West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-09-12
License versus Prohibition.
Some Queries and Answers as to
License Regulations In
West Virginia.

Whether it was so intended or
not, we take the berty of publish
ing the annexed communication
and our answer thereto, in which
we are sure nearly all of our intelli-
gent temperance people will concur.
1t should have been attended to
sooner. but various causes have un-
avoidably hindered.
THE QUERIES AND ANSWERS.
GALLIPoLIs, O., Aug 81, 1888.
Messrs. Dave d. Johnson, CHAIR
man State Temperance E1ecutlve
Committee, W. Va., and l. II.
Johnson, Editor West Virginia
Freeman:
DEAR SIRs: We are working
to carry a prohibitory amendment
to our Constitution. Two propo-
sitions are submitted one for tax
alton and the power to license, the
other, total prohibition. Will you
be kind enough to answer the fol-
lowing questions. and also, if con-
venient, add at least two names,
Cone of each political party who
will substantiate the substance of
your replies:
1. Is license regarded as tenn
perance measure by temperance
men of both parties of West Vlr-
ginia?
2. DO they generally look with
favor on the principle?
3. To what extent are the re-
strictive clauses of your law gener-
ally discovered? (viz. selling to
minors, drunkards. Good moral
character &c.")
4. If these are not obeyed are IL
censes usually revoked?
5. Is the liquor sellers bond a
sure guarantee that liquors will be
sold according to law? Has it
proved a grand bulwark?
6. What special moral advanta-
ges have accrued to society where
licenses are granted, beyond free
whisky and no Sunday?
By returning the above with
any additional information you
will confer a favor and aid cause
in which all good men are deeply
concerned.
Yours, truly,
C. F. CREIGHTON.
OUR ANSWERS.
1. License is not regarded as a
temperance measure by temper
ance men of West Virginia, Advo-
Gates of license often profess to be
temperance men, but when an is
sue is raised, they are generally
found along with the friends Of the
liquor traffic. Some good men and
some true christian people, prefer
to retain our license system, be-
cause they are afraid prohibition
won't prohibit; but these are few.
2. The temperance hosts Of West
Virginia do not look with favor
upon the license system. We are
waging eternal war against it.
We have been struggling these
three long years to compel our
Legislature to grant the people an
opportunity to vote on prohibit
tory Constitutions, amendment.
Temperance people want prohi-
bition and they are going to have
it.
3. We have never known, nor
heard of licensed liquor dealer in
West Virginia who complied strict
ly with the conditions of the law.
Some come much nearer to it than
others, but neither minors, drunk
ards nor Sunday drinkers expert
ence any difficulty as a rule, IN
procuring liquors.
Our law does not now require
the liquor dealer to have "a good
moral character" The conscience
Of the Courts granting license,
could not stand that provision
longer, and so it was repealed. The
applicant must be a man 'not of in
temperate habits" which the
Court must certify of record. But
this provision is dead letter, No
torious drunkards procure license
and in Parkersburg dealers have
died with delirium tremenS with