St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-02
THE Drink pKOBLEM.

plOpUIliolS Ill Out pOiltiCo, UOtil- ototC
and national. The activity of the. Pro
hibition party of late years has set all
SOrtS.of So-callcd reformerS at work de-
viSiny schemes that are designed to
solve the problem of the relation OF the
whisky bottle towards the state and the
individual in such a manner as to harm
neither the one nor the other. The
methods of restricting the liquor traffic
have varied in the several states. The
two states of Iowa and South Carolina
are now in the throes of revolution over
the matter-in the former peaceful
revolution, but marked 10y much bitter
ness of feeling, and in the latter by
force of arms. the people being arrayed
against the legally constituted authOri-
ties of the state and hunting them to
the death through forests and Swamps.
The prohibition experiment has been
tried in Iowa for several years. and has
proved a failure. Liquor was openly
sold in the larger cities i'll defiance of
law, and in the lesser towns '.blind
pigs" supplied the place of saloons.
There was no revenue from the traffic,
and no perceptible diminntion OF the
traffic, while public morality suffered
as 1t always suffers by resort to CLAN
destine methods for eyading the rigors
of the law. For several months the
Legislature has been wrestling with the
law, and fihallya bill has been passed
which legaliZes the traffic under certain
restrictions. But still the people are
not happy. The prohibitionists, who
expected much from their unnatural
alliance with the Republican party, are
disguised with the results, and the
liquor dealers. while gaining a great
advantage are not yet satisfied. because
the law still imposes great hardshlps
upon them. A bill is now pending in
their interest which removes many of
these restrictions, and there is good
prospect OF its passage.
In South Carolina civil war exists.
The state undertook to manage the
liquor dispensing business on its own
account. 1t appointed dram shop keep
ers, and made it a felony for any others
to sell liquors. Each bottle of beer or
liquor bore state stamp. and it Was
made felony to sell or drink any other.
But individuals thought their rights
invaded by these regulations. and un-
dertoOk the sale of intoxicating bever-
ages on their own account. The state
constabulary undertook vigorous war
fare upon these illicit dealers. and many
arrests and prosecutions followed. Sew
eral times there were collisions, and
bloOdshed ensued. Finally there was a
set battle, and few days ago the con-
stables were driven into the swamps Ivy
| all indignant popuiace, where they are
now concealed, all means of escape being
cut off by a Gordon of armed men. who
are determined to shoot the officers on
sight In the meantime the governor is
in sorry predicament. The militia
refuse to obey his orders, and he is
pow.riesS to enforce the law or to pro-
tect the beleaguered officers. He has
appealed to the federal authorities for
assistance; but the eXigency is not such
a one as will warrant the interference
of the federal authorities, and the gov
ernor is now between the devil and the
deep blue sea.
In other states where prohibition is
being tried similar conditions exist, al
| though the same eXtremitieS have not
been reached. Everywhere people re-
| sist encroachments upon what they
| consider their personal rights. All
sumptuary laws are obnoxious. The
aw might, with equal propriety, pre-
scribe what man shall eat as what he
shall drink, and there are thousands of
| earnest temperance men who are con-
scientiousy opposed to all proscrlptive
laws Old principle. The laws of nature,
too. are antagonistic to such legislation,
| and men instinctively rebel against it.
1t is very evident that fanaticism on
the liquor question has run the length
| of Its tetiler. 1t has had fair trial. and
has failed to work the reforms that it
/, promised. Each experiment results in
/ Strengthening the public conviction
that the cause of temperance cannot be
! promoted by prohibition. The young
must be educated TO appreciate the evils
of indulgence i'll Intoxicating drink,
and to avoid it as they would contact
with loathsome peStilence. In thai
way alone can the cause of public
sobriety be advanced.