St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-13
THE LIQUOR ISSUE.

Someone has defined prohibition to be
fanaticism run mad. Whether the ,defini-
ton be correct or not the fact remains that
many of the elements of fanaticism are to
recognized in the policy pursued by the adj
Yocates of prohibition, and likewise some
resemblance to insanity in some of the
methods adopted by them. At the same
time it is conceded that the Prohibitionists
are actuated by a principle which in their
opinion is sacred one. So jealous are
they in this belief that they are
led Into the extreme of bigotry, and as big
Otry always begets intolerance the Prohib-
tionists have really become the least capa-
BILE of all other people to promote the cause
OF temperance 1t is contrary to the nat
ural order of things that temperance should
be established by Incorporate methods. In
their blinded zeal to promote good work
the ProhibitionistS are overlapping all
proper bounds, and are doing violence to
the American spirit of fairness, and the
American love of square dealing. Their
intolerance has led them into the fatal
mistake of denouncing everything as sin
which does not come up to their standard of
Righteousness and everybody as sinners who
will not subscribe to the infallibility of their
faith. Not content with pouring anathemas
upon the heads of the heretical multitude
who dissent from their methods and prac-
tees, they have sought to establish system
of persecution against those who run con-
trary to their doctrine. In order to accom-
plish this they have organized leagues under
various names, avowedly for the purpose of
enforcing laws against the lfnuor traffic, but
in reality to wipe out of existence and to
crush those who are engaged in it. The
natural result of all these efforts has been
the creation of counter-organiza by
those whose characters and interest have
been assaulted and are imperlled.
We witness here in Minnesota to-day the
singular spectacle of these two antagonistic
organizations opposed to each other in
conflict characterized with all the bitter
ness of luminosity that once existed be-
tween the Puritan and the Cavalier.
B 9th organizations have selected
captivating names-one sailing under the
banner of the Law and Order league, the
other that of the Columbia society. The
former, while its ostensible purpose is to
secure the enforcement of all laws in reality
does not attempt to enforce any except
those directed against the liquor traffic.
The liquor dealers, feeling that they have
been selected out as special victims of per-
secution, have organized to fight the Law
and Order league. Stripped of all it guises
it is a square fight between the Prohibit
tionists and the anti-Prohibitionists and
promises to be the liveliest issue in our
state politics this year.
The Law and Order league appeals for
public support upon the claim that it's OBJ
feet is to restrict vicious traffic. The
liquor dealers rest their claim for public
sympathy upon the broad principle under
lying our form of government that every
citizen is entitled to protection in the enjoy
ment of the fruits of his own labor and cap
ital, so long as they are employed
in legitimate industry, and that
he should not be made the victim of perse-
cutiou so long as he discharges all his duties
and fulfills all the demands required of him
by the laws of the land. In the address is
sued by the society and published in the
GLOBE Wednesday morning, it protests
against a discriminating class of enactments
that drive the citizen to doubtful means to
evade them. 1t asserts that one of the OBJ
iects of the association is a truer, purer adj
ministration of law, applicable alike
to everyss. citizen. 1t argues against
prohibition in this way: That it
will not enhance values or increase COM
mercial prosperity. That the destruction
of the distiIlery interest in the United
States carries with it the humiliation of
the corn and rye producing interests. A
prohibition of the sale of wines accom-
plishes the destruction of millions of capt.
tai invested in vineyards. And that prohi-
bition is sumptuary measure, having in
direct view the establishment of an absolute
tyranny Such in brief is the platform of
the Columbia association.
There is no reason to doubt the sincerity
of the 700 members of the association who
subscribed to the address. In it they are
Pledged to aid in the enforcement OF all the