Connecticut western news., 1900-09-20
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. 1900.
The License Question.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. 1900.
 The License Question.
 North Canaan is again called upon to vote on the license question October 1st The writer does not intend these few lines for temperance lecture nor temperance sermon. He will let the pulpit present the moral and religious phases of tho question. and he will briefly present the subject from busi- ness standpoint.
 Compare North Canaan as it was in the days of license. or free rum, with what It has been and still is under the no license system. Draw your own com pArison; the writer need not go in- to details and enumerate the benefits of no license. Suffice it to say that as an scs of self preservation it became neces- sary for the town to adopt no license. There was DO politics in the movement; men of all parties united in what they knew-and still know-to be for the public good and the best interests of tho town. All fair minded men admit ted that their own welfare as we'll as their neighbors' welfare was at stake.
 North Canaan hal prospered under no license. People locate here-and more want to come-because it is desirable place to reside in and because there are no saloons here to entice their children to the broad road that leads to destruc- tion. A movement is on foot to build a summer hotel here to sccomm odste the desirable class of city people who wish to come here and annually escape for a season the environment of liquor. City people will eventually build cottages here if North Canaan maintains it's so- briety, and law and order continues to prevail here. This class of city people will not spend their summers in li- oense town.
 Employers of labor do not desire this town to vote license. They know their business will not be benefited by i- cense. The laboring men themselves will not be benefited by license, and their families will suffer for the comforts and neoessisies of life if the head of the family spends bis earnings in saloons instead of at the stores and markets. But there is no need to mention all the phases of this question. Let every voter candidly think over this question, and act ss his conscience dictates.
 But the statement is sometimes made that ''there is just a much liquor used in North Canaan today as there would be were there license here We don't believe that statement, neither do we think all that make that statement be lieve it themselves. We admit that in toxicants arc used here. We are moi trying to prohibit their use either, but we are trying to prevent this town be. In am 'cte1 again with saloons. Men who must have their beer or liquor are not deprived of it because they live ir North Canaan. They have no difficulty in obtaining it in neighboring towns and no ono can prevent their bringing it to their homes and drinking it. bu they use less intoxicants and spend les' money under such circumstances thar they would were there several saloonI in town. Liquor for me licinal purposes can be obtained iu town. That is con sidered legitimate, and no candid per son will object to such convenience il oase of siekness or accident. Thus W, see there is no necessity for saloons il North Canaan.
 Saloons are demoralizing. but ther is something worse than saloons. Tn custom of treating is worse than saloons Nine out of ten so called drinking mel would not drink to excees could the step into saloon and drink only jus tho quantity of liquor they desired But once inside the saloon if any pat rons happen to be present the proces of treating usually begins and the ma who intended to take only one drin and then go about his daily svocatio soon finds he has taken several drinks one perhaps lat the expense of tn house"-and the rest virtually at hi own expense. The result is he become -intoxicated; his days work is neglecte and he is fortunate if he does not ente on long spree or debauch. No on understands the game better than th saloon keeper himself. and no one els can make any money out of it. In tn connection 1t is proper to state tn, some people think that the preser movement for license in North Canaa was inaugursted by those who want soll liqu6 instead of by those who wal to drink it. North Canaan never neet cd license. and it certainly does n' need it now while cider is more pleni than water d every family can stoc
 their cellar with ''orchard tea"
 FROM THE OTHER PAPERS.
 The oyster season has begun. W