free speech,
! religious belief or opinions, TO their drink
or diet, so long as they do not offend
| sgainst the rules and customs of society,
or the individual rights Of Others.
The People OF Kansas are Temper
anee People,
| and will favor and Loyalty support and en-
force any proper law that will advance the
cause of temperance and morality; but
| they are opposed to shams or systems OF
| law that annoy them, and defeat
their own execution by their own
intemperate provisions and penal
ties During the last year Of local op-
ton and license, the United States revenue
office of Kansas issued eleven hundred and
| and thirty-two 1, 1872 permits to sell intoX-
icating LIQUORS, or one permit 10 $40 per-
sons, placing Kansas as the first temper
ance State in the Union; while in the first
wear of prohibition there were issued ,TSS
permits, an increase OF 656, and also an in
crease Of 5S per cent, or one permit to sol
persons, and taking Kansas from the first
and ranking her
The seventh Temperance State;
while in the first forty-five days OF the sec
| ond year of prohibition, l, ,14S permits were
| issued-sixteen more than in the whole in
year of local option and license. II we
| consider these facts in connection with the
clandestine sales OF intoxicating liquors,
| and consider the vast amount that Is daily
| delivered to individuals in concealed pack
/ ages by express companies, We are forced
| 10 the conclusion that the cause
| of true temperance reform has not
progressed very rapidly under our present
| coefciye system. These facts forcibly re.
mind us that we are living under q repub-
| lican form of government, OF and by the
| people, and they make the laws as well as
! enforce them, and no community will en-
Il
RThe people as a whole make the laws,
| But each separate locality and community
| for themselves enforce them, IL they are
| put in operation at all. Hence due sppli-
cation Of
These simple Principles
\ shows the necessity of wise and consider
! ate action in the passage of laws, with the
| INQUIRY whether they can be enforced, or
whether people will obey them. 1t Is un-
| doubtedly true that the liquor tratiic has
| tendency to stimulate discords in the COM
munity; to cause drunkenness TO increase
| paupe!iSm and crime; TO bring distress
/ 10 many families, and cause indl-
| yidual degradation. But the remedy
for these evils is not in abOrtive attempts
| at prohibition, that have always failed, put
/ in a wise and judicious license system, that
| has worked well heretofore in this state,
| and has been demonstrated in other States
| TO be the only practicable solution Tor these
! evils. There is herein a double response
| biIitv. resting alike upon the person who
| ministers to, and the individual who Is
guilty of such excess, and society cannot
be too swift in fixing responsibility, nor
too anxious in visiting punishment, both
| of which
A License System Secures,
as the people have always enforced thaS
! system, and the license IS made TO ald IN
| the punishment OF those VINO FtOiate tue
law. In popular government, where the
administration OF the laws deVolyes Pri,,
marily rpon the people, through juries and
the choice of officers vested with civil func'
tions. laws repugnant TO the political sense
of large part of the community fail TO re-
ceiye that support which is necessary to
impart to them the efficacy OF laws. -.
Such a condition OF things, long contnu.
ing, degrades the popular sense IN respect
and generally fmpairS the efficiency OF that
| function of the law that is concerned In
impressing the moral sense, and preserving
the spirit Of loyalty and obedience among
the people.
Indeed, laws that like our present hquor
law, exist ID the teeth OF traditional haoi's
and customs;
That contl avene the convictions OF the
larger part of the community;
That seek