The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-06-03

the best law on tne american sui lOI
the restraint of the liquor trade In
the province of ontario it is not han
died by municipality at all but by a
department of the government known
as the license department. No such
thing as saloon is known in that
province, but the government issues
licenses to the hotel bars.
The Ontario Way
"In order to obtain license hotel
must be maintained in accordance with
the required standing of servise. This
gives to the small communities in Can
ada a much batter hotel service than
we find in similar communities in the
safes. At the same time the govern
ment regulates the liquor traffic in
each community and protects those to
whom the licenses are issued.
"The number of licenses granted by
the government depends on the popu-
lation and as the number in popula
ton increases the requirements for an
additional license become larger. The
municipality has absolutely nothing
oenses and, therefore, the whole ques-
tion is removed from local politics.
"Then the government divides the
revenue derived from the licenses
with the municipality where the Ii
censes were granted. The municipal
ity has no expense whatever and OBJ
tains half of the revenue The gov
; ernment with it's share of the revenue
. carries on the department and en-
, forces the law.
"These hotel bars are required to
close at 7 O'Clock on Saturday nights
+ and remain closed until o'clock Mon
DAY morning. The secret service men
of the department look after the trans
, gressors of the law, and the FIRST con-
: viction carries with it a fine of $1,000;
! the second conviction carries with 1t
: a sentence of Imprisonment; and a
/ third conviction brings the revocation
| of the license, with the penalty of
being deprived the right to obtain an
other license at any time in that pro-
vince.
THE sale of liquor is also restricted
, under system to reasonable require
ments, and drunkenness is also pun
ished. Removing as it does the salCCn
question from the field of politics, ard
taking the regulation of the liquor
traffic out of the hands of municipali-
ties, vesting the whole supervision in
the department of the government,
, closing all bars Saturday nights and
Sundays, it looks like a wise solution
, of the liquor problem on basis not
, too radical.
"In practice the system has worked
out wonderfully we'll as is testified by
, all travellers in that province. l UNDER
stand that the same system has been
; adopted in Manitoba and the North
, west territory.
A Solution of the Problem.
Another solution for the problem
, of drunkenness is found very ably set
forth by Howard L. Conrad. of Co
lumbus, Ohio, author of the book, Re
. constructing Eden That book, by
the way, deals delightfully."- with the
. whole subject of removing temptation
makes one Of his charactes say, mo
man, woman or child could find temp
: tation if they looked for it, Mr.. Con-
: rad recently gave a paper on Law
: Making and Drunkenness which he
+. very kindly permitted me to use dur
/ ing this discourse. l will quote quite
! extensively from Mr.. Conrad's paper:
In view of the remarkable growth
of the prohibition sentiment in the
recent years, and the tendency to null
tiply the laws in restraint of the IL
quor traffic may we not-without SEEM
ing to criticise that which makes for
: the MISUNDERSTANDING to make
: some inquiry as to whether or not the
: prohibitory laws have in the past or
: are now likely to accomplish their
object and purpose? May we not at
least raise a question as to whether
or not it is wise for those who seek
: to promote temperance and sobriety--
and very good American citizens
should belong to this classic direct
their thought entirely along these
lines and bend their undivided ener-
gies to this end?
. Drunkenness in Dry States.
IF the latest available statistics dc
not equivocate there are more arrests
for drunkenness in prohibition Maine
and dry Kansas. than there are in
the state of Illinois. with its nine
: thousand saloons. From Maine to Cal
ifornia, in the states and towns which
Il have theoretical dryness, there Is more
actual visible wetness.
, when we place the sin Of intemper
ance on the saloon scapegoat anc
: send them into the wilderness toeeth
L err, while the drunkard remains with
: US and continues to be drunken doe'
II not seem that the sin refuses to gC
: with scapegoat and remains with tn,
: drinker7 1t is not possible that onI,
e by suppressing the drunkard can w,
/ abate drunkenness7"
e 'If jug and bottle topers may laugh
/ at prohibition as love laughs at thu
locksmiths, If prohibitory laws substi
r tute the prescription, perjured drunk
y ard, for his saloon made prototype
st may we not pause to inquire what pro
n fitieth such law-making?
= May we not go further and ventur
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