The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-07-12

The Sentinel argues that the tax on
whiskey does not limit the amount pro-
duced and has no effect on the amount
consumed. And still, with double the
population, the United States consumes
less whiskey now than before the sixties"
when it was practically free Take the
tax off whiskey and there is not town
in Wisconsin which would not have two
or more distilleries. 1t is the hight of
absurdity to argue that the consumption
of whiskey will not increase as it becomes
cheaper and more plentiful. While whls-
key was selling at 1Sc. per gallon eight
farmers out of every ten kept whiskey
almost the yearthrough in their houses.
Whenever farmers exchanged labor there
was a plentiful supply of whiskey on
hand and many private houses were every
Sunday the scene of drunken orgies
The farmer who felt he could get
through harvest" without keg of whis-
key was an ultra-temperance man. So
plentiful was whiskey that boys and girls
drank it as a matter of course, and in
many instances taste was then formed
which proved curse in after life.
The heavy tax, and consequent advanc-
ed price produced a change. It did not
cause a sudden breaking off, as many had
become so habituated to its use, they
felt "they could not get along without
it," But the expense was greater than
they felt they could incur and drinking,
as regular habit, gradually grew less,
could not resist the appetite formed, it
wholly ceased. Now it is a rare circum-
stance to find whiskey among farmers.
Even the special occasions on which
whiskey was regarded as indispensable,
are now successfully managed without
the jug. This state of affairs was brought
about by the high tax on whiskey.
A great many acts deserving of repro
baton, are excused because done in the
interests Of party. But the party which
would, to insure the continuance of pro-
lection or for any other purpose, cheaper
whiskey and thereby inaugurate an era
of drunkenness, deserves to be buried
beyond hope of resurrection. The news
paper which would lend its influence to
any such scheme or seek to allay the
alarm which would prevent the consum-
nation of any such outrage upon decency
and morality and such an infiction as
| cheap whiskey upon the community,
should be made to feel the weight of
virtuous indignation. If American in
dustries cannot exist without protection,
| if free whiskey is preferable to the aban-
donment of protection, for heavens sake
let the industries go. To preserve them
at such a cost is to introduce the morals
of the brothel as a feature of the business
of the country.
The party must be at the low ebb of
morality when it seeks to regain power
by encouraging Righteousness; and the
party organ which upholds the policy
sinks its devotion to the level of degra-
dalton.
The prohibition party came in for a
large measure of abuse because it op-
posed high license. The slavish organs
which now SO confidently assert that
cheap whiskey would not result in in
creased consumption of the article argued
with considerable force that high license
| operated so as to reduce drunkenness
Now at the bidding of party they assert
with equal confidence that the removal
of all restrictions on the manufacture of
whiskey will ''have no effect whatever on
the amount of drinking" The whole
country should cry "shamew on such
doctrine. Men who hope to rear their
families pure should spit upon the plat
form and refuse to outrage their con-
science at the dictation of those who en-
Joy the monopoly protection gives.