The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1906-07-28
THEORIES AND FACTS.

tt
THEORIES AND FACTS.
The following is paragraph from an
editorial in the Montgomery Andertiser:
You can't cure drunkenness by
STATUTE says the Savannah News, and
it speaks the truth. Many years ago we
heard Judge John t. Helm say: You
can't Legislature the taste of liquor out
of mems mouths and that was another
solid truth. Failure or refusal to admit
the truth of both of these propositions
is at the bottom of all the difficulties
that lie in the path of the earnest and
sincere temperate reformers. They be-
lieve that the enactment of laws against
drunkenness, and especially against the
sale of liquor, will put an end to it. If
the law fails to accomplish what its add
vocates hopes and expect they charge
the failure to its lack of enforcement.
They say that if those who are charged
with the enforcement of the laws would
do their duty there would be no more
inebriety."
This seems to us faulty logic. If the
law can have no effect on the LIQUOR
traffic, why have laws regulating the
ga lie of it wheIe it is sold? Why close
saloons on election days or Sundays?
Murder is committed in spite of law.
Why have laws against murder? "You
can t cure drunkenness by statute; you
can't legislate tho taste of liquor out of
mems mouths" These are only half
truths. You can't make men honest by
legislation. Then why have laws
against dishonesty? Law may not re-
form drunkard, but it can largely pre-
ven the manufacture of drunkards. 1t
does do it. The matter has been tested
in nearly every state in the South. 1t
has been demonstrated in Tennessee.
Where there were many saloons there is
now none. AS result the number of
liquor krinkers has largely decreased; 30
have the drunkards; 80 have fights and
brawls and MURDERS so has the business
of the criminal courts; 30 has misery
and unhappiness in many homes.
There is more peace, more prosperity
than there was before. Where is the
community that, haxing done with sa-
loon for as long as two years, would
have them back again?
The adjustment of saloons is not an
adjustment of any mans fright" to
drink liquor. The individual can
legally purchase liquor if he is deter
mined to have it. and some who are
opposed to saloons do 30. But the
number is far smaller than it was. In
some communities liquor can be illegal.
ly purchased, But the liquor legally
purchased and the liquor illegally
vended is far less in quantity than the
amount formerly sold in salsons in
those communities. In some commun-
tiles there are cases of drunkenness, but
they are much fewer than when there
were saloons. So also murders occur in
some communities, but there would be
many more murders if there were no
law against murder. Demonstrated
facts are worth more as an argument
than theories and unsupported state
ments.
What becomes of the appetite for
liquor of men whe are employed by
railroads, banks. insurance companies
and great business concerns that forbid
the use of liquor by their employees?
Such requirement is more stringent than
any statute, for no statute forbids men
to drink.
The law against selling liquor can be
enforced as we'll as the law against
theft. Neither law is an absolute pre-
ventative. But what a wholesome, re-
straining effect they havel The Ameri-
can is neither crank nor an extremist
on the temperance question; it does not
expect to see the impossible accom-.
plished, and does not favor an attempt
of the impractical; but the quotation at
the head of this article does not har-
monte with demonstrated facts.-
Nashville American.