Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-07-20
w. C. T. U. COLU MN.
Does Prohibition Prohibit ?

OF course it does; the very dehni-
ton of the word tells US that. We
might as well deny that Information
informs, as that prohibition prohib-
its. But the question is whether
prohibition entirely prevents the evil
it prohibits? Most certainly not.
The laws against stealing do not alto
gether prevent theft; the laws
against murder do not altogether pre-
vent Homicide; but no sane man will
argue that there is as much theft and
murder in the community as there
would be if they were licensed aud
labeled as Lex innate industries. If
we have officers who wink at theft,
and share the Doodle, we cannot eX-
pect the law to be very we'll enforced
So, if we have officers, even 10 Pro-
hibition States, who can be bought
up by the liquor men, our only rene
DIV is to get rid OF such men, and
elect those who have seif-respect
enough to enforce the laws they are.
sworn to sustain. Gov. Larrabee Of
Iowa, at the close of his recent mes
sage, declares that much progress
has been made in the enforcement Of
the prohibitory law. Not only has
public sentiment much improved in
relation to it, but judicial officers are
more disposed to secure its enforce
ment Many judges give strong tes-
timony in its favor, showing that,
where it has been well executed,
there has been marked reduction in
criminal offences, aud also in court
expenses Daring the last year, par
,icularlv tie latter half there has
been decided falling off in peniten-
tiary convicts. and a very large mum
Der Of county jails have been empty,
some OF them tor the first time in
yeers. There has been mar ked i'm
proyemeat in the condition of the
poor people, especially III the families
oi Iaboring men addicted 10 strong
drink"
Here is the testimony OF man 10
hi h position who not only has every
facility for knowing, but has the
greatest interest III knowing what the
effect Of the prohibitory law is. II
men could only be made to under
stand that the liquor business is en-
actual expense to the community it
would soon close the business, for all
men, both coed and bad, unite in con-
demning O useless waste Of public
money and consequent increase of
taxation The amount paid by the
saloon keeper for his license blinds
mapy political economist (D as to
the condition of public finance. As
As long as it seems to him that the
money thus received is clear gain
financially, be will close his eyes to
the moral side of the qestion. If he
could gee the actual expense which
each saloon is to the public be would
find the account was heavily balanc-
ed on the other side A single mur-
der case, inspired by one extra drink,
often costs the state thousands of dol
lars, and when we add the salaries Of
the extra police force required, to con-
troll the customers OF half dozen sa-
looms, we have used up the money
paid for licenses and taxed the people
heavily. The state must support all
the paupers and lunatics made by
whisky; it must pay the bills for pro,
scouting the criminals; it must baild
expensive asylums, poorhouses and
prisons, and employ hundreds Of men
to take care of the victims which have
been rendered helpless by the liquor
business-and still the license money
held up before tie eyes Of an ordina-
ry politician looks to him like 30
much clear profit. If the powers
that be- would spend little time in
simple arithmetic on this question it
would help them more than whole
course Of temperance lectures - Un-
ION Signal.