Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-04-04
Delivered by Hon. W. A. Bahlke
al the Alma Opera House.
thursday Eve. March II.


Inentlemen:
AZ mas peen said by our prohibition
1rlenas mat this gathering was arrang
ed Tor ana subslu4zeQ by the saloon men
rnls statement snoWs now easy IL is ioi
one 10 peI!eve well and at the same time
imagine wrong. 4 know exactly where
ar sue4A. wAen A say tnat about ten
GAYS ago II came 10 my attention THAI
loeab OPTION was likely TO Win at the polls
Asril ,tn. next, anu 1 said 10 my sell II
ms IS possible, as The executive officer
OF your village sworn 10 execute the laws
within il. 4 vail 90 what little 4 can to
prevent such a result. 1t was there
lore at my suggestion that this meeting
was arranged, the expenses Oh this room
were subscribed by our business men
ana the band and orchestra, which nave
furnished music tor the occasion, were
ouered, gratultously Tor these exercises.
TINS explains the meeting ana our inter
est in the subject accounts lor TINS mag
niucent audience. IL is such feelings Oh
intolerance anu Glstrust on the part oI
our prohibition friends, that make ms
uenant and aggressive. 1 Wall not per
nit myself To be classified as d saloon
man by them; 4 Will not permit myself
10 &c impugned by them, and Will not
remain silent IN the MIDST OF their cal
jimmy when they declare thai We are
afraid TO speak ii is because 1 trmly
believe that the cause OF temperance VIII
suffer II prohibition prevails at TINS e4ec-
ZION, or perhaps because 4 believe my
self a better friend Of temperance than
they, that / appear before you tonight
ana raise my voice in defense Oh my
settled convictions.
In my humble Judgment 10 inteIlI-
gently cast a vote for or against Iocal
option April 9Th, next, knowledge oil
the liquor legislation in Michigan -
absolutely Indispensable In tacI my
friends, experience has 50 uniformly
told me to take the records and the
books in preference TO any persons say
SO. that is has become a rule and guide
of my life. To apply the principle 10 the
subject in hand: Which is the safest
guide ana counsel on this subject, the
history and records of the past or the
predictions and assurances OF some
youthful, enthusiastic prohibitionlst?
For my part 4 am willing TO listen 10 The
latter only when unable 10 find out anu
learn for myself from the former.
1t shall be my purpose therefore in the
outset to review the history OF the IL
quor legislation in Michigan and fine
out, IL we can, the reasons which leo
to the enactment of our present liquor
laws. This has been a most interesting
subject to me. 1t is hoped that IL may
be made of use and interest TO you.
| shall not for want OF time say much
about liquor legislation previous TO the
adoption Of our present constitution IN
1850. Suffice Ii to say that prior to this
date we had what was known as the
license system in the sale and regulation
OF the liquor traffic These laws are
compiled and may be found on pages
1S4-1SS OF the Compiled Laws Of 1886,
copy of which l have.
Ny friends, from 1910 10 1850 were the
days OF the strongest prohibition and
temperance sentiment that Michigan |
has ever witnessed, as Will be observed J
as we proceed through the history of
this subject.
But il was during this period earnest |
~ and eloquently argued by our fore
fathers that il was a great moral and |
public wrong for the state to license |
such a traffic and evil; TO Join hands with |
IL, to recognize it by even taxing II. to |
compromise the good name and fame OF |
our fair peninsula by tolerating places |
where the evil product could be legiti- |
mately sold.
go strong and powerful were the tenn |
perance people Of the time in Michigan, |
and so influential in the halls of legisla |
ton, that almost without division the |
constitutional convention Of 1850 adopt |
ed a clause in this instrument abridgng |
the power Of the legislature to license |
the liquor traffic or as our friends would |
say, "legalizing and licensing the traf |
fic' This provision was known as Sec
ton AZ, OF Article ", Of the Constitution |
of 1850. and reads as follows: The leg
isature shall not pass any act author |
izing the grant Of license for the sale |
Of ardent spirits or other intoxicating |
liquors"
The strong temperance sentiment Of |
the time can be further judged from the |
vote OF the people upon the adoption OF |
this constitution The vote S canvasseG |
shows that the electors OF Michigan APP 1
1=sv7S q tss.s constitutional provision |
By Ne folowirg vote: An affirmative |
votGP % 39169 negative vote of s.4ss |
o-& peob>15zdn friends OF this time now
nenoooued 80 themselves: I'VE have now |
driven our stakes for the destruction of |
our common enemy, the liquor traffic |
We have IL written in the fundamental |
law OF our state. No longer can our |
legislature legalize this nefarlous bust
ness; this will stop II forever"
Now my friends I want you to stick |
q pin right here; and this is the pin: II |
IL were ever possible in Michigan to sup
press the sale and traffic in ardent and in |
toxicating liquors, and wipe out the &C
knowledged evils arising therefrom, this |
was the time in our history when IL |
should have been done ard when II |
should have been possible. Why? Be
cause there was a wholesome, energetic |
and popular public sentiment against |
the traffic.
The aggressive and uncompromising |
nature OF this opposition to the liquor |
traffic continues to be manifested in the /
succeeding legislation OF our state:
Listen. IL was found that the constitu-
tional amendment. which prevented as
our friends said the '1egalizing OF the |
liquor traffic" DID not. as matter OF |
fact. prevent its being sold and traffic |
had therein The puerile character OF this