Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-05
Prohibition Attacked.

Prohibition Attacked.
Or. Leonard W. Bacon has quickly
achieved distinction as an opponent of pro-
hbitiOn. 1t may not be TOO much to say
that he is now recognized as one OF its chief
! opponents, In tae Forum for October
/ he had an interesting article on the pro-
! hibitlon question, which excited a great
I deal OF comment. and in the number for
/ the present month he has another article
/ on the same subject, which is command
/ ing even more attention than the previous
one.
! DR.. Bacon is opposed to prohibition
! because be does not believe that it tends
TO check drunkenness. In his October
article he cited facts drawn from his
observation while in Maine, and from in
alton obtained from reliable sources,
to show that ''prohiDitory" law is not in
| the interest of public morals.
He fayors a well devised license law,
and by that he does not mean a high
license. He draws a very clear distinc-
ton between license and taxation, and
| emphasizes it by quotation from Michi-
gan Supreme Court decision that "a bust
or it may be taxed and yet not licensed"
There are many occupations and bust
| nesses which are licensed, not for the pur-
pose OF raising a revenue from them, but
in order to regulate them, and afford the
public certain amount of protection.
The business Of pawnbroker is an
honorable one, but bad men may engage
In 1t for the purpose of handling the plum
der Of thieves or robbing the poor. Pawn
brokers are licensed, therefore, not be-
cause it is necessary to tax them that way,
but to keep bad men out OF the business.
Hackmen are licensed to shield the public
from eXtortion, and druggists to prevent
irresponsible men from handling danger
Gus drugs.
A license, therefore, is not in its nature
| for revenue, but for protection, and in
that sense DR.. Bacon would have the
liquor business licensed. II IL be neces-
sary to raise revenue from that business
he would have a tax levied upon it with
out reference to the license question.
The business Of the State, DR.. Bacon
| thinks, is TO see that ''none but discreet
and trustworthy men are intrusted with
license to sell" intoxicating liquors, and
he holds that no one except bona fide
Victualer or a taverner ought to be allowed
to sell liquors to be drunk on his premises.
He believes, Of course. that his license
system would do more to check drunken
ness than prohibition does, Or else he
| wouldn't advocate it ;but would II be any
lees difficult to make practical and
effective his well devised license sys-
tenn than IL is to enforce pro-
hibition? 1t is true that prohibition
| does not prevent excessive drinking Of
| intoxicating liquors, but in some locali-
ties it certainly limits 1t. There are
scores Of towns IN this State where before
the sale of whisky was prohibited women
were afraid to appear on the streets, and
| merchants clos ed their stores great
| part OF the time during court week. Since
the enforcement OF prohibition In these
| towns perfect order prevails every day in
the year, and they have an appearance of
thrift, comfort and prosperity which is in
striking contrast with their appearance
when whisky was free.
There are very few who will not say
that it is as easy to prohibit the sale OF
| liquor altogether as it is to restrict the
right to sell it 20 discreet and trustworthy
men. If DR.. Bacon's plan were put into
operation in all the great cities, those
who manage ward politics would have
such men as they wanted licensed to sell
liquor, and the advocates of a well de-
vised license system would cry out in
vain for discreet and trustworthy saloon
keepers. 1t does not need trial to prove
that, at least so far as the great cities are
concerned, DIR. Bacon's plan is impracti-
cable. Indeed, it is a question whether
the discreet and trustworthy men," who
would sell only to those who are entitled
to have liquor, are not too scarce to give
DR.. Bacon's plan fair trial.