Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-06-13

ChalrS ana u DleS anu music ana games
would return, and all the evils without
the odium of the saloon would be fas-
tened upon us, while the paid agents of
the government would be diligeut to
bebauch the individual citizen that they
might thereby insure the continual
triumph of their political party.
(4) Nationalist the traffic and pro-
hibit all sales other than by govern
ment agent and not a dive nor a dog
gerry, not dance house nor a beer gar,
den, not a saloon nor a brothel but
could go right on dispensing drinks at
profit precisely as they do to-day. In
stead of buying glass of whisky and
having a link of sausage or boiled egg
thrown in" the thirsty citizen could
purchase the egg and accept drink as
the free-will offering of the generous
dealer in cold lunches Saloons dis
guised as clubs, and conducting actual
sales under the forms of gift would
multiply on every hand, the social
compauionship, the games, the music
and other attractions, furnishing suf-
fcient reason to induce the customer
to pay a fair advance for his drinks
above the government price. Under
the policy proposed no legislation could
be framed or en- forced that would seri.
ously interfere with actual selling
under the pretext of giving
But it may be that our friends will
meet this objection by suggesting a
statute prohibiting the giving away
of intoxicating beverages Shades of
Herman Raster. But what will the ad-
vocate of personal liberty" say to such
a proposition? Prohibit citizen from
giving to his friend an article which the
government has made, and for which
the citizen has paid the government in
honest coin of the realm!
Perish the thought. Atthe mere sug-
gestion the pin-feathcrs OF the Ameri-
can Eagle stand out like quilts upon
the fretful porcupine.'
And then the embarra ssment that
would follow such legislation. The host
may drink what he has lawfully pur-
chased from the governments agent, but
he may not fill the glass of the honored
guest who occupies a seat at his table.
Should President Harrison, under such
a system, desire his guests once more to
regalc themselves with five kinds of
wine at a State dinner it would become
necessary to announce upon the cards
of invitation that each guest must pro-
vide his own liquid refreshments.
1t must not be overlooked that legis-
lation prohibiting the giving away of a
lawful article rof trade is altogether a
different thing from legislation that
prohibits the giving away OF contra
band article.
% The right of the government to
engage in this kind of merchandising is
TO say the least, a very doubtful one,
and the effort to do so would proba bly,
raise grave constitutional questions
Waving this point however, and
without attempting an argument as to
constitutional limitations, ] am at
present disposed only to ask if the gov
ernment possesses any right or can eX-
ercise any just and reasonable power
that Will enable it successfully to pre-
vent either the gift or sale of com
modify which it has already sold to the
citizen?
Granting the constitution al right of
such prohibition, the question of prac-
tica bility remains. The government
engages in the manufacture of an ar
ticle of commerce. 1t places the com
modify upon the market and sells it to
the individual purchaser. 1t recognizes
the article as property, and for consld-
Grafton parts with its title thereto. | go
to the governments agent and buy
Il dLlOIi VI VI amy Vi a. C'lSAASS "a SAAst4AA
payne. A moment ago the article be-
longed to the government and now it
belongs to me have paid the govern
ment price and am in rightful posses
sion of the property. 1t will not be an
easy task to explain upon what sufi-
cient ground the government may
wholly de bar me from giving or selling
to another such articles of commerce
lawfully in my possession. Upon what
ground OF public policy does the gov
ernmcnt after parting with its property
assume to follow it in a supervising re-
lation and only relinquish its espionage
when the article has vanished down the
esophagus of the purchaser? Here
surely is paternalism gone mad.
This whole scheme is the most vision
ary, hare Drained and impossible of all
the absurd makeshifts ever devised by
the society organized for the promotion
of the great art of how not to do it.
SAINT FL, DICKIE