The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-04-07
The Government as a Manufac
turer and Retailer Of Alcohol.

Stolen from an Unknownl
Recognizing the fact that there Is
necessity for alcohol and alcoholic Ii
!. qnors, tor use in the arts and science.
why not place the manufacture and sal
Of intoxicating liquors entirely within
the hands of the IT, 5. government
thus closing the saloon and drug-stor
efiectuallv? Farther, the governmen
official stamp would declare the qualit,
OF the article as regards its chemica
purity. There would be no more dan
ger Of Illicit whisky being made thar
there is now OF counterfeit money beiu:
made.
! There could be T.. ). agencies, located
in each city and town. where. under th,
proper application, the "ruggists, doc
tors, manufacturers OF extracts, photog-
raphers and all other legitimate users o
alcohol aud alcoholic liquors could OBJ
tain them. Then If John Doe or Rich
ard Doe was found drunk the druggist
or person found guilty of selling or
supplying him, directly or indirectly
would be compelled to pay the pen
atty and cond he caused TO quit bust
ness entirely. The restrictions that
could thus be placed on the business of
ldrunkard making. would be so very
strict. that il would soon be a thing OF
the pyst.
The French government controls ex-
clusively the right of manufacture aud
sale Of tobacco. The grower sells di.
rect to the government, which makes
and sells out every ounce OF it, Impos-
ing severe penalties on anyone attempt
ing to defrand il. which would be very
rare under snch cEcum tances.
Considering the subject farther, II We
have the right to compei man 10 OBJ
tain license to engage ID some special
business, we also have ihe same right
TO refuse anv or All individuals the
right TO engage in that special line OF
business Now il we license ANYTHING
we thereby admit il is an evil. And il
we give one man license why not an
other? Why not compel the gsocer or
dry goods merchant, to prove a good
moral character and take out license.
ere they can engage in business? All u!
there is where we have TO admit the
weakness and wrong of the license sys-
tenn.
At one time, st. John delivered al
speech wherein he stated that he and
his wife, had made an examination of
police and prison records. at Denver
and other large cities, and found that
80 per cent or more of all crime was
traceabie directly to drunkenness. 1t is
claimed that 100000 men
nil drunkar6s' graves each yesr. Now
il the drunkaid making. soul destroy
ing business was stopped. there wonld
be 100000 less men filling drunkards'l
graves. aud $1,000, 900 more money in
the pockets OF this nation annually.
There would be few strikes and lock-
outs, and it would be possible for every
man 10 own home. II Is not
! question OF tariff, or free trade. or EN- Il
gration, as to whether this land will
flourish or 90 down in the darkness of
poverty and anarchy. But it is a ques-
ion OF temperance. and that alone.
When the saloon is closed there will be
less need for prisons. large court houses
md extensive police systems. The mon
~ that is diverted from the honest chan
nels of trade. will return to its natural
and honest places of usefulness and
here will be no want in this broad land
Of ours.
would like TO hear from some one
through the columns OF this paper as re-
yards the plans whereby this work of
and entire control OF the
alcohol business bv the government can
,e carried out. National prohibition is
vi that will perpetuate this "Iand of the
rec and home of the brave"
A VOTER.