Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-02-04

the cost of the liquor traffic TO this city,
If we estimate the increase of the police |
force necessary to meet its requirements;
the degradation emanating from the fam
Gus pest-hOuses which it sustains, the !
idleness which it fosters, the wealth
which it squanders and destroys, the
poverty and disgrace which il entails, the
burden and expenses which it lays upon
our courts of justice; and we add to til, sc
the perpetual support of SO large num-
Der of paupers and criminals-the loss
which we suffer is incalculablc. The
same statements are true of every village
and city in the land with due proportion
observed. We need not wonder that the
words Of Gov. Patlson Of Pennsylvania,
in his late message are re-echoed by those
for whom country and humanity have
meaning. the liquor question: says
he, "has reached the point where decent,
law abiding people have become aroused
to the necessity of effective action, there
being 6,358 licensed drinking places IN
1875 persons" A bill has passed the
United States senate providing for q COM
mission to investigate the liquor traffic,
and should II pass the house it would dis
cover figures most appalling from our
jaiIs, poor houses and asylums, to the
credit of intoxicating drink; and beyond
these would extend the unlimited sea of
heart agonies and soul suffcrings that
figures cannot express. The evil is in
creusing, and the end God alone can see
From 1860 to 1870 the increase of popula-
ton was % per cent. and in consumption
of alcoholic liquors ~ per cent. From
1870 to 1880, with an increase of 81 per
cent. of population. there was an increase
of more than u per cent. in consumption
of alcoholic liquors. The governor Of
Minnesota few DAYS ago, in his message
calls attention to the fact that the in
| crease of pauperism and crime in the
United States has been 100 per cent.
greater than the increase in popu' alton
during the last quarter century, and as
very large extent to intemperance and
the traffic That causes intemperance.
There are many causes of intcmperance
hut the chief is the wild riotousness aud
cupidity of the liquor traffic as it works
to-day-a fearful conspiracy against hu-
manity. An immense capital is invested
in it. 1t fattenS on intcmperance and is
an incentive TO excessive drinking. In
the cities of the United States saloons
exist as to 40, to 100, and even / tc
100 of the population. In ST. Paul to-day
we have 567 saloons. Deduc;ing tho
women, children and abstainers, you re
duce the patronage of the saloons TO thirty
or thirty-fve men each. Without ex
cessive drinking thirty or thirty five
cannot support u saloon. Our wholesale
liquor dealers are ever spying out where
they can find favorable place to set w
another saloon. These are the men tina
clamor against high license. Last spring
I heard it said that the poor men did moi
want the saloons lessened in number.
didn't hear the poor man say this, but
know that those rich distillers and brew
ers labored for weeks before election t,
secure the choice of an alderman wht
saloons. These are the poor men VIII,
want the low license. Remember. whel
you hear that the poor mau does not wan
high license, who the poor man is. Tn
poor man and his wife and children d'
not want more saloons. 1t is false tina
. the increase of saloons does not increas
drunkenness. The increase of temptation
increases sin. defy the traffic to shoy
respectable number of oil these saloon
keepers that keeps the laws. They sci
to habitual drunkards and minors. The,
break tho Sunday law, and in that the
strike at the poor mans rights and tramp
lc under foot a foundation principle q
| the American republic. Lawlessness
, the chief charge to bring against the So
loon traffic. Recently three thousan
men met in Chicago, rcnOunccd thei
J country and property aud appealed I
the knife. Many of them kept saloons
t If ever the republic be disloyal, this spri
t of lawlcssness will be the cause, and thi
spirit is fostered by the liquor traffic
We appeal to the state for just law
The legislators are the representatives c
, the people, and as such of the God c
nations AS such they should legislat
for justice and virtue aud goodness
They should see what are the interests 9
the people and legislate accordingly. "
r want liquor law that will punish a
these elements of )awlessness that wi
, reduce the number of saloons and const
Quent intOxicatiOn. We want big
! license These wholesale dealers will NJ
be willing to pay a $500 license for s
many men. say again that these whole
: sale dealers are the worst enemies of sc
9 briefly. In this city two men are til
owners, in fact. of one hundred saloon:
In our cities the government is that G
4 the saloons. Last spring in St. Paul b
f their power every measure opposed
the traffic was killed in both politics
parties. The business men agree tha
high license is right. but confess the
, dare not come out for it. The liquo
r traffic is banded together. Months az
| COMMITTEES were appointed. They hav
bank account to draw on, and they ar
ready to defeat any legislation oppose
r to their interests. We demand u hig
. license law of the legislature. 1t is notl
! ing new. 1t has been tried in other state
with great success.
HOW HIGH LICENSE WORKS.
In Minneapolis, under the low liccns
regime there were 517 saloons. No
there are 274 Iwrote to w. j. Onahar
. Chicago official, in regard to the opers
ton of the Harper high license law. H
furnishes these figures:
Licenses Amt rec
y Rate. issued. from lie
y 1850. $50 3A5 $685..
t 1881 " 81 36D Isl, 2
| 1000 /!