Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-20
WEDNESDAY. JUNE 90. 1888.
Sumptuary Laws.

The prescut meaning OF word cannot al
ways be Inferred from ITS etymology. IRE
vent" according TO its etymology. means 10
ago heiore": but II has lost that meaning.
"Irsurv once meant the usual interest;
but il has lost that meaning. "Dike" Il
corruption Of "dight." and surely does not
carry lis chronological meaning. econ
slider" saws a good authority, "is perhaps
derived from the observation OF the stars d"
So Of numerous other words. We have no
patience with the man who supposes that
word Is obliged to mean what lis etymoogy
implies.
Now, ~ 10 sumptuary laws. Democratic
National Conventions are composed in large
mart of the able,t lawyers in the country.
when, therefore, they declare that they dis
approve OF "sumptusry laws and we
know that they mean 10 say that they dis
approve Of what are called prohihitory laws
or laws prohibiting the sale OF spurious or
malt LIQUORS, we shall not engage in dis
Iutc with a tyro, who "thinks he knows II
al. a. to what are su'nptuary laws. IL the
great lawyers In the Democratic party do
not know what sump'ulry laws are, nobody
knows. and We shsll certainly not try by
strained construction Of words and phrases
10 Prove that what they condemn assumptu-
airy law. are not sumptuary laws at all.
Let MS couccde for moment that the
plank in the Democratic platform oil 1884,
Tclaid hy the ~. Louis Convention OF 1885,
did not. and does not, and was not Intended
70. refer 20 laws prohibiting the sale OF spir-
ituous aud malt liquors. In the name OF
common sense, what did IL refer toy No
thing. The contention that the platform re-
fcrred 70 something else is utterly negatiyed
b1 the facts 81 the case. We venture TO say
that every intelligent man in the United
States understood the words "sumptuaIy
laws" 10 mean laws prohibiting the sale OF
spiriluous and malt liquors. We Will add
that II the Chicago Convention now in ses-
sion shall denounce "sumptuary laws
everybody will understand the Genunciation
10 be intended for laws prohibiting the sale
Of intoxicating liquors. All OF our corre'
spondenis will put that construction on II.
What, then. Is The use Of trying to deceive
ourselves or Others? Why attempt to prove
that the plstiorm-makers used words that
did not express their meaning: They meant
20 denouncc prohbiiOry laws; and instead
al Joining ISSUE with them and defending
ana upholdng prohibitory laws, YOU waste
Your time in trying to show that prohibitory
laws are not sump,uary laws.
These remarks were called forth oy the
following note; but we must add that we
had in mind whilst writing them, not our
polite correspondent "Another Inquirer
After Truth" but rather some excellent
gentlemen who. we being Judge, are not as
fair as they ought to be when they touch the
subject OF temperance. or federalism, or pro-
hibitory laws. We quote:
10 the Editor OF the Dispatch:
In Saturdays (the 10th inslant issue Of the
Dispdtch your answer to "An Inquirer
After Truth" while very good ss far as it
went, is not as full an answer to his ques'
ton as thousands OF Democrats would thank
fully receive; aud appreciaiing your fair
ness and frankness, rs we'll as your ability TO
pnswer reasonable questions on all live is
sues, will YOU kindly answer the following
quostiOp-viZ.: Does the phrase "sump-
tuary hw" as used IN the platform dery the
right OF the law-making power to prohibit
the MANUFACTURE and SALE OF articles for
food or drluky This is THE issue; not what
man may or may not EAT or DRINK, but
whether or not the rigut to prohibit The
MAKING and SELLING OF an article which may
prove 20 bo preiudicial to the general wei
fare. Does the party by this plank In its
platform mean to say that THIS right does
not inhere ia the law.making power OF our
landf ANOTHER INQUIRER AFTER TRUTH.
New. we propose TO govern ourselves by
the advice which we have given hereinbefore
TO other persons. We reply, therefore, to our
correspondents interrogatory that we do not
Cor one moment believe that the Democratic
Convention Of 1884 or that OF Is 8 intended
10 deny the right Of the law making power to
prohibit the making or selling OF an article
which may prove TO be luxurious to general
welfare.