The Newtown bee., 1905-02-03

In fact a license law, enforced, may do more for practical righteousness than prohibitory law equally en- ufacture and sale of intoxicants by law, of necessity a moral question at all? It is problem of social science of course; matter of political econ omy; a question of expediency in act ual government; an ordinance of pO- lice if you please. But when we come to the personal use and abuse of intox- icants, the question becomes moral one.
 The Hon Carroll D. Wright, L. L. D., United States Commissioner of Labor, and the President of Clark College, than whom there is no better authority that I know of, says, in his valuable work, Practical Sociology: "The attempts in this country to reg ulate the liquor traffic have resulted ln four methods, ,-prohibitio license, local option, and State account. Un- der prohibition the laws prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors of any kind, or regulate the manufacture and prohibit the sale thereof. Opinions as to the effects of prohibition in those States in which it has been attempted differ widely. Probably at the present time the most ardent prohibitionist would not insist that prohibitory laws have succeeded in destroying the liquor traffic. In small places such laws have no doubt resulted in the fairly complete sus- pension of the retail liquor business, | but it cannot be claimed that such re- suits have been effected in cities; and when not enforced the system pre- vents limiting the traffic in any other way.
 "Prohibitory laws have been very irritating in their effects, because in order to accomplish their purpose many minor provisions are essential, such as the prohibition of transporting liquors, or having liquors in ones pos session for purpose of sale, or renting property for the conduct of the liquor business: hence many petty crimes or misdemeanors have been the result of the execution of prohibitory laws. On the other hand, the most ardent opponent of prohibition, if he be a temperance man, would say that could the purposes of prohibition be carried out, society would be the gainer. It is true, nevertheless, that the regula' tion of the liquor traffic through pro. hibitory legislation has not been as successful as it's advocates would de. sire, and is not now gaining ground One constant difficulty is in the au' thorised use of liquor fer medicinal purposes, which makes the druggists suspected and often guilty of liquor selling. There is, of course, a certain ethical influence resulting from pro hibition which is reflected upon the people; it is the ethics of total ab stinence as an example to others. This is healthy in itself, and whatever law or system calls attention to the goo6 effects of total abstinence must be con sidered an effective instrumentality in securing temperance reform.
 'Perhaps the most important effort to break up the drink habit is to be found in the action of employers o1 labor, especially in the management of great railroads. It is becoming very largely the custom of such em ployers to insist upon employees being sober, and especially in railroad em ployment of sustaining absolutely from the use of intoxicants. This i: one of the most hopeful signs of thu times"