The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-08-17
SALOON REGULATION"


sides either for or against the extens
ion of the Adams law. and incur tn
hostility of one side or the other b,
so doing, side steps and naively sue
gests something better THE idei
is gaining prevalence" says the Ban
ner, that the saloons must be KEEP
under very strict legal surveillance
and the three things deemed best t
that end are high license, restriction
of territory, and limit of the numbel
in proportion to population"
The Banner also says: "The alarm
ing prevalence of crime in Chicago
some months ago, induced the people
of that city to resort to reformatory
measures and the remedies applied
were an increase of the police force
and the raising of saloon license from
$500 to $1,000. It was thought this
greater sum would drive many of the
smaller and more disreputable saloons
out of business, but there has been nc
decrease in the number. They pay
the $1,000 and still flourish
Now let's see what the Banner adj
mits First, that saloons should be
kept under very strict legal surveil-
lance" Why, then, should they be
kept at all? If they are danger to
the community. menace to law and
order, life and property, why give
them any protection under the law?
Why protect one criminal more than
another criminal? If the Saloon is a
criminal that needs strict legal sur
veillance," why not Danish the GRIM
inal from society? Why say we will
sell the franchise here and there, in
certain restricted territory. at high
price, to few favored individuals, to
promote drunkenness, pauperism and
crime? Would it not be more digni-
fed in the Law, and would not the
consciences of the lawmakers rest
easier, to say to the Saloon, we will
be no partner with you; whatever of
crime you commit shall have no sane
tion of the law. On the contrary,
rather than to issue you a license, we
will increase the penalty; and we will
make it so heavy, so burdensome, SO
dangerous, that no man will be fool
enough to want to hazard the chance
of mourning that penalty.
Prohibition has been practically a
failure wherever it has been tried"
says the Banner; and that is to some
extent true. But the reason Is this:
The temperance people have never
been able to get just what they asked
for. Time serving politicians and
half-hearted friends of temperance,
have always been able to doctor the !,
laws more or less to their liking, and !
the earnest temperance people have,
even in the hour of seeming victory,
been compelled TO take the best they
could get. The State can stop bootleg
ging as effectually as it can stop steal
Ing; and we do not read anywhere of
any newspaper favoring the licensing
Of certain repositories, here and there,
Tor the reception of stolen goods.
"The alarming prevalence of crime"
says the Banner, induced the people
If Chicago to raise the license" hop !
ng to reduce crime by reducing the
number of saloons. They just wanted
o reduce" crime; not to prevent it
They wanted to cut the
saloons down about one-half, and re-
luce crime one-half; and retain half
he crime for the sake of the revenue
here was in it. That is the logic of
he argument.
ng for Nashville. The liquor dealers i
i Nashville are scared to death.
they never dreamed how great was
public sentiment against them and
heir gambling attachments, until the
ote was counted out in the recent
heriffs race. Then they walked up \
uu UeSdH 10 Jake uOJlC0, anu, llhS
heir Columbia brethren, high license
nd restricted territory seems the i
afest retreat to hide behind. But if
be Banner was speaking for Nash 1
lille, we have this to say: II the y
tanner and others who are so strong tx
n revenue and so short on faith in
rohibitory laws, will permit their Y
heriff-elect to make the law and also
ne penalty, we woulds be willing to
ut up a good guarantee fund that Y
OF one of the criminal laws on the X
tatute books would be more re
giously" observed We would be y
filing almost, to vote with the anti X
hereafter, il they will Il
I've prohibition just this one fair "
ial. and it should fail. lW
The Herald has favored Dispens- n
y for Columbia, in the past; and Y
ould do so again, under like circum- NJ