The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-09-22
w. c. T. U. COLUMN
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS.
Anti.Saloon League Theory.

"Enforce the present Laws ana
then ask for better, is the theory Of
the ALti Saloon League. y
That is another statement that i
very nice, but loses good deal OF
Its charm when carefully examined.
Enforcing present laws is a good
deal more of a matter of practice
than of theory. If existing liquor
laws are not enforced, and 1t j.
pretty generally admitted that they
are not, the natural thing is to en-
quire why.
In the first place many OF these
laws were never intended to be en-
forced. They are filled full of loop
holes, and so fixed that private in
dlviduals must become the law en-
forcing power or nothing will be
done In our country private citizens
will never assume the executive
functions of government to any con-
siderable extent, and as matter OF
fact they ought not to do it. II the
first purpose OF the Anti Saloon
League is to enforce existing laws,
there is but one practical WY to
secure the result, and that is to
unite for the election Ct public OIL
Icials who can be thoroughly de-
pended upon to thoroughly do that
thing. But taere is little evidence
that the league as an organization
is making any impression along
that line. If we are to have no
better liquor laws until organiza-
tions of private citizens usurp the
functions ordained in government
for tie purp Sc OF enforcing present
laws, then the everlasting life Of
the liquor traffic is practically as
sured.
The Anti-Saloon League ought to-
know that good law is good deal
more easily enforced than a poor
one, and consequently it ought tol
be working for the good statute, no
matter whether Indifferent publicl
officials enforce the existing law OF
not.
LICENSE LAWS NOT MADE TO ENFORCE.
We have repeatedly called atten-
ton to the obvious fact that no gem
orally decent official disposition ex-I
lists to exforce any provision of a
license law except the payment otl
the fee. When the precious reven
ue is secured, government, as gen
orally administered, hides it, face
behind the piled up dollars, and
lives on in blissful unconcern Of the
anarchy embodied inI
the liquor traffic. Practically no
where has the Anti-Saloon League
organized and applied at the ballot
box any attempt to produce a
change in the existing attitude of
toward liquor lawless
ness. On the other hand, the
league has gone to pieces at the cru
cial point, and has caused earnest
men to doubt its moral integrity a.
a persistent antagonist Of the saloon.
A case in point happened in Iowa
during the late campaign. The
official organ of the league in that !
state advised its readers TO ignore
the liquor issue, and 90 in to en-
iorse the administration as the !
matter OF first concern. No organ
zation, no matter how high sound q
ng its name or how non-parti-an
Is pretenses, which ignores the sa-
oon interests, or temporarily pulls
lown the flag OF principle to hoist
me of expediency, will ever do
much toward enforcing p.esent liz
lcr laws, to say nothing about get
ing better ones.
The Anti-Saloon League has pro-
ess,d to provide maens for the
inion of all opponents Of the sa-
oon it, attitude from the start has
hown that it was not antagonisticI
0 any political party, unless it was
he little Prohibition Party; it had .
| splendid chance to capture that .
,reat body of temperance men sup 2
,osed to be politically housed in a
he republican party. 1t has Sc Y
:ured only meager following, has :
hown no marked disposition to {
row. There is no indication that !,
{ meets long felt want in the tenn
,erance field. While its purpose Y
: simply theory for the enforce 2
nent Of license laws, with no prac-
ice to secure such enforcement, il
will never supply that want. True
Reform.