The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-04
Nj Fortn.s Prohibition Bill.

MIR FOlto'S Prohibition Bill
The bill introduced into the house on Fri
day ~ Representative Foute, providing
that 10 intoxicating liquors shall be sold
outside Of incorporated towns having at
least 500 inhabitants, is the first attempt at
statutory prohibition il this state. It will
command a good deal of attention from
both prosibitionists and anti-prohioition-
lists aud viii undoubtedly excite much dis
cussi0n.
The MORNING NEWS has always strongly
urged local option, and doubted the wisdom
Of either statutory or constitutional pro
hibition. The reason for its p sitiJn Is this:
1t Is about impossible to enforce prohibition
where it s not supported by public senti-
ment. In the states which have cons.itu-
tional prohibition there is great deal Of
drunkenness
In tie current number of the Forum
Senator ingalls,, of Kansas, has a very in
teresting AID carefully considered article
on Prohibition and License Kansas has
constitutional prohibition, and the prohiui-
tio-ists point TO her as an evidence that
prohibition prohibits. Senator Ingalls, says
that the saloon has been abolished, the
brewery closed and the dIstIlery and
bonded warehouse abandoned in Kansas,
but ne is very careful to permit it to be IN
derstood that the psope Of that state yet
consume a great deal Of whisky, wine and
beer he says that the triumph If pi'onioi-
ton IN Kansas is complete, but he remarks
that this does not imply that absolute
drought prevails everywhere or that social
irrigation has entirely disappeared
Indeed, the senator saws frankly that in
the localities in " hich popular sentiment is
against prohibition. the prohibition law is
not enforced, and the inference that is
clearly to be drawn from what he says on
this point is that it is folly to attempt to
enforce prohibition whore the majority of
the people ars against it, This is the con-
clusion reached by most of those who have
observed carefully and conscientiously the
operation of ohibitory laws.
IT is doubtful if Representative Foutes
bill is wise one. In some localities it
would not be possible TO enforce it. because
the officers charged with its enforcement
would be ntrolled by the prevailing senti-
ment Of the community. A failure to
enforce it il. one community would bring it
into disrepute in other communities, and it
would no. be very long before it would be
virtually dead letter.
If it were not enforced it would iniure the
cause of temperance, because it would
IN Ike the opponents of temperance more
active. The enthusiasm Of the friends of
local ption would be- dampened, becau @
they would regard statutory prohibition an
Interference with local option.
Ia view of the fact that Incorporated
towns of at least 800 inhabitants, are pretty
thickly scattered over the state. Represen-
tatlve Flutes bill would not percep ably
check the sale of intoxicants. Those who
wanted Intoxicating liquors might have to
go little further for them, but that would
be all
If Representative Foute vera to substi-
tute high license bill for his prohibition
bill he might assist greatly in advancing
the cause of temperance High Iicense
would force a majority of the dram shops
to stop business. If adopted it should be
made applicable to cities as well as the
rural districts. Public sentiment would
favor it, and there would be no difficulty i /.
closing the dram shops that could not
pay it.
High license is favored by many of the
ablest and purest advocates of temperance.
They would,like to have prohibition, bat,
having been convinced that prohibition is
impossible until theapeople are educated up
to it, they are willing TO accept hig license
as the next best thing. If Representative
Foute's bin should become a law he would
be disappointed in it,