Emmons County record., 1907-03-21

The Record is catered ~ tAs liatos Post
nice ~ second-class matter.
In the contention between pr0fi-
bitionists and resubmissionists in
this state 1t must always he taken
into consideration that no one can
deny the great evils which result
from the excessive use OF intoxi-
cants. The difference OF opinion that
separates the advocates OF the re-
spective measures is simply one Of
methods. The prohibitionists Of the
state claim that drastic laws against
the saloons are the panacea for the
evil. The resubmissionists Tor license
people) insist that the evil cannot be
stamped out, and that its regulation
by costly license Is the better method
of the two, for the reason that 1t puts
the furnishing OF intoxicating liquor
in the hands of men who, knowing
that the privilege OF sale Is valuable
right-but one which can be taken
away from them, II they abuse 1t, and
given to Others-will be more careful
In its sale than will the illegal dealer
or the brewery or liquor firm that ships
direct to the consumer.
The prohibitionist believes in max
ing men temperate or driving them to
teetotalism by main strength-by the
strong arm of the law.
The difference between these two
viewpoints Is the only difference be-
tween the respective advocates and OPP
ponents of the license and prohibitive
systems
-
But, regardless OF all theories, it is a
condition that now confronts the pco-
pie Of this state. At last, through
the passage Of sumptuary laws that a
few years ago were thought impossi-
bile in free country, the prohibition
majority in the legislature has put
upon our statute-books a series OF en-
actments that will either close the
places where liquor Is Illegally sold or
will fill all the jails Of the state and
largely increase the population OF the
penitentiary. The laws are so drastic
that 1t is utterly impossible for any
one to think Of long disobeying their
mandates after the machinery which
they provide has gotten into active
operation.
-
And what will be the result? viii
the action Of the new laws decrease to
any appreciable extent the consump-
tton Of intoxicating liquor? This is
the fundamental principle underlying
the application Of . prohibitory law,
although In this state 1t has come to be
the fashion for drinking prohibition
lists" to claim that the law is directed
against the saloon and not against the
individual. But, II the sumptuary
laws do not decrease the consumption
Of fire-water, what good results? Is
not prohibition q shadow rather than a
substance?
~
With the new laws In operation, we
have reason tosuppose that conditions
here will soon approximate those
which prevail in parts Of the Red
River valley and in the other sections
Of the state where the prohibition law
is being s'enf0rced. In those sections
-as we were informed by many per.
sons from those parts during the past
winter-there is no diminution in the
amount Of intoxicating drink con-
sumed. Although the prohibition law
provides as severe punishment for
those who give away strong drink as
for those who sell 1t, 1t is nothing un-
usual for host to entertain his friends
and neighbors at his home, giving
them beer, wine, whisky or diluted and
sweetened alcohol. In many parts
especially In the Red River valley
beer has been superseded by alcohol,
because, the latter is Of smaller bulk
and more easily transported. At the
various railway depots beer and wills
Ky are received in large quantities
There were complaints in several Of
the state newspapers during the past
winter that, to keep it from freezing,
cases Of beer consigned to private in-
dividuals were given SO much space in
depot waiting rooms that there was
scarcely room left for travellers to turn
around.
-.
In other parts OF the state, where
the outlaw saloon has been squelched,
the "bootlegger" has taken his place.
An individual of this class usually has
a few bottles Of the vilest Of whisky
slowed awayssomewhere. He carries
a couple OF quart TASKS about hi.
person, and from these he iurnishe,
drinks to those in whom lie has con
fidence. This class Of dealers usuall,
operate without federal license, anl
show up strongest at harvest ant
thrashing time, when there are larg,
numbers Of men temporarily employed
on the big farms. They are mucl
worse than the "blind piggers'- -thos
illegal dealers that have Il fixed habl
tation, and who derive large part u
their income from the sale Of beer, in
stead of-like the bootleggers-deriy
Ing their entire profit from the poor