Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-02-14
As to Prohibition.
Editor Reaisfer .

for the purpose of stirring up strife, o
bringing about newspaper controversy, o.
for political effect in my own behalf, or To-
anyone. / am neither wrangler, politl
clan, nor a seeker after notoriety.
We have arrived at the point, where for tn
sake of argument, We must concede that
prohibitory" law has been enacted, ant
discuss its effects, or, consequences. 49,.
The whole matter pertaining to th1
branch is answered in answering the query
Does prohibition prohibits?
Some may say, Yes; Some may say No.
will give you the facts. Judge for your
selves.
The State of Maine, for several years, ha.
had ;such law. AS far back as 1873, Mr.
Garcelon, Governor of the State, admitted
that it was common thing to see men in 8
beastlv state OF intoXication on the streets
Neal Dow, the father of the whole move.
ment, it is said, confesses its failure "DeaC
falis," low dives, drug stores, and others
sold it with more or less publicity, and mer
pretending extra zeal for the cause have fire.
Guently been known to take their whiskey tt
their homes, and there indulge in their Or
gies.
Into Kansas beer and whiskey are shipped
openly, and imbibed Openly-for instance, al
Leavenworth. But that ia only one place i'll
many.
| In Iowa, before the law was declared I'M
constitutional, the same state OF facts eX-
! listed.
| But to come nearer home.
| At one time Reynolds county, Mo-, virtu-
ally had prohibitory law. The County
| What was the consequence! Were there
any intoXicants sold? Were the people free
| from this vice? Not much.
| Every store sold Bitters which Is, or was,
enough of some drug in it to change its
smell, modify its taste, and add to the hOr-
rors of drunk on the same.
| At the very time when the Grand Jury OF
the county was in session, men would come
| to CenIreville with saddle bags, pockets, and
boot-legs full of whiskey, and there sell it,
contrary to law.
| Then, does prohibition prohibit? Assur-
| eddy not. And it will not till mans nature
and his tastes and inclinations are changed
| also.
| Whiskey would still be sold, still be drunk,
and the evil, if evil, still continue.
| No revenue would arise from this source
spies and informers (hydra-headed) would
spring up; the grand juries would be weigh
ed down listening to their testimony, e1 par
te, while, when the cases came on for trial,
| their testimony would be impeached Gas
| ought that of any man who is a spy and in
! former), for their lack of character for
truth and veracity: the courts be clogged.
up for the taxpayers to settle; and still the
drinkers would drink. The vendors would
sell as long as the demand continued.
| Such a law would be disregarded, for law
| CHI only ne euccGlte W1lIIlu It's pTUtluCcs diu
its province is not the directing, forming and
reforming the morals OF the citizen.
| The majority of men drink, and the will OF
the majority is more powerful than law. The
majority may, under thv excitement and
pressure Of a holly contested campaign, vote
| for such law; but that same majority would
want its drink, and would get 1t. 1t Is well
known that mems tastes, and fnclinatiOns
are not changed by edicts, statutes, or judy
ments. Subdued for time, they break out
i NIB a6 hod a1o
mate who drank. He reformed; was ap-
pointed a Temperance State Lecturer by the
Good Templars. He died of deleriuns ire
mems.
| Such law, then, would be disregarded
l-disregarded because it did not have an
| overwhelming moral support from the peo-
pie. That disregard would rebound with
evil and far-reaching effect upon all laws,
every law. Grand Jurors are sworn to "dil-
| igently inquire and true presentment make -
| in view of how often mems convictions are
engaged by their sympathies, Is 1t probable
| that any diligence will be used! And when
it is not used the jurors are guilty of perjury.
| People seeing one infringing the law and go
| ing UNPUBLISHED, will be, thereby, melted to
| break it in other respects.
Prohibition in the country would work
| Just as the Sunday law does in st. Louis.
Any man can get his drink: Bissell,
Faust, all keep open, and no arrests made.
you are so anxious for prohibition, why don't
you have it? Why do you seek to thrust
| this issue into politics, when it is one of tn
| morals alone? II you want prohibition, and
the people want prohi bition, turn to Section
| 5442, r. S. 1879. You will find there is al
| ready law for you. A law already giving
local option. A law by which majority can
cut off the supply, if it can be cut off at all.
| No man doubts that the County Court
| tition, signed by a majority of the taX-pay
| ers of township. city, or block, presented,
| Directing to any license being granted to any
man, or to particular man, on account of
| his not being of good moral character, and
not proper person to keep a saloon, pre-
scented to that court.
| This remedy has been In yonr hands, 10 !
| these many years: and while you have done
nothing, still you cry out.
| Does not this look inconsistent? Does it
| rs you pretend, else you would have taken
some step to lessen this evil?
In fact, does this movement, as it now
! seems to be constituted, not seem to be one
/ intended as 4 political one, upon which its
, movers, aiders, and abettors may ride into
| State and County offices:
| Chas. =. johnson, b. Gratz Brown, Bro.
| Switzler, and Father Brooks, being among
the High Priests and Rulers thereof seems
| to point in that direction.
| The political course of these men, hereto.
| fore, would go far to show that they-espe-
| ically the first two named-are anything for
notoriety and for Office. They change, have
| changed, sides too frequently for trust and
confidence to be placed in them.
| / warn Democrats that this movement is
begun by soreheads who want office, fostered
by fanatics and impracticable men, and
| winked at by the Republicans of the State,
who hope, thereby, to strengthen their own
hands, by and through our dissensions; they
hope through schism in our ranks to get
| enough help to elect county tickets in many
Counties; to elect enough Representatives
and Senators to the next Legislature to hold
the balance of power in electing Senator to
succeed the one whose term is about to ex-
pire; to so strengthen themselves as to stand
some chance of carrying the State for their
Presidential and Gubernatorial candidates.
They will strive to bring about such state
of affairs, rs, by a fusion. of negroes and
Democrats, elected to the United States Sem
ate that infamous repudiator, and imposter,
that miserable charlatan, Mr.. Malone, who
now misrepresents the noble State which
gave him birth and his education.
Are the Democrats, for wild speculation
and Ideal, dream, vision whose fruition
can never be, willing to sacrifice their life.
long tenets, their party, their convictions?
That may be the result If they follow after