The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-08-16
IL Cans BE Did.

east that sort of prohibition contcm-
plated by our local-option policy.
state prohibition comes nearer it.
National prohibition would not ac-
1t entirely, but it would
,lace many very serious difficulties
II the way Of whisky dealers and con
,umers. There is but one way TO ac-
the overthrow of John Bar
eycorn. and that is TO forbid under
the direct penalties the manufacture
of liquor. Even then little hand-stills
would be run in every home where
the desire for alcohol existed. Let
local-option prevail here, 1t will not
and cannot prevent the bringing of
whisky into the city. So long as
there is drop here men will get it,
1t cannot be kept from an earnest
seeker. The system of spies and in
formers which it will inaugurate will
soon become very hateful, even to the
leaders in the local-option cause. The
character of spy. is always an un-
popular one. No correctly balanced
man would willingly assume the posi-
ton. Suppose there is dealer ~
whisky who is selling it "on the sly, ;"
what kind of man would he have to
be, who would drink his wares under
pledge of secrecy, and then go out
and "givc him away to the law The
law is injurious in this that it fos-
tiers and encourages just
such meaness, just such falsehood. If
we have local option here there will
be Just as much whisky drunk as ever.
Men will have it in their homes, places
of business and private club rooms.
and IL will be served out from the
drug stores. The only difference local
option will make, il will transfer the
business from the legitimate hands of
the saloon keepers, and place 1t as we
have said above. Doctors will sign
prescriptions by the hundred aud the
"patients" will find no difficulty in
finding a druggist who will dish out
to him the enticing cordial in the
most deliberately labeled bottles got
up as all sorts of cure-alls. II is with
whiskey guzzling as it is with other
things. say the social evil. 1t is al
most impossible to fasten unchaste'
ness upon woman in any legal way
or TO satisfy any legal sort Of require
ment as to evidence. 1t would be 1
poor scoundrel who would induce an
other to violate the law in minister
ing to his base appetites and then g
of aud bear testimony against him
There are not many men vile enough
to do this, and that would be the onl!
way the officers of law could "com,
up with" competent and reliable ties
timony.
These have been the result
wherever prohibition has beei
tried heretofore. Our officers and TN
people do not differ so widely iron
2 others elsewhere that we can hope I,
: attain different results Human na
turc is the same in all ages, all land
and under all circumstances. Thi
wild craze will have its run here an,
: pass away rs IL has in other land,
Here we too will drop back from
couple of years experience with pro
hibition. upon the natural and deepl
implanted appetites aud passions o
humanity, and then men will wonde
9 why they have been so foolish Ms L
destroy so much public revenue AM
pay the deficit themselves, for a resul
as meagre as this. Why they win de
stroy the legitimate business of 9th
ers, simply that doubtful experiment
may be made with an impossible
principle we cannot see.
Indeed is it time to call halt i
this way. Indeed is il necessary tina
b reason, and not blind passion and ia
, nalicism, be called upon to assume III
: governing functions. We cannot af
ford this experiment in Texas, W
certainly eanno; afford II III Waco
Let men compare one side with tn
other and in what does the superio
excellence of the prohibiiionists con
sistG Law, order, morals, charity AM
patriotism are found among the op
r ponents of local option as well as oil
, the other side.