The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-10
SEATTLE. SATURDAY, AUG. 10.
LOCAL OPTION.

New York Is Just now going through an
ordeal which should be watched by all
eople who are interested in good gov
eminent The new Republican admins
tration of the city is rigidly enforcing the
saioon-closing law. For some years there
has been n statute requiring all saloons
20 be closed on Sunday. but 1t had never
been put into operation. Disclosures
made during the Lexow investigation
Justify the suspicion that the Law, which
was enacted By Democratic legislature.
dominated by Tammany. was passed not
for the purpose Of enforcing 1t. but with
the object of ievying blackmaiI by the
police In return for immunity. Practi-
caiiy. the saloons have been open all day
Sunday.
The Republican officials are now rigor-
ousiy applying IL. and Justify their course
by the comment that the best way to All
dish an Objectionable law Is To enforce
H. This is true: but II Is doubtful IL the
authorities have exercised good judgment.
There is a tremendous revolt In New
York. and. the result will he utter defeat
OF the Republicans at the next munic-
ipai election and the return of tho Demo-
Gratis TO power. The cry is: Between
Tyranny and Tammany give us Tam
many" II Is no use talking about the
moral aspect OF tho question. The great
mass Of the people of New York arc OPP
posed to the closing OF saloons on Sun
day; and they will assert this by electing
men 20 ONCE who win Insure their being
kept open. II is bad Judgment. we repeat.
10 dig up from the recess Of "a cobwebbed
pigeonhole an obsolete law and spring il
re,cntlessly upon an unsuspecting COM
munity; the law has been allowed
10 lie dormant ana is now aroused
at a time when, the legislature
being no longer In session. II
could not he repealed or modified no
matter how Questionable or how IN suited
~ n 10 the conditions We may deplors
the public sentiment. but II exists and is
powerful
There il n great difference between \
law 10 prohihi. ana punish an act inhor-
erently wrong and one regulating a COM
mundty on conventional customs wa
would like 20 see all intcxication. with its
train OF evils. entirely obliterated; but we
arc opposed 70 attempts to reztric, a
people which always rebels against inter-
ference with personal liberty. and IS
liable in its resistance 20 Increase thu
mischief.
Local option IL tho only true solution.
II puts In the hands OF tho majority the
power Ia govern itself. Iowa has afforded
an example OF the hopalessneSs Of AZ.
tempting 20 enforce laws not sustained
by public sentiment After ten years 81
effort To enforce an obnoxious law. and
after the Republican candidate for gov
ernor had twice been beaten by ,Na
Democrats. the "mulct" Law. which ia n
form Of local option. WAS passed and 4,
now working Satisfactorily Massachu.
setts went through the controversy be.
tween a state rrohihitory law and n hos.
tile public opinion in many localities a
quarter Of a century ago. and the Repuh.
hoans. after being beaten for tho COVER
norshtp ~ the Democrats On this issue
in ISIS passed local option law which
has worked successfully ever since
Kansas had a mast rigorous Prohibits,
Law. bat in the cities 81 was dead Letter
Even under the rnpulist aarnlniz,ra.,,,
az Lsweiling. saloons were openly run in
the cities. Gov. Movrlll a Republican ana
prohihitionist undertook TO enforce the
laws and gave orders % close the saloons
\ public meeting was called at Wichita
o. protest, and the chairman. described
rs ''onc q the pillars OF the First Moth.
odist ehuEch," was among the 4ea ci,t-
rens who resolved that the uauaversent
Of e'ty's Affairs onght 70 devoIye uror
the resident taxpayers" The Lawrence
Journal q Republican Newspaper which
believes n the policy ~ rrohihition as a
rule. SAYS that "fhere Is not a man n
i.eaNenworth who win take TIE osHce Of
rohoe commissioner With Instructions So
'ns with il to close thc saloons thai
There are perhaps net 30 people IL n.