The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1898-01-13
Ths Official Paper Of San Juan County,
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18th, 1888.
THE SALOON AND "REFORM."

The county commissioners are en-
titled to the commentator of every
good citizen who is interested in the
welfare of the county and Its people
for their order of the 4th inst, direct
ing the strict enforcement of the law
relating to the sale of intoxicating
liquors. The people can i'll afford to
have the county seat and chief town
of the county merit the reputation of
being "a tough place." and chiefly on
account of the running of saloons on
Sundays and the sale of liquors to In
dians and minors. The commissioners,
in whom is vested "the sole and ex-
elusive authority and power to regu-
late, restrain, license or prohibit the
sale or disposal of spirituous, fermen-
ted, malt or other intoxicating liquors"
(outside of the limits of any incorpo-
rated, town, city or village, have now
given due notice that in future no
license or renewal of license will be
granted by them to any person who
fails or refuses to comply with the law.
It would seem that the dealers in in
toxicants should readily, if not cheer
fully, comply with the letter and the
spirit of the order, for they may well
congratulate themselves that the
license fee which they are now re-
quired to pay is the least that may be
imposed under the law. There are
many who honestly believe that all
increase of the annual license fee to
the maximum amount of 81, 900 would
be advisable, but so far as the moral
aspects of the matter are concerned it
may we'll be questioned if the results
of such a step would be particularly
gratifying or encouraging in this place.
The numerous ladies and gentlemen
who are sincerely DESTROYS of bringing
about a better moral status here should
not make the mistake Of assuming that
the saloonkeepers are solely, or even
chiefly, responsible for existing condi-
tons here. Any effort, however sim
cere, at what we commonly call ere
form" will fail in its object if directed
merely to the regulation, or even the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. A man
is not necessarily lacking in respect for
law, or honest desire for it's enforce
ment, simply because he engages in the
sale of liquor at wholesale or retail, nor
is he necessarily, at heart, any greater
corruption of youth than countless
others who are engaged in occupations
of higher repute. Any genuine, gen.
eral and lasting reform must begin in
the home circle. Parents who fail to do
their duty to their sons and daughters
by making their home-life genial, at
tractive and elevating have little right
to complain if their children seek di-
versions elsewhere which lead them
into temptation and evil ways. Gener-
ally speaking, evil tendencies are either
Unborn or inbred-the result of heredity
or of circumstances and conditions
which have neither their beginning
nor their end in saloons and the liquor
traffic. So long as the law licenses the
sale of liquors we believe in its strict
enforcement, without fear or favor, but
we are not yet ready to concede that
the three saloons of this county are the
origin of all evil here, OF that their
proper regulation will alone be suffi-
cient to make Friday Harbor model
community, morally and Intellectually.
The good work should extend to the
establishment and maintenance of
reading room and some sort of social
club where yong people especially can
find both pleasure and profit. But it
may be doubted if very many who now
frequent saloons would avail them
selves of such wholesome entertain
ment as might be provided in that way,
if the right influences are lacking in
their homes.