Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-04-07
Prohibition VS.. Regulation.

We note that our friends, tne prom
bitionists of Texas, ure armipg and pre- :,
pairing for the fray again. We have
published their call for n state conyen-
ton, to be held at Paris, Lamar coun-
ty, on the historic anniversary of San r
Jacinto. Out of several objects speci- +
fled as motives for the gathering, the
following seems TO be the chief ones:
|. No take steps to secure the submission
by the next legislature of n constitutional
amendment to vote of the people to pro- l
hibit with certain EXCEPTIONS the manufac- I
ture ard sale OF Intoxicating liquors in the 5
state ofTexas {
| .. To'provlde means to secure the amend
ment ard more efficient enforcement Of the
existing local option laws.
If this means that we are to have in
Texas this year wholesale and eX-
cited agitation of the prohibition ques-
ton, such as has been witnessed in
Ohio, Iowa and other states, we are
constrained TO indulge in regret rather
than otherwise. 1t is to be regretted
: on many accounts. Prohibition is in
no wise political question; it is one of
, the consideration Of sumptuary prin-
e ciples. Experience has demonstrated |
4 that wherever and whenever submit |
a ted, wholesale TO the people, it evokes
n the bitterest passions of men. Even as
{ civil wars are the most sanguinary and
a fierce, so the discussion of purely social
It or moral questions leads to the great
+. est degree of acrimony and excite
4. ment. The struggle for supremacy
ne between political parties is sharp and
r. sometimes acrimonious, but whatever
ID. acrimOny is developed, is not lasting or
We pernicious in its tendencies. II soon
nd subsidies, for sensible men, of what
nv ever party, recognize the fact that
NJ the country will get along and prosper,
re- no matter which party prevails. We
he have never had, in this state, whole,
be sale agitation of the prohibition ques
las ton. Enough has been seen, however
Ids in the local courts, in this or tina
ace county, to demonstrate the accuracy o
We the proposition that wherever prohibi
up ton Is an issue, it Is highly acrimonl
lui GUS III ltS lcuuSHcIcS, we uil huON
the what scenes of decentralization it la
ne, led to in Kansas Ohio, and Indiana
1t. 1t enters the domain of social life an
the end, embltters father against son, @
the neghbor against neighbor. 1t Is nc
no to be dealt with as men deal with pt
mi. litlcal questions, ard must ever renal
and purely and simply a moral issue. An
con- where the prohibitionisls have tr
off umphed, the results go To show thu
Dali the sumptuary laws cannot be and nj
one not enforced, as general rule. The
operations are contingent upo
the sentiment of communities. W
. :, can recognize, as sincerely and so
s.,n. rowfully rs any prohibiiionlst, IL
49,, evils of ntemperance, as exempllht
~. in the unrestrained sale and use
liquors, but we give II rs our cand
q, y, opinion that these evils arenot to be r
pressed ss our prohibition friends Sc,
to repress them. 1t is possible to re
ulaie them, however, and 1t won
!. seem that the zeal OF the reform,
might be eNerted in the direction
built. 1870 ~" '.ois nopo anu io'
Fort ~, 49,. p''','A
and 80, =, las, nus ~
us to - - ','''o' ""a 'o"iu
The r $50 , ls"s' isssens
ercial n'a. ~ ainns p'"Ves' eie'a
tory, $500 s 1'a,u :, ','oes .,''s o'e iei'' u
nvo, prohibition friends must think Of I
when ~ 1'eso"'sS oe,o'e ueo',.us i" psee
- and simple.