Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-05-10

lHc convention OF the w 0tnanS
Christian Temperance Union held here
last week, and some discussions that
arose in that connection, gave rise to
the following reflections; The prohib-
ition Of the manufacture and sale Of all
malt and spirituous liquors is regarded
by good many temperance people as
being extreme and inYpractcable, and by
good many other people as bang
undesirable. A system of high license
is advocated on the grounds that it
diminishes the number of saloons, and
makes them more anxious To keep
within the law. 1t also brings in more
money to help defray the public OK
pense made By the saloons. The term
license, it is said, is misleading one
1t is not license granted to conduct
business that is harmful" blood
money" as the Prohibitionists call it.
but tax imposed upon a business that
already exists.
Now as to the regulating influence Of
a high license:The matter of regulating
and keeping the saloons within the
conditions of their license depends en-
tirely upon the deficiency of local
police authorities and the force of public
opinion behind them. The saloon men
know just how far it is safe for them
to go. and they know it as well under a
low sa under high license
One of the effects of high license is
to increase the number of auxiliaries
to the liquor business No one goes
into the saloon business for the love of
it, nor for the sake of doing harm to
his fellow men, but to make money.
The payment Of a high tax makes it
necessary to have as many avenues of
income as possible.
If temperance workers would aim to
make liquor dealers, dealers IN liquor
alone, they would successful, diminish
the evils resulting from the business as
at present managed by about ninety
per cent. The business should be taxed
in proportion to its profits, and should
be conducted as other businesses are.
There is really no reason why place
should be provided for the consumption
of liquors. Let those who want them
90 10 the respectable dealer, buy them,
and take them away. Then temperance
people can make some progress in
working upa sentiment against the uss
OF stimulants as q beverage.
The worst difficulty in the way of
accomplishing any such reform lies in
the amount of money invested in the
saloon busiress as it at present exisls,
with All its auxjliaries. Nothing so
influences tha average man as 40 appeal
u the pocket book. Take It '5ht here
in Lancaster. for INSANE. saloon
men dun't want TO lose rhai they have
invested il fixtures etc, nor 10 the
taxpayers want 10 buiia 50 :! walks
and pay the McLymans dht So they
get on with tolerable harmony. We
have only four saloons, and they prob
ably come nearer to complying with
the law than most saloons do. But they
have to work hard to pay the whole
license. and make any money 1t is
probable that the same capital, the
same labor, and the same eternal 81 IL
amaze directed in some other channels
would yield greater returns.
1t is not expected that these general
reflections will bring about any change
in the system of carrying on the liquor
business at present III vogue here, but
we make the suggestion for what it is
worth, that intemperanco would be
greatly lessened By restricting the bus
mess OF selling liquor to that alone