The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-08-25
FOR PERSONAL LIBERTY
PronunciameDto Of the Defenders of
the Liquor Traffic.
THE AUTHORIZATION DOCTRINE,
Action of she Convention at Madison
"A Member of the Legislature
Denounced a Fanatic-A
Warning to Prohibi-
tivn Politicians.

SIN state AUTHORIZATION convention
met at O'Clock this morning. The re-
cording setretary made his report. In
1t he denounced James s. Grinde, of
Dane County, for introducing in the last
Legislature a local option law. The
secretary gloried in the defeat 4 that
measure. He said that now The Anti
Prohibition Association was July pre-
pared 20 meet the fanatics who aimed
to lnJure the liquor business. He said
the society should accomplish the de-
feat of every politician who was in favor
of fighting the liquor business and that
the society was working solely in self
defense.
Col. S. c. Ellsworth, the state agent,
made his report. He said that during
the past year he visited 1l6 towns and
secured S93 members for the society.
In IA places he got no names. He said
there were over 5000 people engaged in
the liquor traffic in Wisconsin and he
urged that all of them respond iiber-
ally with funds to aid the society in its
work. lie cOmplimented the conven-
ton on its fine appearance and insisted
that Its cause was moral one.
Thomas f. Solan, the other state
agent of the society, also reported. He
SAID he had secured 800 renewals Of
members during the past year and had
secured COG new members. He was
proud TO say that he himself had been a
liquor dealer for seven years He said
the Prohibitionists were injuring the
liquor cause by inducing the best
men to desert it, thus leaving the dis
reputable element. Sollan said that
while he was member of the Assem-.
bly, two years ago, an anti Prohibition
Society of tfty-six members was organ
lied, and that through their efforts
every bill obnoxious to the liquor In
terests was killed.
The committee on resolutions then
reported as follows:
WHEREAS, Our government was founded upon
the equality of all its citizens and liberty is not
the right of a lew but OF all, and having
rights which are not founded upon Justice its
most precious boon is personal liberty and its
great glory Is the dissemination of that liberty
among its citizens; and believing in wise and
Just Iestraint and.
WHEREAS The Prohibitionfsts have assumed
an attitude so threatening that it becomes the
duty OF al Hberty-l0Ving citizens to oppose
them, as being harmful to public interests and
reprchensiblf, therefore, the anti Prohibition
Association of Wisconsin, in convention assem-
bled at the city OF Madison, hereby declares
l. That all sumptuary aud prohibItory laws
restricting the liquor traffic are unpatrouc
tyrannicRl, unjust, immoral, pernicious and
fanatical. UnpatrIotic and tyrannical because
aimed at the fundamental principle of our gov
ernment. Unjust because designed to destroy the
happiness and well-beiDg of the ma
jorlty, without benefit to the minority. I'M
moral, because they create law -brea kcrs drive
business into vicious places and vicious hands,
aggrayete drunkenness by encouraging the use
of impure rtlcles In spirits and supplant the
nquor industries by the compOunding shops and
drug stores and encouraging secret drinking
Perm ciOus because they aim to destroy mill ons
OF dollars invested in agriculture and manu'sc-
OF Cur laboTiug classes Fanalica, beca usestheY
are futile attempt TO protect drunkard against
himself, and at the expense of those who use
without abuse and do ttud enjoym mt and recre.
alton, as well az health and comfort In the law
iul and moderate use OF stimulating drinks
2. That drunkenness Is condemnSble vice, al
IL any evil arising from the abuse Of liquor ami
we deplore the same with all good citizens. We
respect temperance in the use OF alcoholic
drinks, the prevention OF excesses by moral
suasion, the total abstinence of all who Cau not
use without abusing ana Ill VINO feel it to be TO
their best interests to abstain. We Cheeriuly
and willingly grant personal liberty AMI only
ask the same in return. We despse alike drunk
enness and law-breakiBg on the one side and
isnatical prohibition on the other. We favor
The lawful sale of pure liquors against the sale
and smuggling of vile compounds which always
and everywhere exists in prohibition states
counties and towns. We favor saloon respect
ability and the enforcement OF all Just laws re-
stricttng them as against the loose demoraliza
tion which Prohibition generally enfosters.
g. That prohibition is a failure; that the sale
OF liquor Is not criminal, or immoral, per Sc;
that the use thereof is one OF the personal rights
of citizenship: that prohibition takes away from
the citizen his responsibility az well as his priv
Ileges, and is therefore wrong-wrong III any
state, county, town, city, or village. We declare
county option and local option laws 70 be
sumptuary, unjust and harmful to public inter
est.
4 That the liquor traffic is honorable and
legitimate. That we do not oppose moderats
and reason, ole license focs, but nevertheless
protest against eXOrbtant license, because OF It's
centTalizing and monopoizug effects; throwing
persons out OF business by taxation or taxing
business out Of existence is as bad In effect as il
accomplished in any other way. We bold that
high license brings to the liquor business venture
some speculative and gambling classes and ex-
pels the honest dealer whose less financial sue
cess is due 10 his smaller profits, his better quaf
ity of goods, his regular hours and his obedience
10 law, while wealthy and less honest compel
itor can buy his rights to remain In business.
Prohibition and high license are means to the
same end with only different methodi of bringing
about like results, We maintain that respect
ability and moral character and not wealth
should be the basis tor obtaining license.
5. That we do not desire TO be drawn into
politics as an organization. but will be com.
PEELED 10 protect our business and our homes by
condemnipg any political party and its leaders
who court fanstiCism and who daily with the
principles of personal liberty and call Tor the So
called Temperance vote and who In
their struggle tor 6scendency aud power try
10 schieve the same by promulgating IDEAS
against the principles OF our cause by forcing
high license, county and local option or any
other sumptuary laws, as unworthy of the sup
port of all persons who believe in the principles
of personal liberty and such party or person
will find prompt resentment and opposition
from this organization, as also we hope from ell
hberty-loying citizens in the state All
pubic officials who have mautuHy defended
our principles in the past, both in nation and
state, as also all publishers of newspapers who
published the resolutions of our local branches
snd who commented so iavorably upon our wQ.k
viii accept the unqualified thanks of this asso-
citation, aud we trust that they may in future eI-
tend TO Us their valued support in our efforts to
weed out the worse elements and bring our busi-
ness to its proper standard among the business
interests OF the country.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted and the old officers all re-elect-