The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-28
Tho Latest Invention.

The latest device for the cure OF the evils
Of too much drinking Of liquor Is the inven-
ton Of tho Peoples party, and here 1t IL. "a
described in the platform Of the Maesachu-
sets branch OF that wonderful party:
1--WE believe that the solution Of the liquor problem
lies in abolss,nE the element Of rrout which Is .
source Of constant temptation and evil sns We there
fore demand that tho exclusive Importation manufao-
turs sad sale all sprtuous liquors sha be conduct.
the state ~ cost through agencies
and salarsd oicals IN suoh awns and citiss ~ shall
apply for such agencies. And We further conmsnd
this princip 10 tho National Convention for adoption
under such csudltisns a. may be dssrninsd upon BY
the various StSss."
Instead OF prohibition by the State. as ad-
vocated by the Prohibitioniste, the State is
to carry On the liquor business at both
wholesale and retail. 1t Is to BIO the only
source Of liquor supply, running the dstil-
leries and importing the brands OF liquor re-
quired from abroad. Instead Of encouraging
temperance by putting up the price OF tho
beverages. after the plan proposed by the
advocates OF high license, It ia to reduce
their price to the actual cost; and instead Of
liquor shops carried on by private enterprise
the bars are to lie conducted by "salaried
officials"
Tho true "solution OF the liquor problem"
then, Ia cheap liquor and no chance to make
money out OF its sale. Accordingly. the State
Is to have monopoly Of the business and
to conduct 1t without profit, on the theory
that the evils wrought by the traffic are due
to the elemento profit" which enters into
It when conducted by private dealers. The
proposition Is that people get drunk be-
cause the more they drink the more are the
profits Of the liquor sellers; and II there are
no profits there will be no drunkenness.
II the premise is true. undoubtedly the
conclusion Ii sound and the Peoples party
OF Massachusetts has found the sovereign
remedy for IN evil which for centuries has
vexed philosophers. moralists. religious
teachers, and legislators. Moreover. every
drinker can judge FOR himself whether the
cure would DO efacaclous. II he could get
liquor at tho cost OF production. would
he drink less than he does now when the
dealer makes profit out OF Its sale to him2
| II he could buy whiskey at the Government
| bar for one cent glass, would he be moro
| temperate In his consumption OF 1t than he
is now when he has to pay ten or fifteen
| cents a glass in order to give the seller a
handsome proflt2 Does the desire Of the
dealer to mako money by increasing his
| sales stimulate the customer to drink more
than he would be led to consume by the
gain to himself Of a price reduced to cost ?
That Is. II he could get ten drinks at the
Government shop for the price he now pays
the private bar for one drink, would lie In.
crease or diminish his rations OF liquor?
Under the law OF trade we usually assume
that as the cost Of an article decreases its
consumption increases. 1t rs brought within
the reach Of larger body OF people, and
they can buy more Of 1t; but this Peoples
party device Is constructed on tho directly
contrary theory. that tho way to check
drinking is to make liquor cheap. and SO
cheap that there will be no possible profit
for anybody In Its sale, and only the State
will he able to carry on the business -
1t Is new Department craftsmanship and
political economy, but II Is only one OF many
and equally astounding discoveries and in.
ventons made by the genius Of these new
| reformers