The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-01-25
Temperance Reading i.
Political Power Of the LiquOr Interests.

I1IY 1OllGlcS, III recent uuuDcE Oh
The Continent, Charles j. Thwing says:
In general, then, the influence of tho
liquor interest in several of the largest
and most important cities exceeds the
influence of any other single interest,
and frequently exceeds the influence of
all other interests united. ''You can't
draw picture of the curse of liquor
domination which exceeds in darkness
what We have in Chicago" says we'll
known citizen. There's only one fact
worth mentioning in connection with
the influence of the liquor interest in
the municipal politics of Milwaukee,
and that is that the saloons practically
own the city," atiirms distinguished
clergyman. The Sentinel. of Milwau-
kee, of November 1, 1888, under the
heading, They want to run the city,"
declares that ga call is to be served
| personally in a few DAYS upon every
saloon-keeper in the city for. mass
meeting to be held within the next two
weeks to organize political power
which shall in the future control politi-
cal legislation.
The question is Temperance ques-
ton; but it is also, and more question
of good citizenship. 1t is question
whether q class of men. who are in a
large part foreigners, who are ignorant,
who pay small tax, who necessitate
| the poor-house and the prison, who cor
rupt character, who destroy rather than
increase the productive power of the
State, who cause by their traffic four
| fifths of all the crimes committed-the
question is whether men of this kind
shall rule the large cities. 1t is ques-
| ton whether the worst elements shall
dictate, or whether the higher charac-
ter and sentiment shall rule. In Brook
| Ign is one saloon for every two hundred
| and fifty persons; in New York one for
every one hundred and twenty-five; in
Milwaukee one for every one hundred
| and fifteen; in Buffalo one for every
ninety-siX persons. In nearly every
city the drink-shops exceed the food
shops by a large proportion. New York
| City, with ten thousand saloons, has be-
tween seven and eight thousand stores
| for bread, meat, provisions and gro
cerieS. The question is, therefore,
pressing for each city to decide wheth-
er its saloons shall control all its mu-
nicipal affairs.
Various signs are manifest, indicating
that the saloons are not to continue to
govern the cities. What are known as
"citizen's movements abound. The
lines of political parties in municipal
politics are not drawn with the former
distinctness. Attempts are made to
govern cities on business principles.
1--WE can do nothing" says DR.. How
ard Crosby, "for good government
of the city until sectional parties are OBJ
liberated in city affairs, and good men
unite to put down rum" This, howev-
er, is being done in not few cities.
Buffalo has Citizens Reform Associa-
tions," composed of leading citizens of
all parties and representing all relig-
ions, who are determined to enforce the
laws. A National Law and Order
League was formed in Boston in FebrU-
airy, 1888, whose purpose is simply to
secure better enforcement of the
Liquor laws. The Chicago League has
in five years prosecuted no less than
sixteen hundred dealers for violating
the law, of whom over twelve hundred
have been either fined or held to the
Criminal Court. The first annual re-
port of the Boston Law and Order
League shows that it had entered two
hundred and twenty-five prosecutions,
and had gained one hundred and fifty
one convictions in the lower courts.
! BROOKLYN has also similar league.
Milwaukee organized one in October,
1883. These movements are not simply
| Temperance movements; they are also
movements along the line of govern
ment of each city of and by and for its
people. They include representations
of all sides of the Temperance question.
legal prohibitionists' and "consti-
tutional prohibitionists," supporters of
"1ocal option" laws and Of ''moral
suasion" methods, and even ''moder-
ate drinkers combine to thwart the
great power of the liquor interest.
Liquor sellers are organizing to protect
themselves in their constant violation
of the law ALI citizens who believe in
the enforcement of righteous law, pos
sessing any Temperance principle, are
simply doing their duty in organizing in
order to enforce law.
Along this same line of the execution
| vi GIl6 ldWo III SoOu OluOl, "Ii huNANoO
ing experiment is tried in the city of
Buffalo. The act under which the Ex-
else Commissioners of New York pro-
coed requires that mo license shall be
granted unless the applicant is of good
moral character and has sufficient abil-
ity to keep an inn" As to what con-
stitutes ''good moral charac-
ter there are various and varying
standards; yet il is possible to prove
even to the most officially obtuse that
certain men have not such character.
With this fact in view the Citizens
Reform Association of Buffalo is pre-
pairing several large volumes which
| give the private history of the liquor
sellers of that city. Already these voLr
umes contain the biographies of five
hundred men. The record is so bad
that. on its publication, their licenses
should be either revoked or renewal re-
fused. This is potent as well as an
original weapon. Its use in every city
would reveal the corrupt and the dan
gerous character of that small body OF
men who endeavor to manage every
department of the municipal govern
ment. +