Willmar tribune., 1897-09-07
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Said Gladstone to the brewers,
'Give me q sober population, not
wasting theirearnings on strong drink,
and 1 will know where I get my rev.
enue.''
The different methods of dealing
with the saloon have been illustrated
thus:
First-Twenty-fve rattle-snakes run
ming through town: Free whiskey.
Second the rattle-snakes in a
box with twenty-five holes in it: Low
license.
Third-Stop up fifteen of the holes;
the snakes all get out through the
other ten: High license.
Fourth-Drive all the snakes over
into the next town: Local option.
Fifth-Kill the snakes: Prohibition.
Backbone.
License, whether high or low, is
wrong in principle. The saloon is an
actual iniquity. The evils directly
traceable to it, and in a greater or
less degree out of it, are absolutely
appalling. These evils effect public
order, public health, Public decency:
they Increase taxes, imperil property
and endanger life. They are con-
fessed to be a source of crime, poverty,
orphanage, disease and death. There
is no such assault on health, on life,
on property, on liberty, on society, on
the home as that which comes from the
liquor traffic. There is not one soli-
tary privilege afforded the dram sell
Ter CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC
GOOD. Now the government in issu-
ing its license, virtually says, "Pay
me a certain amount and you may for
one year proceed to deal out strong
drink, Notwithstanding the fact that
the saloon in any community is the
cause of social and moral blight and
curse" The government thus lends
its high sanctum to the traffic; gives il
a legal status, throws about it its
sacred shield, and stamps it with a
legitimacy as real as if it were the
most innocent and benefcent business
of life. For the government to do thai
thing, whether for five dollars, or five
hundred dollars, or fve-thousand dol
lars, is moral wrong! Governments.
like individuals, should do right
Permits to pursue the liquor traffic are
permits to make inroads on almost
every interest of life. License to sell
Intoxicating drinks, carries with it no.
only liquor selling, but the known con
sequences of liquor-selling. The Law
of Responsibility of the individual il
just as true Of the state. It is held by
some good men that license is simply {
tax and is, 90 far as it goes, restrictive
and prohibitory. Consult any lega
authority and you will fnd that license
is "a right given;" tax is ''contribu
tion imposed.' License implies E
privilege. Tax is command. Lie
ense is for regulation. Tax is for rev
enue. Whether the fee is one dollar
or five-hundred dollars, the act is the
same viz, governmental permission tt
to do a certain thing. It is the licens,
feature in this business-THE GIVING
THE LEGAL RIGHT TO DO MORAL
WRONG-that commands the protest O
many good men and which we believ'
will command the protest Of million
more. Therefore let US do all we Cal
to make men see the truth about tn
dram shop; that there is no possibilit.
of just compromise with it; that it i
evil and only evil; and that licensing
it is bad policy and bad morality
Citizens of intelligence and morality
you surely are not prepared to admi
that this is the best legislation tn
Christian Judgment and conscience O
this nineteenth century has for so in
famous business.
FIGHT 1T.
| BY NJ. A. PETERS.
Prate about license either high or low