St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-04
FAvORs LOCAL C OPTION.
Rev. Samuel G.. Smith Treats Of a Prom
inent Topic.
LIABILITY OF OFFICIALS.
The Question Of Temperance Essentially
a Local One, and Should Be Treated
Accordingly.

Der of saloonkeepers who had been at
tracted by the announcement of the
popular divine's topic, and many of
them were manifeStly pleased at the
tone of the remarks. 70
1.-The question Of the control of the
liquor traffic." said DIR. Smith,
promises to a reach solution during
the present century, for never before In
the history of the nation have so many
states seen an awakened sentiment
upon the subject. Four distinct
policies compete for place as the final
settlement of this question:
''First, the practical freedom of the
saloon; second, high license; third,
local option, with or without high
license; fourth. prohibition, either
statutory or constitutional. The first
solution, and the first only, is welcome
to the friends of the liquor bust
ness. There has never been an issue
between the comparative freedom of
the liquor traffic and its restriction, but
that the liquor men have always ranged
themselves on the side of what hey are
pleased to call persona! liberty. No
saoonkeeper ever willingly pays
Judgment the less of two evils, for a
LIQUOR license is a burden and not a
favor to the saloon. 1t is always ex-
torted by the friends of temperance at
the end of struggle which has eX-
hausted every resource of the liquor in
terest. High license is one that
makes the burden so heavy that
it cripples the saloon to carry it.
Any license not sufficiently eXorbitant
to diminish the number of saloons in
community does not meet the require
ments contained in theeXpressiOn ''bigh
license" The experience of Chicago is
often quoted to prove the ineffici9ncy of
high license. and yet Chicago has Ii
cense fee of only $500. All experience
shows that $500 in cities is low license,
whatever it way prove to be III country
districts. The splendid temperance
victory which resulted in the statutes
enacted two years ago has borne eX-
eellent fruit in Minnesota. Some coun
ties have not single saloon left. In
every municipality of any size the
number of saloons has been greatly
reduced. The brewers and wholesale
liquor men testify that their sales have
diminished throughout the state.
Among the best pieces of legislation on
the subject was compulsory. scientific
temperance teaching in the public
schools. The rising generation are
being adequately Instructed as to the
real influence OF
sTIMtLANTs AND NARCOTICS.
But the chief effect of the battle two
wears ago was the weakening of the
saloon as a power in politics. Under
the former system a single individual
in this city is said to have had practical
control of 1928 saloons, but under the
present system he controls less than
seventy-five. 1t may not be all we
desire. but it is certainly some
than one-fourth its former magnitude.
Saloonists have their license fixed by
statute, and have therefore few favors
to ask of the city government and very
little interest in its personnel. Much of
the wrong use of money in politics has
been through the agency OF the saloons.
The enormous use of money in elections,
both state and national, is one of the
Impending dangers, that. threatens not
only the safety, but the very life of our
institutions. Our present legislature
could do our state no greater
service than to pass a law dc
filming the Legitimate use Of
money in politics. and Furnishing
with severe penalties any violation
of its provisions. Such law i'll En-
gland has guaranteed the permanence,
and the influence of the house of com,
mons in the British government. In:
the domain of law what further shall
we do upon this temperance question?
There are substantially. three PROPOSE
tons. One is; that we shall be proud
and thankful for what we have accom-
piished, and let well enough alone.
This sentiment is shared by some of
the WiseSt and most conservative of our
citizens, whose devotion to the best in
tereStS of society can not safely
be inIpeached. Another class of citizens
no less Jealous, demand the submission
of constitutional amendment prohibit
ing the sale of all intoxicants. A third
class, who wish to be both Jealous and
conservative. MAINTAIN that in the evolu-
ton OF, the temperance reform we may;
at this time safely extend the principle
OF local option to counties. There are
two forms under which prohibition may
be sought. One 10y a constitutional pro-
vision. the other by statute. The con-
stitutionaI- amendment has this in its
favor, it separates the subject from the
stress OF party politics and in separate
election enables every citizen who
fayorS the measure to vote untram-
meled. In this way prohibition may be
carried i'll some states easier and earlier
than it could be in any other form
There is, however, a question aS-;t0
whether the easiest and the quickest
way is the best way in
DIFFERENCE TO PROHIBITION. II
Such are the difficulties of its enforce
ment that it ought never to become the
law of any commonwealth until an
overwhelming majority of the people
are in favor of it. In the interim of the
passage of the constitutional amend
ment and the enactment of laws for its
enforcement, the liquor traffic in this
state deprived of its present restraints,
would become wholly lawless. There
are certain communities in the state
where prohibition would not be eu-
forced whatever might be the statutes.
In these places. deprived of our present
restrictive legislation, the saloons
would become alarmingly and
openly defiant. In the most of Iowa, pro-
hibition is practically enforced, butin
number of communities the most severe
penalties have thus far proved power
less. The city of Davenport has per-
haps $4,000 inhabitants and | am told by
gentleman of undoubted veracity that
it has $50 saloons. At the same rate ST.
Paul would have about 1000 saloons.
instead of $50. The constituents of
population in the two towns are very
similar. Prohibition is the ideal thing,
it is technically right, constitutionaily
legal, fine thing to work for, but we
do not want 1000 saloons in St. Paul.
State prohibition under any form is not
feasible in Minnesota unless we are also
prepared to provide state constabulary
of sufficie strength to enter into all
our larger municipalities and take con-
troll of affairs, and subjugate the saloon
by force. There are so many other evils
that would be attendant upon such a
state constabulary. and it is so subyef-
siye CT all the principles of local self
government that it does not seem to me
it ought to be thought of for single