Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-09-11
ROSEBURG REVIEW
FRIDAY. SEPT. II, 1885.
A NATToN-AL QUESTION.

questions, please give us a hearing on
Prohibition, not only as local, but as
a national Issue.
Intemperance and its constantly re-
curing horrors is not only a moral but |
a civil and political evil, not only a
local but general, widespread and all |
pervading evil. Like the plaques of
Egypt it enters almost every house
hold. Accounts Of its ghastly crimes
and CALLING woes are served up before
us every morning, noon and night from
all parts of our common country.
Scarcely a family in this land that has
not suffered directly or indirectly from
the poisoned fangs of this fascinating
and destroying evil. Not towr, city
Or state but has experienced the demor
alizing effects of its deadly malaria.
Our national capital reflects abroad the
shame and disgrace in which this evil
has involved the nation.
Prohibition Is then not only local
or state issue, but national question
as I shall prove. Nor is it second in
vital Importance to the interest, the
honor and the welfare of our people to
any other issue now before them. Not
only towns, cities and states, but the
general government legalizes and sane
tions the liquor traffic, thereby becom
ing party to it's crimes and miserias,
and should be held responsible therefor.
But it is argued by the friends of the
traffic that the government does not
license nor sanction the traffic. 1tsim-
ply finds the business here and taxes it
for the benefit of the treasury. Let us
see. The government finds robber
and murderer robbing and numbering
the people and instead of punishing and
suppressing him, the government says
give me bribe, fee is all demand.
/ will call it a tax for revenue, and you
can continue your work of robbery and
murder, Does not the government
thus become partner in the business?
Is not the partaker as bad as the thief
"What | do by another, l do by my
self" is an old axiom in law. The liquor
dealer regards this tax receipt for which
he has paid his money the same as a
license from the government giving a
legitimate character to bis business, and
under its sanction he bids the State
law Of Prohibition defiance. Again
the general government hascoattol over
the seaports of the United STATES and
can prohibit the importation OF intoxi-
eating drinks into the country and
thereby save millions more than all the
revenue amounts to. Again, ifthe gov
ernment can quarantine against small
pox, yellow fever and cholera, and
against foreign paupers and the heathen
Chinee. Can it not for still higher
reason quarantine against intoxicating
poisons? Which kills more victims
than smallpox yellow fever and cholera
put together and which makes more
paupers at home out of our own people
than comes to our shores from all ports
of the world. Again the general gov
ernment has control over the territories
and interstate trade where it now sane
tions, and, where it can prohibit the
traffic if it saw fit And if the general
government can and does prohibit the
sale of liquor to Indians can it not be
to the whitesl And if it can legislate
for the protection of cattle sheep and
hogs, can it not legislate for the protec-
dren against their common enemy TIE
saloon2 Again the general government
has exclusive jurisdiction over the
District of Columbia as we'll as the
territories Here as the government
of the nation it licenses and thus legal
ICES drink shops all over Washington
not only; but in the very capital of the
country, thus giving high national
sanctum to their demoralizing and dis
tructiv. business Now will. any one
repeat the silly statement that the
general government has nothing to do
with The liquor question or with pro
hibitionl While it not only admits
the foreign Importation into our ports,
encourages it's manufacture at home,
legalizes the retail traffic wherever it
has the power and takes blibe there
for from liquor dealers in the different
states under the plausible name OF
revenue, amounting to over one hun
dred and ten million Of dollars anpu-
ally, or will any one pretend the gen
eral government cannot reverse all this
action and prohibit where it now
licenses, and thus place its ban of con
demnation upon traffic and give is