Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-24
DIR. cnArsi1Y ON DRINKING.

DR.. Crapsey who was prominently
before the public couple OF years
ago as a defendant in hcresy trial
and who now Is az the head OF
'Brotherhood" IN Rochester, y " has
peculiar views about the solution OF
the liquor problem. Ia an interview
with the representative OF a Chicago
paper he said the other day that, IN
his opinion. the real trouble was with
the law and not with the traffic.
"When the law" he said, "makes a
thing a crime st becomes crime TO
surround the trade in liquor with the
restrictions which prevail in Ameri-
on. and to east upon that trade the
stigma which attaches in this country
is 10 have the effect OF lowering the
persons who patronize the places
where liquor is sold. The American
method makes the matter worse in
stead of better In my opinion
man should be as free to sell wines
and liquors as he Is TO sell molasses'
and his customers should be as free 10
purchase wines and liquor as they are
10 purchase molasses. The attempt
to regulate peoples lives by law is
not "A success
This is strong doctrine, The fact is
that the law did not Interfere until 1t
became apparent that something must
be done to save the race from the
consequences OF intemperance. The
liquor traffic was free enough orig
inally. The freedom went so far I'm
some countries that almost every
farmer had his private still, and
drunkenness became menace both
physically and morally. Not tin then
did temperance reformers and law
makers interfere.
DR. Crapsey refers to European con-
litions. lie claims that as a result
OF perfect freedom in the use and
sale of intoxicants there is compara-
lively little drunkenness. as against
conditions In this country "one is |
very much impressed" he says ''on |
the continent with the fact that the |
objectionable features which surround
the liquor traffic here are conspicuous
" absent There is virtually no dis
order over there and one sees little
evidence Of drinking TO excess
We do not know what European
countries DR. Crapsey refers to. but
France. for instance, is not free from
the curse or drunkenness. Leading
Frenchmen have recently expressed
fear for the future of the nation on
account of the ravages OF alcoholism.
The Doctor argues that If there
were entire freedom in the liquor
traffic, It would be found that the mat |
ter would largely right itself and that |
drunkenness and disorder would de-
crease"
He concludes: 'The only possible
solution OF the liquor question is the
greatest possible freedom consistent
with order"
This sounds somewhat like the old
argument that the best remedy against
evil desires is unrestricted indulgence.
But. when such indulgence as Is tho
case with the Incorporate consump-
ton of intoxicants. results in total ruin
OF the human system, body and soul,
without duenching the craving indul-
gence is but suicide.
II is. unfortunately, true that the
evll cannot be entirely eradlcated. at
least not in short time But the
law can surround 1t with the safe
guards necessary in order to make II
az harmless as possible The law
can do this on the same principle
that 1t safeguards the health Of COM
munities by proper sanitary regula-
tions. 1t Is not, for instance, neces-
sary to have the business center of any
community converted into tender
loin district from which the odors OF
sin are reeking day and night. Law
makers certainly have some respon-
slbility IN this matter.