The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-17
THE ANTI-BARROOM BILL.
An Explanation of What 1t Is and
What Ii Is Not.

An Explanation of What 1t Is and
What Ii Is Not.
This bill, which was introduced in the
House at the last session by Hon. 1. A.
Bush and in the Senate by Hon. NJ. G..
Boyd. and which will come up for final ac-
ton at the approaching session. has be-
come the center of a forceful agitation.
1t is the rallying point of the temperance
sentiment of the state. Up to the time
this bill was agreed upon as the "one thing
needful' to complete the work of prohibi-
ton in Georgia there had been no con-
centration of the energies Of the temper
ance hosts upon a single point. But this
bill has become the focus of the energies
and the prayers of the prohibitionists.
| There is a tremendous advantage secur-
| ed by this unity of sentiment and action.
| l. The first thing necessary to secure
| this unity was to assure the temperance
| people of the various counties which had
secured prohibition that the bill did not
| involve any risk of their losing what they
had gained. SO essential, so fundamental,
| so vital was this point regarded that the
| trainers Of the bill embodied in its very
first section a provision guarding this
point, namely:
Nothing in this act respecting the
manufacture of liquor shall effect any
county in which the same is prohibited
by any existing law; and nothing herein
| respecting the sale or keeping for sale OF
| Intoxicating liquors shall affect or apply
to those counties in which by local law, or
| otherwise the sale of such liquors is pro-
| hibited."
But 1t must be remembered that pos
sibly such existing local prohibition might
be repealed or reversed by a local OPP
| ton election, in which event the dry
county would become altogether wet"
| This bill averts all such possible disas-
ters by the following provision. referring
to the counties now under prohibition,
viz:
But should such prohibitions of the man.
| Ufacture or sale of both liquors be repealed
or otherwise removed, in any of said coun-
ties, then the same shall become subject
to the provisions of this act"
?. The bill in its next section proceeds
to abolish barrooms throughout the state.
This is it's subject and object, it's cause
and effect, its aim and its hit, its be.
| ginning, middle and end. The bill right
| ly takes its name from its great control
ing purpose. II is the anti-barroom bill.
To deny the name of the capitol of our
great state house, to insist upon calling
it by the exclusive designation of Its
| humblest department, would not be more
| foolish than to call this bill by any name
| that did not describe its principal object.
Now civilization Ito say nothing of re-
ligion) has entered up its final Judgment
| of condemnation against barrooms. We
have reached the point in temperance re-
| form where no one need waste time 20
argue the debasing and accused evils of
barrooms A bill that abolishes them for
| ever from Georgia'S soil will be an uh =
| mixed blessing. And the people of Georgia
have uttered their voice for the measure.
Already an overwhelming majority of the
| states population have shown their choice
for prohibition by local Endorsement and
adoption of the measure Georgia is a
state and a majority of the people have
the right to embody their views upon a
public question in a state policy and a
state law.
1t would be amusing, If 1t was not sick
| ening, TO watch the sudden change of
front in the liquor dealers and their allies
since this bill was proposed. when we
| were gradually winning a majority of the
votes and territory of the state by local
option they cried out against all local leg
islation. Give us" they cried, "a state
law-something that will be effective;
something that will treat all localities
alike" We now give them. that very
thing they pretended to want! And, lol
they cry out, Local option is good
enough. Let IL alone"
3. No prohibition law has ever been pro-
| posed so radical as TO prohibit absolute
~ the manufacture and sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors for all purposes. Men fire.
Quently say that If they could they would
pour all the liquor ever made into the
sea (Which would be better for humanity
and worse for the fishes), but in serious
legislation even these earnest enemies Of
strong drink would no doubt make pro-
visions for its manufacture and sale for
all except beverages purposes. The evil.
ninety-nine hundredths of It, is in its bev-
erage use. Now, while this bill proposes
to prohibit both the manufacture and sale
of intoxicants for that use, it, like all
other prohibitory laws, provides a mode
of manufacture and sale for all other
uses medical, scientific, etc). And il is
believed that the sale for these excepted
purposes is provided for better in this bill
than in any other measure Other hills
have provided for such sales in drug
stores or by physicians. BY these systems
there are as many places of sale as
there are drug stores or doctors. These
numerous places of sale are difficult to
regulate and supervise. But under the
anti-barroom bill there is only one place or
a sale called public liquor store" kent
by vendor appointed by the grand fury
The business is separate from every other
business and no liquor can be drunk on
| the premises. The business is under +bo
| supervision of the county authorities.
No one claims that the law Is perfect.
and even II perfect law could be drawn
II would not accomplish its purpose un-