Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-24
THE WHISKY QUESTION.

Last Friday the Senate concurred
in the House bill to re-submit the
prohibition question to the voters OF
Christian county. The signature OF
the Governor is all that is now need
ed TO fix the matter. The bill places
the election on the first Saturday in
May, 1889. Each voter is to answer
the question, "Are you in favor OF
the repeal of the act prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors in this
county ~, the Eyes" or "no" answers
to be recorded in separate columns
opposite the names of the voters.
As can well be imagined the pas
sage of thisbill has placed the whisky
question afresh on the market. In
order to ascertain the sentiment of
our people, the KENTUcKIAN inter-
viewed several citizens. Their views
will be found below and are worth
considering.
James Breathitt: "The matter as il
now stands is unsettled and unsatis-
factory. The law has been disre-
garded openly, and the bill places the
election at distant date that it may
be given fair test. Prohibitionists
ought to desire another vote, because
the law to be at all effective needs
another vindication. Another cleo
ton will settle the question perma-
nently, and is the only way to bring
about better state of affairs. These
were the considerations that led to
the framing and passage of the BILL"
Ike Burnett: 81 have always been,
and am now, opposed TO prohibition.
believe it is failure and never will
accomplish what its advocates claim
1t is attended with untold evils
which can hardly be avoided. a re-
porter visited all the prominent towns
in Maine and informs the n. Y. Her.
aid that in every place whisky was
sold openly in the face of the law.
Prohibition will not prohibit, and
therefore I'm against it."
Judge II. L. Petree: ~ believe pro-
hibition is as strong in the county
now as ever. The passage of the law
was but half the battle. We must
have prohibition county officers, and
| am in favor of running ticket on
that platform, not to organize third
party but form local organization
for this special object. Until our
officials want the law enforced 1t
never will be enforced, and the thing
is to get anti-whisky officers. The
people in the county, where the law
has been observed, are strong for
In another contest
believe the "drys" would win as be-
fore"
John Feland, ST.: "Tm blue over
the situation. They have put the
election of a year, and we are going
to have hades In town between now
and that time. On the presumption
that the law will be repealed next
May, the whisky sellers will be more
flagrant in their violations of the law
from now on and / dread the inter
I'm. l believe the prohibitionists eau
carry the county again. There is
only two things we can do, either
elect prohibition officers and enforce
the law strictly, or get high license.
Pm going TO talk with some of the
whisky men and see if we can't get
the bill amended so that the City
Council will be allowed to charge
high for licenses. / want to avoid
the trouble between now and next
May. The argument against the law
is that it is violated, and they will
now violate it more than ever to make
the argument stronger. We could
win in a contest, but high license
looks like the best compromise for
the present"
These opinions are the utterances
of thoughtful men and are worth
considering.