The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-03-11

| %s4A sAatiSoe ne FEOn1D1L1On party
was established in 1869. Local op
ton was inaugurated IS years before
that. Between 1895 and 1870
local control in some form or other
was in operation in a number o.
States. In 1898 Rhode Island and
New Hampshire made license op.
tional with the towns. Connecticut
followed in 1889 About the same
time Illinois granted to towns and
and counties power to suppress the
liquor traffic upon petition of a
majority of the voters. Other in
stances might be cited, but it is
noteworthy that nearly all the
local option laws were repealed
after year or two of unsuccessful
experimentation, and in the early
forties the entire scheme was prac-
tically abandoned in favor of moral
suasion- and State prohibition.
The record tends rather to discredit
local option than to discredit prohi-
bition. Certainly there is nothing
in history to warrant a belief that
local option is more practicable than
State prohibition.
We agree with Mr.. Clemens
that to decrease the amount of
liquor "sold and drunk" is to dis
courage the manufacture, but to
decrease the amount ofliquor openly
sold does not necessarily decrease
the amount drunk.
Mr.. Clemens intimates that we
would refuse to lop off tentacle of
the octopus because we could not
strike at its vitals. Now, in regard
to that: If we had been engaged
with the octopus for matter of rs
years, looping off tentacles just as
fast as we could only to see new
ones sprout and thrive without any
appreciable decrease in the number
of tentacles, we would be nightly
tempted to abandon the tenacle
business and go in for vitals or
nothing.
Mr.. Clemens inquiries if we are not
inconsistent in permitting saloon
advertisements to appear in these
columns. The advertising columns
of this paper are to let. We rent
the space in these columns at so
much per square inch. Any man
engaged in a legal business has
the privilege of renting space.
In that space he has the right to
announce his business so long as
he does it in decent terms. This
being in no sense class paper, the
character of the announcements
made by renters in the space they
pay for has no influence whatever
upon its editorial policy. In order
to indicate our bias, we cheerfully
publish all sorts of moral announce
ments free of charge while insist
Ing on pay for liquor announce
ments' And another thing, if the
mere direction, go to Jim Crows
tor whisky" appearing in these
columns would induce a man to
indulge in strong drink, the smell
OF toilet soap would give that same
man the jim jams. 1t might de-
term;ne whether he went to lin
Crows or Badly likes, but nothing
more. Our permitting a saloon
keeper to rent advertising space in |
these columns is no more inconsist-
ent, in our judgment, than for
Uncle Sam to permit saloon men, as
such, the use of the United States
mails; no more inconsistent than
tor railroad companies to permit
their trains to haul liquors or fix
lures; no more inconsistent than for
dray men to deliver such goods:
no more inconsistent than for farm
ers to raise barley and sell it to
maltsters. In fact in this business
The honest farmer is the original
Sinner.
Mr.. Clemens concludes by say
ng: mo statute, however lust
and right, can be enforced until the
people favor it." That NAV be
rue but is statute ever just and
light until the people, or, at least
VeTV Iaroa m o;o~;&u &C H.