Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-06-30
w. c. I. u.
Our Liquor Laws.
BY THE W. C. t. U. OF HOT SPRINGS.

OUR Liquor Laws.
When the question of repeating our
good old prohibitory law of 1880, aud
substituting therefor a high license
law, came up in 1896, many excellent,
honest, but deluded citizens favored
the change because, as they said, "pro-
hibition does not prohibit;" "the law is
not enforced and never will be;'' sthe
restrictions and regulations of the
high license law will close more saloons
than the %prohibitory law, especially in
country places and small towns where
they can't pay the license" Poor de-
luded souls! Did they suppose for a
moment that the lawless liquor traffic,
which, as the Irishman said, is always
"agin' the government" would of it.
self pay any more attention to the re-
strictions and regulations OF a high
license law than of a p%rohibitory law?
1t never, if it can help it, pays the
least attention to any law which in
any way interferes with its trade or it's
profits. The restrictive part of our
high license law is no more enforced
than was the %prohibitory law; and in
country places and small towns like
Ardmore, they do not even pay the
state license Though we are informed
that at that place they we're compelled
to pay the U. s. %license) for no law
will enforce itself. The evils of retain
ing on u statute book, laws which
are a dead letter, are as great when
that law is a license law as when it is
p%rohibitory law. Therefore, accord
ing to u anti.prohibition friends, the
license laws of 1897 should be immedi-
ately repealed, for all intelligent per-
sons know that none of its restrictive
measures are enforced. Even high
license prohibitions don't prohibit of
themselves.
But at the fall election of 1898 the
license laws were repealed and a dis
pensary amendment to the constitu-
ton substituted; but for some unac-
c%ountable (?) reason 1--WE wonder if it
was the benign influence of the pres
ence there of Louis Hoffman) our hon
orable legislators saw fit to neglect to
enact the necessary laws to carry out
the provisions of that amendment.
Hence we are still, it is generally con
coded, struggling for civic righteous
ness under the old license law of 1897.
Some provisions of that law might be
interesting reading to those who have
eyes to see and ears to hear and whose
hearts are open to instruction.
Section II reads: sit shall be the
duty of all vendors of malt, spirituous
or vinous liquors, under the provisions
of this act, to keep the windows or
doors of their respective places of
business unobstructed by screens
blinds, paint or other articles, and not
to have the windows located in such
manner as to prevent the free and un-
obstructed view from the main street
into the entire room or place where
any of the Intoxicating liquors men
toned in Sec. 1, of this act, are sold.
There shall be no partitions of any
kind liz the room where u liquor bust
ness is conducted, and no person, firm
or corporation conducting the bust
ness of retailers as mention in Sec. 2of
this act, shall allow any game of cards,
or dice, or billiards., or pool, or any
other game of skill or chance whereby
money Or any other valuable thing is
usually wagered, to be played in the
room or place wherein Intoxicating
liquors are sold, or in any other Don
or place adjacent thereto, or in the
same building, or in any manner what.
%soever connected with said liquor sell
ling business, or any tables, chairs OF
any kind of seats allowed in the room
or apartments in which such business
is conducted, and any person offend
ing against the provisions of this sec.
ton shall be deemed guilty of a mis-.
demeanor, and upon conviction there.
of shall be fined in q sum not less than
fifty dollars $50 or by Imprisonment
in the county Jail not less than ten
days, or both, at the discretion of the
court. To establish a prima facie case
it shall only be necessary to prove the
front windows and doors, or either, OF
the building in which the license was
granted to be used, have been obstruct,
ed contrary to the provisions of this
section.
4 ive, r,r1o o,d N.,.,o,,suas