Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-02-22
WHAT To Do WITH THE sALooNl
FIFTH ARTICLE.

bar. This article will consider some
advantages of more positive charac-
ter, if not also of greater practical
value.
With company of men. whose pur-
pose is solely benevolent In monopolis-
tic possession of tho saloons, the liquor
laws in every part and as whole
would be rigidly observed. Under the
present system there is often open def
ance OF Law, and constant and almost
universal secret violations of the law,
and habitual and inscriptions conniv-
ance at evasions of the law. This spirit
of lawlessness is contagious; it is
canker that gnaws at and destroys the
bonds that hold society together in an
orderly state. When a small class of
men constantly violate laws made ex-
pressly for their control and with OBJ
served immunity, not only is that whole
some dread of law expelled from the
minds of the evilly inclined, but there
is bred an utter contempt for law which
breaks out in open rebellion or takes
pleasure in infractions and evasions.
Even the well disposed but of sportive
disposition, especially among the young,
find piquancy in running counter to
the law, like the little boy who tantal-
ICES the fierce, noisy, ranting but harm
less rat-terrier. Any arrangement
which secures a strict observance of
law cultivates regard for law which is
absolutely essential to a state govern
ment. A temperance company, whose
purpose was to discourage drinking,
would have their saloons absolutely
closed on the Sabbath day, back doors
as well as front. They might also 90
farther than the law and close at an
early hour in the evening. The saloon
would not therefore become lounging
place for nocturnal bummers nor offer
its hospitality to laboring men when
their days work was done to lure them
from home and family until late at
night. Minors would not only be re-
fused drinks at the bar but they would
be rigidly excluded from the room.
No man on the black list could purchase
dram at the bar and the man. already
drunk, could not obtain any more rum.
If it were possible to prevent it, no
man would be permitted to drink
enough to make him drunk. No chairs
would be kept in the room TO invite the
easily tempted to tarry and drink again.
1t might be necessary to retain the
screens in front of the door for time,
but as soon as the sentiment would war;
rant the step they would be removed.
Looking at the matter from prospec-
tive view point, it seems probable that
the temperance sentiment would rise
rapidly and that step after step in re-
form progress would suggest itself to
the company and might safely be taken.
All accessory evils would be banished.
Gambling would no longer find an asY-
lum in the saloon. The pool room and
the billiard table would no longer be a
feature of the saloon. Other social or
ders that ally themselves with the saloon
would be driven out to seek shelter else
where or to perish by exposure-to the
light.
All drinks would be sold for cash.
No drinks would be furnished to the
laboring man to be paid for when pay
day comes around. Every man would
be required to purchase his own drink;
treating would be forbidden and pro-
hibited as far as possible. 1t must be
admitted, however, that this rule of the
saloon could be easily evaded. The
bar tender would give no encourage
ment to any one TO drink; it would be
nothing to his interest to do so. In
fact il would be against his interest,
AOE SuCn tCliOn WOAA0 10 INV Win bhC
reproof of summary dismissal from the
service of the company. The COM
pany, however, would not push the
reform to the extent of making it intol-
cradle, or the end which they seek
would be defeated. They would have
to deal in good faith with morbid APP
petites or these would be alienated and
seek greed again as their minister aud
the whole reform would fall through;
for to keep greed and appetite separat-
ed is one of the ends of the system; the
success of the reform depends upon
that. 1t seems quite probable that the
most respectable element of the drink.
ing class--which is . very large ele-
ment=those who have not lost their
self-control and their self-respect,
would readily concede this
monopoly to q temperance company
and would not only cheerfully submit
to the reforms which would be intro