The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-10-22

What can the voter do and what is
he responsible for doing as regards the
liquor problem? These are the ques-
tions which are forcing themselves
upon the mind and heart of the voter
today more strongly than ever before
Township after township, city after
city. state after state, have fallen into
line to wipe this great curse from their
midst. Liquor is no longer looked upon
by the wise and thoughtful voter as a
commodity to be controlled by a license
system. The only cure for this Tester
ing sore is the proper exercise of the
right of suffrage. We may set bounds
about it, by means of higher license
This is probably better than TO do
nothing But even high license does
not rid the community of liquors bale
full influence, of its sinful devices. of
it's alluring nature. A man said to me
the other day: az don't care how many
saloons they have in the main part OF
town, but when they try to put one in
our community we will fight against
it," For the protection of his sons.
for the peace of his home, he would
not have a saloon in his immediate
vicinity Can one believe in the broth
erhood of man, in the divine injunc lion,
Love thy neighbor as thyseif'; in the
doctrine, leach man his brothers keep
err and hold that il is immaterial
what is done in another part of the
city as long as a saloon is not thrust
in next his own threshold?
0xr,, hot hE.
living two miles from the saloon dis
trict his sons are protected and the
peace of his home assured? May not
his sons some day be tempted while
downtown to enter one of these dens
of vipers? If so will he not be bitten
just as surely as if there were one
next door to his home and his sons en-
tered it?
Voters, for the protection of our sons.
for the peace of our homes. it is we'll
to begin in our own locality, but let
our watchword our marching orders
be. from precinct to precinct, from
municipality to municipality, from
state to state, until this incubator OF
crime, misery and woe is wiped from
our midst. Again / repeat it: What
shall the voter do and what is he re-
sponsible for doing as regards the
liquor question? The average voter is
apt to look upon the liquor problem
a one of secondary Importance. He
will probably admit that liquor is nee
essarily fraught with great EVIL. He
will also acknowledge that he owes
duty to his community in protecting 1T
and furthering those things which ele-
vate it's citizenship. But he will end
at last in easing his conscience, while
ignoring the liquor question by making
himself believe that party affiliation,
no matter how corrupt the party. is
more important, and party loyalty
more binding than those duties which
pertain to the whole community.
A voter toward whom I have most
friendly feeling, while talking with
me the other day, admitted the de-
plorable and corruptible state of af-
fairs under the present police admin
istration, and then said, Il must sup
port my party's nominee" When ask
ed if a change would not possibly bet
ter conditions he said: Yes, you know
We were in favor of the labor ticket,
but failed in our nominee. Now each
one of US control so many votes and
we are paid to exercise our influence
in behalf of the present nominees"
Can this same man, if conditions are
as bad as he admits, conscientiously
support the present nominees? Can he
claim he has performed his duty to the
people at large and to his sons who
are growing up to be allured into these
dens of vice, which he says are allow
ed to exist? He may make the claim.
but according to his own statement he
has not done his duty. Men who bear
the image of God, who delight in his
sanctuary who cuddie their children
around them, and pray that they may
be protected, should certainly vote as
they pray. Some may claim that the
liquor business is not criminal, or if so
that it IS a necessary evil. Let us
search the criminal records of our land
and ask whether all we find is neces-
sary. Or let US come closer home. Can
one visit the joints on Queen street or
in Chinatown, or if need be visit the
famous Joe Clark saloon, and yet calm
that the liquor business does not fos-
ter crime. and therefore become GRIM
inaI? Does the voter have any doubt
as to where rests the responsi bility for
the awful condition which such an in
vestigation will reveal? If so, let him
read the present liquor laws in the
light of their present enforcement. He /
will no doubt severely censure our
statesmen for allowing the cafe clause
to creep in, but he viii not stop there
If he is inclined to, let let him take
stroll some evening past the last
mentioned saloon. On the evening I
am speaking of he will find a police /
man sitting on his horse near by, while ,
oaths and obscene language come in .
volume from the interior of said sa-
loon loud enough to be heard across .
the street. Then let him come nearer.
He will hear the open taunts Of fallen |
women. After this he can go home