Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-02
..FREE WHISKY OR NoNE.'
[C. F. GARRISON, in Iowa State Register.


The Supreme Court of the United States,
in two important cases, have lately uttered
opinions Of far-reaching importance, and
which should inspire every temperance
worker and lover OF the human race with
renewed hope. Relative to the sale of in
toxicating liquors, they say "that public
health and public morals and public safety
may be endangered by the general use of
intoxicating liquors." And again: ".That
the disorder, pauperism, and crime preva-
lent in the country are i'll a large measure
directly traceable to this evil" Thus they
admit the whole facts. In later case
they decide: mo legislation can bargain j..
away the public health or its public NOR
These last noble words, which are fully
abreast with the civilization of the age,
were made in the case of Stone VS.. Mis-
sissippi 101 q. S. Rep. BID, to test the
constitutionality of the lottery license law
of that State. This principle of law ap-
piled to license laws, and the court in the
Kansas case admits all of the facts to.
bring iquor-license laws under the same
rule.
In the case of Mugler vs.. The State of
Kansas, to test the constitutionality of the
prohibitory laws, and whether the State.
was liable for damages in case of breweries
|
prohibition, the court investigates the
power of Legislatures, then they declare:
Excepting in view these principles. as
governing relations with each other with
the judicial and legislative department of
the Government, it is difficult to perceive
any ground for the judiciary 70 declare that
the prohibition by Kansas of the manu.
facture or sale within her limits OF intoxi-
eating liquors for general use there as
beverage is not fairly adopted to the end of
protection of the community against evils
which confessedly result from the Excess
sive use of ardent spirits. There is. here
no justification for holding that the State,
under the guise merely of police reRula-
tions, is aiming to deprive the citizen :, OF
his constitutional right, for we cannot shut
out of view the fact within the knowledge
of all that public health, public morals,
and public safety may be endangered by
the general use of intoxicating drinks.
Nor can we ignore the fact established BY
statistics accessible to every one, that the
disorder, pauperism, and crime prevalent
in the country are in large measure di-
rectly traceable to this crime"
} All that seems necessary now" IS for.
public-spirited temperance men who have
, license cursed Slate, to get q legally de-
j. fined case to the Supreme Court of the
United States, to have the whole liquor
license system, either by the Legislature
! direct, or by granting local option. entirely
/ wiped out. Then let the battle come
square, without any discriminating, Free
whisky or none." This question is destin-
ed to come, State and nationally, but it is
, best to have it robbed of all subterfuges,
such as the folly of regulating by high
license, or by local option. Let the Su-
r preme Court decide, as they virtually have,
that license by the legislature or by local
/ option is unconstitutional. Az q voter this
> is what 1 desire to see in congressional
/ and presidential elections before go
hence. There is no more reason or. morai-
( zens than to license burglary or robbery, o,
any other immortality. A fight Oh the
j. straight question between free whisky and
]. prohibition would arouse whatever is good
Q or great in man, and it would be a good
= thing to live to see it.