The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-04-28
INCONSISTENCY OF MONOPOLY
FANATICS.
From the Y. Y. Star. |

Nothing could be more grotesquely
inconsistent in logic or statesinalIship .
than the contrasting attitudes of the
monopoly spokesman On the questions
OF tax and licenses.
In the state Legislature the republi-
cans are pressing with might and main
bills to establish extrxvagant license
fees, avowedly for the sole purpose OF
making liquor dear and scarce by re.
stricting the number OF places where it
may be sold.
In congress they are iaboriug To re-
peal the internal revenue tax Oh spirits,
although such legislation would make
intoxicating drink cheap and plenty
throughout The whole country.
The Union League club has just
passed resolutions tavOring the entire
abolition of the federal whisky lax,
and the affirmative votes were chiefly
cast by the very men who have been
figuring as officers OF high license
meetings. They are forced into this
Inconsistency by the TACT that with
them patriotism and picty are subordi-
nate to pocket, and the monopolies Or
which they depend command them to
abolish internal revenue taxea in order
that the Chinese wall that confines
industrial profit 10 the territory they
own may still resist the advances OF
civilization.
They propose high license, and even
prohibition, so rs to hold on TO power
In the state. But they know that ex-
horbitant tariff Is the sole motive of
their national politics. They love
mock temperance much, but mouaDoly
more.
SO they vote with great enthusiasm
To make whisky cheap aud clothing
dear, and their most preteutiOus and
sanctimOuious organ halls the proc
lamation of the union league tor tree
liquor rs the second gun of the re-
publican presidential! campaign" The
effort to make this vote appear au
attack on the Whisky hing' Is ridicu-
lOus. The diStillers of the country are
not the subjects OF special popular
concern in either party, But the
taxes on their products are fully and
fairly collected, aud the government is
thereby receiving great revenues from
source that can best afford 10 furnish
them.
The shining lights of tbs union
league made what are styled master
ly eXpositions OF the iniquity of main
tanning a legion OF paid officials, clad
in United States uniform, welding the
whole pOae er of the government in
support of the whisky monopoly" The
same gentlemen see no iiupropriety
whatever IN maintaining "legiOns" of
excise officials to collect state and local
revenues, anl, by liking fees that few
deslerS can afford 10 pay, creating =
monopoly i'll Intoxicating liquors st the
p"intof fconsumption,w where alone moral
mi>ctiel can be duuS. and where no
part OF The merchandise handled Is used
Tor manufacturing, chemical or mca:Gi-
nal purposes.
There ia not tho slightcst danger that
the country can be deceived by The false
pretense of the nharisces Nor ,io ihey
in fact expect that the public wilt
accept thci" sophiStries 40 patriotic
reasons. They are merely engaged in
the cUngenial occupation oi mauutac-
turing false conferences for themselves,
IN nrder ihaI they may say good
Lord" in one breath and good devil
III the other, with tie assumption of
doing all the time something very dis.
diSintorcsteH and benevolent.