The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-05-13

Ti,s People Govern themselves.
The failure OF prohibition in all large
towns and cities is an admitted fact.
This is true of South Dakota as in all
other states; and while New York state
has not this law on its statues, n recent
editorial i'll the New York Sun, touching
On tile enforcement of the Sunday
laws OF that state, explains in a measure
why, in prohibition states, the towns
and cities in Which the prohibition
sentiment is in the minority utterly re-
fuse to obey the dictate OF the state.
The Sun says:
Hence the prohibitiouists are reason
able when they say that the only way to
have sober Sunday is to make all days
sober by an amendment to the Federal
Constitution forbidaing the manufact-
ure, sale, and Importation of all alcoholic
liquors, so that ii will be impossible for
anybody anywhere in the Union to get
drink at any time, But that would be
effective as to only one kind OF stimulants.
The desire for stimulation would remain,
and it would get its satisfaction more
dangerously. When liquor drinking was
stamped out of certain districts in Ire
land the far more terrible vice of either
drinking succeeded. a further consti-
tutional provision would thus become
even more necessary than the first; until
1t was demonstrated finally that the only
way Of controlling the appet;tes Of the
people by rigorous law is TO treat them
as innatics, and shut them all up as
incapable OF taking care OF themselves.
Even that method of constraint would
fail in practice, because who would con-
strain tho Keepers?
lhe only Thing to do, then, is to fall
back on the old way OF letting the
people govern themselves. The theory
OF our political system is that the people
are capable OF this sclf-goverpment in
the fullest measure. The system pro-
vides, accordingly, that the town, which
is the centre OF nil, shall govern its own
affairs in its own way; that the State
shall attend only to the business of the
whole Which cannot be done by the
towns, and tlst the Union shall do only
what cannot be done by the States
The regulation of the liquor traffic is
plainly Il matter within the power of tie
town, and its sole concern. 1t is not a
business which the town is compelled to
delegate tothe State, ana the State to the
Federal Government. The town can
attend to the matter itself, alm, as expar-
ience proves in New Work, il does atJeid
TO it III its OWE way. liz state inaa. S
excise saws, hat They are elialeei uiiy
SO far as the seii:imrnIoi Tie co;nmuuily
approves thenl. lnay c.nu9i bayuf,Gre,i
amy further, .ihe v&Si majority u li.e
paopieof tai5 t5ysa, iQsi51;a9 .ie nosl
orderly and lAw-aGid,ag, haye uu respect
Whatever for The Stats laws fur the
regulation Of the liquor traffic here
They have no more regard lor tiian as
obligations binding on llieir conSciences
than il they were otiictS which The
t1rciga CzarHI Rnssia assumed 10 forni-
ulate Tor theif control 'ihey 80 not se'
under aug m1ra mora. nhligatiDa 10 obhy
lthem than inan feels to change tht
iofdoli x OF his hpaag!io;,l at Tie c,a,-
mani Of an imraftintn; esit-i der. IL i:
! tileil own business, AMI thay do not allow
aaY interference win IL.
4 I!ht is the wlhs explanation OF The
mobility 10 engotee the 81 te cXe.se laa,
in NaW FORK. The STAT usagpS auther-
Ity which belongs onIy to the :uwn ua;Iel
Jour democratic system, and heaea thr
peo,i,g OF this & eat commUnity treat tie
laws passed in pursuance Of Mat usnf
patton as imposing no moral obligation
on them as citizens. They honor then
only 0 FIR as they approve CT them, an'
: would pass them themselves under thei
I right to home rule. Whatever the Stat,
laws ior the regulation OF the ii4uo
, traffic, this community insists Oh bein:
, a law unto itself as 10 that business; All,
so it will continue to he, IN spite of In,
periodical farce of enforciDg excise law
: Which are contrary to i'll will.
The sooner the State reco iizes tha
pa:eGt and lnayiiabie fact. the better i
wl'l he for Temperance, Tor the proteetio
Of tile police from corruption, and 10
the wholesome respect for law in Ne,
York.