The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-10-02


everyone knows everybody else. that
there is such a unanimity OF senu-
ment that a prohibition law is enforce.
able without causing public and pri-
yate Decentralization and corruption
Such a unanimity. however, cannot,
and never does. exist In larger terri
tory. county or state. This will al.
ways contain divisions where the senti-
ment is strong against prohibitive
laws. and where. consequently. the
people feel themselves tyrannized over
BY the people Of other divisions. Then
follow violation and disrespect OF law
with all their dire and corrupting in
fuences
OF course county prohibition will not
settle the drink question. II II would.
the prohibition agitators and the pol.
itical adven urers would not want IL.
After a while it is discovered that
drinking is going on as usual and a
law is demanded 10 forbid shipping
liquor into dry" county When Il
is discovered that that would not work.
statewide prohibition is demanded.
and because that does not work either.
congress Is importuned for a law TO
prevent shipping into what is humor-
ously called a dry state. And so
II goes on. As no law has the expect
ed miraculous effect, no law ever
proves satisfactory II Is an endless
source Of tribulation. irritation, Chi
canery, molestation and corruption. all
coming from the false doctrine that
people can be made virtuous by law.
We are on the eve OF an election.
The Temperance issue is one OF the
most prominent issues in our state.
The Democratic party has declared
for what is generally known as local
option. the Republican party for coun-
" prohibition To be candid. ! think
not much of local option. But having.
as II is. TO choose between II and coun-
ty prohibition, I. naturally, choose the
former
The evils Of prohibition must neces-
sarily stand in a certain proportion to
the size OF the territory which II COW
ers. With the ward or the township
as unit. the evil is reduced To a min
imum. | also have hopes that under a
local option law prohibition by remon-
STRANGE will come into disuse and the
citizens be enabled TO make their
sentiment effective untrsmmeled by
pressure and intimidation. Under
county option. however, the miserable
and thoroughly undemocratic system
OF dividing communities into two hos
tile camps and compelling the citizens
by personal solicitation and sometimes
by threatening social or financial in
jury. TO publicly enter the one or the
other. would continue. to the detriment
OF the peace the harmony and the
moral standard OF communities. I'm
der a system Of local option which per
mits a man to cast his vote according
TO the dictates OF his conscience, at
least no Justification Of signatures, no
forgeries. no repetiuons, DO other dis
honest practices. no general demorali-
ration are possible.
County prohibition Is thoroughly un-
democratic. Through 1t country dwell
lers hope to control city and town life,
and protected by the remonstrance
law. they will prevent the city and
towns from controlling them. II sub
iects the urban population TO the
whims and notions OF the country pop
ulation. IL will wipe out city life and
substitute village life for it
II Ia bad enough II the principal of
personal liberty 10 violated by Q vote
TO suppress the saloon altogether. but
II is far worse to curtail the civil right
of suffrage by system which through
tricks and intimidation prevents the
citizens from a free expression OF SEN
timent
For this abrogation OF the civil
rights and the personal liberty OF the
citizen the Republican party stands. II
stands in opposition 10 every principle
of personal liberty. In opposition TO
truly democratic forms of government.
do not plead the cause OF the
brewer or the liquor dealer. nor that
OF the saloon. They must look out for
themselves. As far as | am concerned.
| have no need for the saloon. IL all
other people would visit the saloon not
oftener than ] do. one saloon would
be sufficient for the whole state OF In
diana, and the rest Of the saloon keep
ers would all starve. Nor am | afraid
that I shall never be able TO get my
glass OF beer in any OF the clubs to
which ! belong. But 7 am not hypo-
critic enough not dishonest enough, to
advocate the closing OF the saloon. the
poor mans club. as long as I am not
willing to be total abstaIner.
The Effect Of Prohibition on the Army.
The American saloon has certainly
some bad features. But II Is what
Americans have made It, II has not
made the AMERICANS. As these have
In course Of time approved their drink
habits. SO they will. in course OF time.
approve the saloon. But be its feat
ures ever so bad. they can never be
as bad as those OF the blind
tiger" and similar kinds OF demoraliz-
ing resorts
So long as people d sire to drink,
the combined arniaa of tho ur-ld c,,