The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-05-11
Would Have State Sell All Liquor

uOulu IOtV SS0IC SVll hBl LiQuOIs
Shall Iowa adopt the South Carolina
scheme of dispensing liquors through
state agents and abolishing the pri-
| vately conducted saloon?
Representative E. w. Weeks of Guth-
RE county was in Des Moines yester
| day. says the Des Moines Register and
Leader, and said that it was his inten-
ton to introduce a bill providing for
state sale of intoxicants at the next
session of the legislature. He is study
| ing the South Carolina system and the
other schemes, in this country and
abroad, for the state control of the
liquor supply up to the moment it pass
es into the hands of the retail customer
and consumer, aud his measure will in
clude the feasible features of each of
the laws on the subject now in effect.
THE condition in some sections of the
state is deplorable in the extreme"
said Mr.. Weeks, at the Slavery hotel,
/, yesterday. "In some of the country
towns, we can see the fellows hasten to
the depot Saturdays and later find them
on lumber piles and telephone poles all
around, beautifully supplied with the
liquid which they crave.
This liquor is being shipped into
communities which have no mnlct sa-
looms or other means of supplying the
want, by the 30. d. express package
from out of the state.
81 have not yet carefully considered
the extent to which we shall be able to
control interstate traffic of this charac-
ter, in view of the recent decisions of
the United States supreme court adj
versely to the state of Iowa-but it
seems to me possible that the law may
be so adjusted that we can prevent the
sale to individuals by separate and dis
tinct G. 0. D. shipments of liquor manu-
featured outside of the state. This mat
ter remains to be determined however,
| have not yet given it sufficient inves-
tigation to say definitely what the pow
ers of the state may be, if it shall itself
assume the exclusive right of sale OF
intoXicants.
II have studied the South Carolina
plan of handling liquor. 1t has some
very admirable features.
suppose we were to require the
monopoly of this business by the state
Of Iowa and should establish state
agencies for the distribution Of the
liquor by agents, who would not have
the slightest interest in the amount
sold, and prevent the liquor from being
consumed on the premises.
II believe it would decrease drunk
enness materially, would decrease the
amount of liquor consumed, would re
move the profit element from the bust
ness, which is responsible for attract
ing so many men into it, and would give
the consumer purer liquor. If it were
not consumed on the premises There
would be no fascination about visiting
the saloon. Indeed, one may sum W
many advantages to the plan of estab
fishing state monopoly in the liquor
business, leaving on the statute books
the sections of the law which prescribe
penalties for such offenses as maintain
ing nuisances, and selling to drunkard:
and minors.
81 suppose that the Rankin plan t,
establish state cohstabulary will b,
revived in the coming session Of tn,
legislature. Many of the people Of m,
section OF the state earnestly favor it.
1T is TOO CUMBERSOME.
81 have been inclined to think tina
the plan is altogether too cumbersome
That was my opinion when the matte
was under consideration and told GU
people so. But this is worthy of con
sideration along with any other plal
which may be suggested to lessen tn,
evils of the liquor traffic, which extent
outside of the communities where tn
majority of the people favor saloons, t.
those sections where saloons will no
be tolerated but where immense guam
titles of the stuff is consumed to tn
tremendous detriment of the consumer
and of the community.
"Such incidental evils as treatin
would be abolished under the govern
: ment sale plan, for the liquor could no
!. be consumed on the premises. TIL
sociability of the liquor drinking bust
ness is it's principal asset in the way c
inducing the expenditure of none
needlessly and in making men drum
The profit being removed the incentiv
to do a liquor business in competitio
l would be removed and the state woul
absolutely control the business.
81 have done nothing toward canvas
} sing the legislature on the question
: but believe that there is rapid
!. growing sentiment that the presen
laws are inadequate along these line
: and that something should be done t
curb growing evil. The anti-saloo
league is doing very good work, in m
/, Judgment, but something more
5 needed"