The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1907-09-20
SuMPTUARY LAWS

n"slIcd an oppression from one who
had no connection with or interest in
the business which sumptuary laws
effect
The discussion OF So threadhara .
subject mas be ad nauseum; however.
a a great temperance wave is sw.-..n-
ing over thu country. and apparently
a strong endeayOr is being made ia
Secure extreme Legislation. it is we'll
that thu public should have a clear
and ful perception OF what is bending
so that no Legislation may be enacted
which gives no promise of anv effect.
I've solution of the liquor question.
The anti-salOOn league OF the state
mas annyrnced that for the present it
would ~ move for a prohibition law
similar 10 that enacted in Georgia.
but ii would hail the dawn OF such
day. and 10 that end We are con-
siantlr al work, and that We shall
surely attain" VIII prohibition attain
Its purpose? Can it be attained ex-
cept az TOO great an expense and with
out more harm than can be compen.
stated toy any possible benefit?
The states thai have adoprad laws
TO prevent their citizens from drink
ing alcoholic liquors have found pro.
hibition 70 be failure. and by tacit
consent treat il as farce. Prohibi-
10
proved impracticabIe and detrimen-
tai; experience proving such laws
cannot De enforced. and even where
the attempt has been honestly and
jealousy made. il has simply added
to the ciiminality of the people. by
compelling resort to fraud, SNUG,
Cling. deception. 10 eyade the opera
ton OF law which they deemed un-
just The observance of such laws
obtained by force may Toe the crystal
, zatiOn OF error. and even if they are
right. but really not accepted. the To-
suit would be hypocrisy and intellect
Ual and moral deafness. For a time.
like a new broom, they may sweep
clean but when tried for any length
of time prove 10 he futile and sink
into "innocuous desuetude The ir-
repressihle tendency of human ma
ture is 10 rebel a. the enforcement OF
irrational puriJanical laws. and un-
der democratic forms OF government.
a law is not permanently enforceable
when considerable body Of he pub
lie DO not consider the act forbidden
a. immoral in itself. and are unwill.
iBg 10 yieid obedience 10 il. In such
cases the tuthorities are powerless.
Prohibition is a law in theory. bat
not A law in practice. iaw which no
an. would alter in word ana no one
, would enforce in reality IL is veN-
atIous Interference with the habits
and customs II the people. even when
rheS. hauits and customs are entirely
consist. II with good citizenship and
The public welfare Prohibition was
fh,. nr-- eruaa effort Of an aroused
morality ID deal with \ most difficult
ana complex problem. and has proved
failur. IN its moral aims and aspir-
ations. resulting in not benefit 10 the
individual or 10 the state. In all he
history. q mankind the only prohibi-
ton IN a. has ever come within sight
of success is that Of Mohammed and
Buddhism. thou shalt not buy or sell
. give az receive any intoxicating
drink" This Is the fifth command
menr OF th,. Buddhist DeCaloEue- 10
al option laws. unlike pTOhIhltoTE
laws. DO not confuse the wholly dlt-
ferrnt issues of saloon regulation and
personal abstinence. ana no duubt I'M
pn~,. lpUn communities laws which
puiir aplu5un Will not suffer - he
enforced Local option. constantly
grnNiu- t.rr, carefully restrictive
and stringent IN supervision. aims
Nhru,h,r practicable ,o draw tho lime
ta.,ur,a .aar par, Of thr traffic which
p.I.r >at,tl requires - He proG".-
,f su. -..r rart which il evil al a."
.- f.., -.-.a-e.y and U&ive,ly $40 i'
ra.a n..r..r,ar' MI. ~. .'.. .,.....,.
ma - T.f- naErN trusts every
..amma.-. IT, handle ills a"n saloon
-........ -.-...-..- d.. ~a.- nf ..ioH
srr.-r.- To- s- o0H de~'.e- -n.
mad. ... .n- r.-a. aa- "ern a~
....... IA. SSH. Nrsn ..r facts. La
.,...-.. .. ....r.>. ala Impartial.
l., .-.-.. ........- ta- a.aH. vNrr> .a.ll-