Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-20
OBSEP VER'S NOTES,
Did he speak the truth?


One of our citizens (and he was
not a fanatic either said to us the
other day: "Do you know that our
city, like many others, is run by
some twelve or thirteen persons?
and that we all bow down in obei-
sance to their will?" We doubted
the assertion, and asked for an ex-
planation. The answer was, "that
those engaged in the saloon business
were the power behind the scenes,
and that they practically dictated
the police regulations of our city
Some Of them defy the enforcement
of law with impunity. They are
not allowed to sell to minors, yet
our boys are becomi", old customers
at their bars. They are prohibited
from selling to drunkards or to men
after they become drunken, yet as
long as he has the capacity for hold.
ing and his money backs up his
orders, his demands are supplied.
They are required to close at certain
hours, but all-night sessions are
frequent. The Sunday law is OBJ
served by few, while others openly
violate it. We all know these
things and yet not one Of us has
sand enough to stand up and enforce
the law; and, hence, we are sub
missiye to their will. We elect men
to enforce our laws, and they turn
around the day after election and
say, enforce them yourself! and
we turn away muttering to ourselves
about somebody having no back
bone" We asked for reason for
these facts, and his opinion was,
"that the two hundred dollars
license fee was what put a quietness
upon all legal Interference. If the
laws we have We're strictly enforced
one-half of the those now engaged
in the business would be compelled
to quit, and the income to our treas
ury from that source would be pro-
portionately reduced, and our taxes
in same ratio increased; and when
you touch our pocket you wake us
up. It's true that the Sabbath day
is desecrated, bit it's 81 10000 an
nualiy in our treasury. We know
some poor widow mother is break
ing her heart over the effect this
licensed traffic is having upon her
only son, bit how shall we keep up
our streets and sidewalks if we
don't grant license.
cts no doubt true that a number
of our young men are going to the
bad, and that quite rapidly, b,@ see
how onr taxes are lessened by this
license revenue. And the Qi1aiyhty
dollar is of more concern TO us than
the character Of our boys! True it
may be that bond is given to obey
these laws, yet We all know hat
within a week they will be violated.
Who has ever heard Of a licensed
bond forfeited and the penalty col
lected from the bondsmen? The
signing Of saloon bond is a mere
matter of form and carries with it
no intended responsibility. Now,
mind YOU" he continued, ~ am not
one who lay all blame upon the
saloon keeper Every citizen has
his share Of the responsibility.
There are always some in com
manity who will 90 into the bust
ness if the citizens are willing. We
say to them: Give US 5000 a year
and you can carry on the saloon
business; and in doing SO ne knog
that certain laws will be violated,
yet we keep still 50 a. to enable
them 10 make enough TO pay US $500
again next year; and it will ever be
80 as long as this preference Of dol
lars TO souls predominates in the
minds Of our citizens. We abuse
the saloon keeper for doing that
which we have practically asked
him to do, and be knowing our
weakness holds the tight reius over
us!n
These are strong assertions com
ing from our neighbor. What Do
You think Of lt2 Docs he speak