Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-17
A New Dpamshop Law.
OLD POINT OF VIEW.

~ A6A fSAut VI v'SWs wos
adopted as a compromise measure, In
lieu ofa proposed prohibition constitu,
tional amendment. 1t was therefore de
signed Al a sop to satiate an aroused
public conscience. 1t proceeds on the
assumption, almost. that the saloon
should have the right Of way over every.
thing else, and only makes such con.
oessions As may be necessary to insure
tn prosperity. The fact that the moral
we'll being Of society at large is of pf.
mary importance does not appear in the
present law.
GROWTH OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
2. There has been . marked advance
In the moral sentiment of Missouri dur
ing the last few years. We breathe . new
atmosphere in this State, and the people
need a dram shop law adapted to the
times. The old smells musty. II Is
the relic Of a past age and past con.
ditious. hence does not represent the
citizenship Of this decade any more than
the theology Of the middle ages repre-.
sents the spirit of the twentieth century
Christianity. Missonrians have out.
grown it. This is q day of democracy.
The people are coming to recognise that
the we'll being of the common man must
always BE- kept at the front, if the State
is to be strong and progressive
THE SALOON BLIGHTs AND BLASTS.
3. The liquor traffic which touches
society at the point of the saloon always
and everywhere blights aud blasts. 1t
10 against everything good. 1t hurts lie.
climate trade: it corrupts morals; it
undermines manhood; it saddens aud
i~mpoverishes and often breaks up the
home. II It exists at all. therefore, it
should be put under such rigid ~restric.
tons As will reduce its evil to the lowest
possible minimum. Missouri voters are
beginning to realize these facts, and are
demanding . dramshop law that will
correspond with pseseut.day ideas Of civ.
ic obligation.
The new law to be submitted to the
legislature will be drawn from this point
Of view. 1t will take for granted that
the moral we'll being Of the people comes
first; that the State exists to maintain
morality as Ii Of its prime pillars, and
that if, because of imperfect moral con.
ditions, the saloon must exist, it is to
be treated as an evil to he tolerated un.
der linitations-rather than as q bust.
ness to be fostered aud encouraged.
sKLF-GovERNMENT TO RUIZ.
4. This 10 q day Of democracy. All
classes of citizens are coming to demand
their right as never before. The indie.
pendent voter has taken the place Of him
who simply does the will Of the machine
politicians. Self government is the rule
everywhere. Men are coming to recog-
nize that they should have the right to
say whether they will have a saloon
alongside their home. or ACROSS the
street, or in the precinct or ward. Just As
much as they have to say whether they
will be represented in the city council by
a Republican or Democrat or q Socialist.
Under the present dranshop law, NO
man can do this in u cities. but under
the proposed new law every voter in q
city will be able to express his will in
this matter, and IL the majority Of
residents in any ward or preciuct decide
against the saloon, it will have to stay
out until these people change their
minds and invite II in. This is true
republicanism. 1t Is true democracy: il
It is self, government The law, there.
lore. Is it will be submitted to the
legislature. simply proposes to give the
residents Of the cities in this particular
the same privileges that are now extend.
ed to counties. 90 that the fairness of il
is at once is made apparent.
MISSOURI MANHOOD vs.. MISSOURI
AULKHooD.
5. The new law. if it come into IT,. &C
will make the violation Of the dramshop
law more Of an offence than is now the
case. Present violations Of the dram.
shop law are very slight, as il such vio-
lation in itself were An insignificant
matter.
Na man steals q Missouri mule he
is sent to the States Prison, but il he
e"rrupts and destroys Missouri boys
and girls through violations of the
dramshop law, lisa mere misdemeanor,
from which he can escape by a fne Of a
few dollars. and then probably have the
fine reunited. In the new law it Is pro-
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