The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-05


PROHIBITION does not prohibit. No man
Of any candor or care for his reputation for
veracity viii, for moment, deny this aphor-
istic statement. The only question of debate
involved in it is the meaning that may be at
tached to it by those who use it. No man Of
sense or candor will say that prohibitory laws
do not do great deal toward restricting the
open traffic in intoxicants; that in many local
tiles they do not absolutely drive tippling
places out Of existence; but prohibitory laws
do not prohibit in the sense that they stop all
drinking and put an end to the whole traffic
in liquor, and for what they can and do ac-
complish prohibitory laws must depend upon
an active and dominant public sentiment. SO
that, after all, it is merely local option. Local
option accomplishes all that prohibition posi-
bly, can, and more. And high taxation, with
all manner of repressive and restrictive legis-
lation, prohibits to a certain degree. These
laws lessen the number of the saloons, they
close up the low dens where vice and crime
congregate and propagate. they puta ban
upon the evils of the traffic, and they
impose a burden and tax upon it which
the traffic should bear, thus relieving honest
industry and other property from the onus
they must now carry. We know all the stock
and stale arguments against this. They are
not worth the paper they are written on nor
the breath to form the words. They are mere
sentimentalism and rhodomontade, that may
tickle the fancy and arouse the emotion Of the
vain and weak; but they have no practical
value and force and never have and never
will commend themselves to practical people.
To say that to lessen the number of saloons by
high taxation does not decrease the amount Of
drinking by reducing the temptation, is
merely to make an argument that can be
legitimately extended to prohibitory laws; FOR,
if people will drink, they will find the liquor
to drink somehow and somewhere. TO say
that it is not the low places but the gilded
palaces that should be closed, is to lose sight
largely Of the proper police function Of the
state, and to discount and degrade the
value of the teaching and training that
must keep the non drinking classes from
becoming drinkers. This work is temper
ance, strictly speaking, and is outside the do
main Of the police power of the state What
the latter has to do is to do the best it can for
the protection of society and the safety of the
state. The number of saloons in Chicago in
the year 1928, when fifty-two-dollar IL
under the $103 license, the number dropped
to 1852 AT the end of the first half-year of
the operation Of the high-l license law, the
number did not exceed 5000. During this
period the population was not decreasing. In
1877 Chicago had 100000 people and $500
saloons. To-day she claims a population of
zoe, 900, while the number of saloons isseveral
hundred less than it was in 1877. 'sHigh IL
cense has swept away large proportion Of the
low dives in the city" says the Chicago Trib-
une, "and made all saloon-keepers more care
full in the conduct Of their houses. Drinking,
especially among minors, has greatly de-
creased undert the benefcent action of the Cit
liens League" The testimony of the Chi
cago Inter Ocean is that high license has re-
duced the number of saloons in the State of
Illinois. from $4,000 to 1900, "In Chicago it
has shut up 600 of the lowest dens, and in
creased the revenue from 5000, 0o0 to 81, $780,
000." A law that will do this cannot be
whistled down the wind, nor can it be said
truthfully that it is not powerful aid to pub
lie morality and private sobriety, and all that
both the state and good people should study
to conserve. Couple with this the right of
local communities to do away with the public
traffic totally where the sentiment is strong
enough to do it, and we have, to our mind,
the clearest, BEST most practical and the COM
pletest method whereby the State should treat
this problem. What beyond this is for the
home, the school and the church.