Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-04
RIM 7RUg moan no TEMPER
1NgE.

I
hibIt.u There Is little dlmInution OF the
consumption Of whisky. Drunkenness u
as Migrant as over. What before might
have been done legally is now done UNI
lawfully. whisky is sold and bought by
stealth, making both seller and buyer
parties to violation OF the states laws,
aud this continual disregard Of the law
in one respect begcts a feeling OF disre-
gard for ali law in general that must lead
10 rs frequent fracture IN other respects.
10 educatcs the mind to contempt for
cyil authority, and must produce upon
the public an unwholesomo development
Of wrong Ideas.
The rational friends Of true temper
ance cannot reach the end sought by
them through the medium OF prohlbitory
laws which are generally eyaded, which
leads TO the evasion OF other laws They
can reach those ends, and, II they cannot
suppress, they can largely diminish, the
consumption of intoxlcants, by support
ing and securing the enactment Of high
license law. They will find instructive
information In the operation Of the high
license law in Illinois. Official lnvestiga-
lions have been made as 10 the result Of
this law, and 1t has been in operation
long enough TO produce results which, II
not decisive, are certainly significant.
The license * fixed, by what Is known
as the Harper law, at $500. In the city
OF Chicago this law has increased the
revenue 70 the city from 100000 TO
Sl 900 900, and reduced the saloons from
1900 10 $500. In Hyde Park, suburb Of
Chicago, though tho population has in
creased, tho saloons have been reduced
nearly one-half, while the income and the
consequent reduction of taxation have
been multiplied tcn.fold. What ~ more
significant Is a reduction In the number
Of arrests from 800 TO G7s. In Spring
field, the capital Of Illinois, the saloons
have been educed 83 per cent, In num-
Der, and the revenue from them has been
Increased 28l per cent. In Peoria the
saloons have been reduced nearly one.
half; the revenue has been treDlod.
These are reports from the larger cities
In the smaller towns similar effects have
been produced, In some of them no
licenses are granted, and prohibition Is
secured by local option. In nearly, ~
not quite all, the others, the number Of
saloons has been somewhat reduced, the
amount OF revenue 10 the state largely
Increased, aud the amount Of drunken
ness and disorder notably diminished
From six columns of reports that lie be.
fore us, we take some specimen reports
at hnphazard;
Cairo, Increase Of revenue 80 per
cent. decrease Of saloons nearly 80 per
cent decrease Of notable intempcrancc
so per cent,
Quincy Increase OF revenue nearly 40
per cont.i decrease Of saloons 80 per
cent,
Tolono Revenue doubled; business OF
police courts diminished 90 per cent.
Tolcdo-Al the low groggcrIes shut
up
Yandalia--No decrease of saloons; in
crease of revenue GO per cent. fewer
cases of drunkenness, aud fewer disturb
ances.
Morrls-Saloous reduced from twenty
four TO siXtceni revenue increased from
S2l00 to $4,000.
We need not, perhaps, continue these
reports. Tho general result is expressed
by the facts that In the state at large the
revenues have been increased from $780,
900 TO over - 800, 900, the number of sa-
looms has been reduced from 10000 to
less than 5000, the best elements OF both
parties unite in supporting and enforcing
the law, and disregard OF it apparently
finds little sanction from either the PEG
pie or their natural representatives, the
courts, the shcrlns aud the iurlcs. More
over, in county after county, and in the
small villages, high license has had the
effect to close up all liquor-shops Tho
report from Fayette county may be re-
pardcd ms u typical one In this regard
ain several small towns In this county
the hlgh-liccse law has practically re-
suited in prohibition, there being no one
In these places willing pay the required
tce,n In the reports before us we do not
lind single town or county which indi-
Gates uniayorable results.
Can't Gobble tho state.
Paris Nova