The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-08-29
PROHIBITION THE ONLY
REMEDY.
Editor Free Press.

Editor Free Press.
DEAR SIR:-In your very able reply
to my last letter you ralse some ques-
tons which to many minds have con-
siderable force, ana rs you are lover
of fair play and free discussion you
will no doubt tolerate my opinions
once more.
You ask "what could st. John do for
prohibition if he were TO be installed
as president of the United States? He
would be as powerless to enact laws or
change constitutions as he is to-day"
Allow me TO answer this question by
asking another. Why does the Repub-
lican party urge as their greatest argu-
ment why their candidate for president
should be elected, that If the Demo-
Gratis carry the country dire disaster
will come by change Of policy on the
part of the government. If the presi-
dent is 30 "powerless" what matters
it whether Blame or Cleveland be
elected? need not inform The FREE
PRESS that a president elected ON any
platform is not "powerless" to carry
out that policy, for he has behind him
the supreme power that made him
president; and the same power can
elect u congress to support HIM.
THE FREE PRESS volunteers the advice,
so often given, that instead of trying to
control the White House Prohibition
lists should work through the state
legislatures. No doubt that would suit
the politicians better, but Prohibition
lists have been deceived and insulted
too often to have any faith in such eff
fort.
A majority of the present legislature
of this state was elected on pledge
that they would favor the submission
to the people of a prohibitory amend
ment. but they bowed before the brew
er and betrayed the Prohibitionist.
The Republican party in the state of
New York have twice publicly pledged
themselves to submit prOhibitOry
amendment if elected and have been
twice returned to power on that pledge,
and have twice violated it. Do they
think we are green enough to trust
them again? Prohibition does not
prohibit says THE FREE PRESS, "and
is impractical and is by many consider
ed unconstitutional" My answer is,
Maine and Kansas. But you say there
is liquor sold in Portland and Topeka
and other cities in these states. l an
swer yes; there are houses of ill fame
in the same cities, and murders com
mitted, although they are prohibited
by law. Why not be consistent and
treat all crime alike? The law cannot
suppress prostitution, nor murder, nor
theft, then let us license them and be
consistent. l argue, sir, that prOhibi-
tory liquor law prohibits to the same
extent that the prohibition of any 9TH
er crime does, viz: it absolutely pro-
hibits in rural districts and small town,
and partially prohibits and greatly les
sens the evil in great centres of popula-
ton.
And, finally, as to the high license
delusion which THE FREE Press, in
common with many good men, think
is the only remedy for the regulation
of the liquor traffic" What is the es-
sential difference between high license
and low? Nothing at all except in the
amount paid for the license to sell, and
the moment you license to sell you
give the whole thing away.
High license may reduce the number
of saloons but never can reduce the
amount of liquor sold. What differ
ence does it make whether six saloons
or twenty supply the stuff, and what
right have SIX men to a monopoly of the
business? And, again, the liquor men
themselves are authority for the state
ment that the higher you make license
the more they will drug the whiskey to
make the necessary profits to pay the
fee. A license is an authority to sell,
and it does not require the "brains of
the nation" to discover that it is a
strange way to stop traffic by giving
it legal authority to do its damning
work. "The higher the better" How
high would you make the license be-
fore it will change the results of the
traffic? How high must the license be
before a man will not get drunk on
whiskey? And how high before he will
not 90 home and beat his wife, or bur-
glar house, or starve his children?
How high before the Supreme Judge
of the Universe shall give his opinion
of the business, and say, BLESSED is
he who giveth his neighbOr high Ii
cense whiskey to drink and the drunk
ard made in high license saloon shall
inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?"
When The FrEE Press can satisfactorily
answer these questions shall vote for
high license.
As to the question of constitutional
ity it has long ago been decided by the
Supreme Court of the United States
that the right to prohibit inheres in
the people. Eor popuH, ror del.
A. w. EDWARDS.