New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1901-08-24

common on plantations as it nov
is, labor on the plantations would b.
improved, and that the laborins
man would have more money an(
spend less for liquor and more fo1
the necessities of life than under
the present low license system
They do not claim that high license
would prevent the use of alcoholic
stimulants, but do claim that il
would minimize their use. They
also claim that under the present
system country merchant is forced
to keep liquors whether he wants
to or not, or lose his trade, for if
one merchant stops keeping liquor
and another merchant in the vicinity
continues selling liquor, the patrons
OF the former would 60 to the lat
ter for his whiskey and while there
would get his other supplies.
Dealing in liquor, the high H.
cense country merchants claim, is,
strictly speaking, not in the pro-
vince of the merchant and ought
to be left entirely to the saloon
keepers, or men who are exclusively
engaged in the liquor business.
One of the strongest arguments
raised by the advocates Of a high
license, and one that is borne out
by the results of high license in
other places, is that it would be
followed by a decrease of crime, and
tightening Of the criminal docket
at eachtermof court. In other words,
that much of the money paid by
the law-abiding citizens Of COM
munity to prosecute criminals,
would be saved, and could be used
for internal parochial improvement
or other purposes that some bene-
fit would be derived from.
Sheriff Connolly was asked what
per cent of the crimes committed
in this parish did he think could
be attributed, directly or indirectly,
to the use or abuse of liquor. The
sheriff stated that he thought at |
least eighty per cent and possibly |
ninety per cent of the violations of |
law committed in this parish since
he has been sheriff, could be traced |
% liquor:
This statement of the sheriff who
1as had a wider experience in
1ealing with law-breakers than any
nan in the parish, and who is
therefore in a better position to
'tudy the evils that follow an in
discriminate abuse of the liquor
labit than any one we know of,
arries weight with it, and furnishes
ood for the law-abiding element
# the community, who in the long
un nave to "pay the fiddler" when
he violators are brought to the bar
f justice. I,
On investigating, the Courier
earned that Sheriff Connolly has
material basis for his opinion,
or on Monday last there were eight
risoners in Jail, seven Of whom
7ere held for offenses that whiskey (,
1as at the bottom of.
The condition of affairs here |
nds echo in every parish of the
tate, and in every state of the
MON where the liquor license is
w enough to permit of inumerable
rog shops where the meanest and !
lost harmful grades Of liquor are s
ispensed. II
The Importance of lessening the
I'll must appeal to every student S
sociology who has given the mat
i any thought whatever. E(
The wholesale violations of the i
ost important laws of God and n
that are a community s s
,ly safeguard and protection t
.ainst social anarchy and disrnp- e
resistance offered the r
instituted authorities of the t
", the numbering Of these off, l
rs who are trying to perform G
cir sworn duties, and the cul- L
iniating desperation Of a COM G
unity in dealing off hand justice F
the murderer, all point to the G
Inclusion that a crisis must soon $
reached, when peace and law F
force and anarchy must be the T
bitter. Which Of the twins it will al
Is apparent unless something is P
ne to stem the tide. al
No one can claim that high IL H
nee will solve the pr0blem entire I N