The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-03-23


good cheer, into bedlam OF woe, want
them openedY No! No! Neither is it pos
sible that single member OF christian
church. who aims to square his life with
the precepts of the bible, which declares
"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor
drink, that putteth the bottle to him
and maketh him drunken wants them
opened, for is not voting to license men
to stand at the very fountain OF death
and pour out streams which will run
on to the destruction OF humanity
when saloonkeepers are in their graves,
indirectly putting the bottle to his
neighbor, and making him drunken?"
Again it is declared that mo drunkard
can enter the kingdom of God A care
full examination of the lists of petition
ers to the supervisors to again sub
NIT the question of repeating the
present prohibitory law aud licensing
saloons in this county, indicate beyond
reasonable doubt, as rule, the promi-
nent tax payers and business men OF the
county do not want the tiger unchain-
ed" They have too much respect for
law and order aud the good name and
prosperity of our county to desire it. As
it has been clearly demonstrated that
the financial benefit in reducing county
taxation is less than two cents on 1000
of assessment for each saloon licensed,
the amount is insignificant when taken
in connection with the exorbitant in
creasing taxes which the people pay to
suppress crime, build and maintain jails,
poorhouses, penitentiaries, reformatories
and asylums, filled mainly with victims
of the saloons. Hence it is not strange
that so few prominent business men
signed the petitions.
1t is said that some of our undecided
citizens have said "they would cheer
fully vote to sustain the law if it could
be better enforced and the sale by drug
gists, as beverage, prohibited" 1t is
no doubt true that the law is not as we'll
enforced as it should be, and can be;
but who is to blame? Does not the. re-
sponsibility fall upon the people who
made the law and elected officers whose
duty it is to enforce it? but is it not a
fact that it is enforced in this county as
we'll as other laws against crime? There
are stringent laws against.im morality,
larceny, burglary, assaults and sother
crimes; also against renting rooms or
houses for gambling, ill fame and other
vices. And yet, are not buildings and
rooms rented for places of questionable
morality and run with very,s.little ire
straint? How many OF our fellow citizens
have not, during the past year, sus-
tanned losses and perplexing trouble from
criminals and thieving night providers?
And it Is safe to say that not one arrest
10 one hundred cases has been made. N
The local option law has closed .every
saloon in the county; it has prohibited
the financial and moral copartnership
which license creates between the people
and saloonkeepers; it has relieved the
people of the odium and responsibility
of legalizing and licensing wrong; it
has driven the liquor business into tho
dark with other crimes. skViolators OF
the law cannot be punished, any more
than other criminals, without evidence,
which is rot easily obtained where acts
are committed in darkNplaces and the
parties sworn to secrecy. And yet, many
have been prosecuted and severely pun
ished. The charge that some druggists
sell in violation Of law is no doubt true.
But should the hoodgates be opened for
that reason? 1t is believed that the peo-
pie of this county have had experience
enough to enable them to understand
what changes are required in the law to
prevent that abuse and will demand of
the next Legislature that the amend
ments be made.
Voters of Van Buren, county, we ask
you to consider these questions candidly
and give the local option law another
trial, and then lend your influence more
zealously in aiding the people in amend
ing and enforcing the law.
J.J WooDMAN.