The Ketchum keystone. (Ketchum, Idaho) 1881-1884, 1884-04-26
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A TEMPERANCE MOVE.


We are In receipt Of very earnest
letter, from The Rev. L. A. Banks OF
Boise, appealing 10 public sentiment for
assistance In the effort to increase the
liquor license 10 $500 per annuin; to
Close saloons and other places OF busi-
ness on Sunday, md 10 encourage a
special election by which the people Of
each county may vote on prohibition.
The letter is accompanied by the follow
ing petition embodying these points:
To THE TEGisLArrvE ASSEMBLY OF TuR
TERRITORY or IDAHo.
We, the undersigned adult citizens OF
.----~-~ County. Idaho Territory, respect
fully represent 10 yonr honorable body
that, whereas. tho trafIic md nsa of AL
ooholic Liquors in this Territory liz
precminentiy the cause OF disease, sui
fcring aud crime MS we'll az tho most
powerful enemy OF public morals and
good government, wetherefare, in order
that said trnfils mny be as far as posi-
bio restrained aud controlled, pray you
as nnf representatives to enact in your
coming session In 1885, the following
laws, tu-wit:
First. An Act making the annual H.
eense fee for the sale OF Intoxicating
liquors. including beer, not less than
&auh. aud To provide thai no license
shWll be issued Tor shorter period than
one year.
Second. An Act requiring saloons. bur
rooms. aud all pIaees whore Intoxicating
liquors afe kept for sale, md Ill other
places of business except such MS may
be deemed necessary to except. to be
closed ON the first day OF the week. COM
monty called sunday.
Third. An Act embaaying some psae-
teal plan by which the people OF ench
county IN the Territory ehall at a special
election. called for TINT purpose, decide
by their VOTES whether or not the manu-
fauture trHftic and use Of alcoholic Ii
qnors shall DO prohibited Within the
limits Of said county. And your petit
tiunefs will ever pray.
The tests. both theoretical and prae-
teal. applied 10 tho liquor question in
the past quarter Of Il century are per-
hans greater and more conclusive in
Their Significance tint the agreements
produced on any great eontempofaneous
question. We lave beheld the fate Of
sunday laws, prohibition, and temper
ance reforms III many OF our Eastern
states with the universal conviction
that the last alone Is Of any great moral
good To tile American people. While
the aaanimity ii Thought still longs for
the public tranquility and order that
lies behind the well Of the Nations great
est curse. the majority OF eomprehin-
sise thinkers begin 30 recognize the un-
aiterahie truth az tie impractieability of
any Sunday law mud prohibition en-
foreement: they sue the continual rene.
tion Of the strongest evidence thai
straisht prohibition is unquestionahly
All insecure source Of destruction TO that
Which they are working to kill.
A recent report Of The State Prison In.
speetora of the State of Main. shows
that while The pfohibtory Inv was in
full force. seventeen thousand eight
hundred and eight persons had been
arrested during the year for street
drunkenness. The population Of that
state il less than one million. and this
il perhsps the greatest exhibition Of
drunkenness ever produced.
ronssratnt by Law is thing in
tolerahsa 10 tbs lover of drink
aud thing that simply lends
81 additional interest 10 tho FORM
ing taste, Il is human nature to
want. and To obtain, through some do
vice. the forbidden, and we find by
close investigation fully as much and ia
tnany instances more intnxication where
the prehibitory law is enforced than
where liquor is free as water. We also
ind in such places very considerable
increase III taxation necessary to main-
tain corps of special officers TO en-
force such an enactment.
The Sunday law is equally subject to
the practice Of deceit and 1t il safely es-