The Red Cloud chief., 1884-02-01
fem perance Reading.
Political Power OF the Liquor Interests.

In an article on the Rum Power in
Clty Politics." in a recent number of
me Continent. Charlep. Thwing SAYS:
In general. then, the influence of the
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 4 picture OF the curse of liquor
domination which exceeds in darkness
what we have in Chicago" saws Il we'll
known citizen. There's ONLY one fact
worth mentioning in connection with
the influence of the liquor interest i'm
the municipal politics of Milwaukee,
and that is that the saloons practically
w the city," ailirms a distinguished
clergyman. The Sentinel, of Milwau-
kee. of November |. 1888, under the
heading, "lhey wan to run the city"
declares that "acall is to be served
personally in a few DAYS upon every
saloon-keeper in the city for a mass
meeting to be held within the next two
weeks to organize Il political power
which shall in the future control politi-
cal legislation"
pucS'I'H Il Il temperance VueS-
ton; but it is also. and more. q question
of good citizenship. 1t is n question
whether 4 class of men. who are i'm q
large part foreigners. who are ignorant.
who pay 4 small tax, who neceSsitate
the poor-hOuse AMI the prison. who cor
rupt character. who DESTROY rather than
increase the productive power of the
State. who cause by their traffic four
fitthS OF all the crimes committed-the
question is whether men of this Kind
shall rule the large cities. 1t is Il qucs-
ton whether the worst elements shall
dictate, or whether the higher charac-
ter and sentiment shall rule. In Brook
lyn is one saloon for every two hundred
INT fifty persons; in New York one foI
every one hundred and twenty-five; in
Milwaukee N tor every one hundred
and fifteen: in Buffalo one for every
ninety-siN persons. In nearly every
city the drink-shOps exceed the food
shops BY 4 large proportion. New York
City. with ten thousand saloons. has be-
tween seven and eight thousand stores
for bread. meat, provisions and gro
eeries. The quest on is. therefore.
pressing for each city to decide wheth-
err its saloons shall control all its mu-
nicipal affairs.
Various signs are manifest, indicating
that the saloons are not to continue tC
govern the cities. What are known a.
.'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 DIR. How
ard Crosby. "for a 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 a few cities.
Buffalo has Citizens Reform Associa-
TONS" 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 10
secure a 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 a similar league.
Milwaukee organized One in October,
1855. These movements are not simply
Temperance movements; they are also
movements along the line of a govern
ment of each city of and by and for its
They include representations
of all sides OF the Temperance question.
Legal prOhibitionists' and ~"cUnsti-
tutional prohibitiOnists,' supporters of
''local option" laws and If ''moral
s~uasion" methods. and even 'mOder-
ate drinkers combine to thwart the
great power of the liquor interest.
sellers are organizing to protect
in their constant violation
Of the law. All citizens who believe in
the enforcement of righteous law, pos
any Temperance principle, are
doing their duty in organizing in
order to enforce law.
Along this same line of the execution
Of the laws for good order. an interest
NO experiment is tried in the city Of
The act und r which the Ex-
Else Commissioners of New York pro
iced requires that mo license shall be
unless the applicant is of good
moral character and has sufficient abil-
ty TO keep an inn" As to what con-
a good moral charac-
err there are various and varying
standards; yet it is possible to prove
to the most officially obtuse that
men have not such a character.
With this fact in view the ''Citizens'
Association of Buffalo is pre-
pairing several large volumes which
rive the private history of the liquor
ellers of that city. Already these vol
mes contain the biographies of five
hundred men. The record is so bad
hat. on its publication, their licenses
hould be either revoked or renewal re-
used. This is a potent as well As an
weapon. Its use in every city
would reveal the corrupt and the dan
,erous character of that small body OF
nen who endeavor to manage every
of the municipal govern
Temperance Items.