The Detroit times., 1909-02-24
DEFIANCE Of LAW
BY SALOONS HAS
AROUSED PUBLIC
INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR INTER-
ESTS IN ELECTIONS is GROW
ING MORE 6ALEFUL, SAYS Ed
TOR BlAckMAN.


Of business men generally toward the
men who indulge in intoxicants is one
element OF Importance In creating
public intolerance of excess; the fire.
quent and brazen defiance OF law and
decency on the part of the saloon men
the keen competition in their business
which has carried them TO every ex
treme in order To FIJI their tills Is
another
Mr.. Blackman says:
Twice since the return 10 the
license the question has been submit
tee in this county and on both occa
sions local option was defeated.
In neither OF these campaigns did
this paper take an active partisanship
the last time particularly were We
entirely Indifferent as to the outcome
We had no enthusiasm for the saloon
business and its manifold and acknowl
edged evils and we had but little hope
OF conditions being any better under
local prohibition. Judging from former
experience. We had little TO say
editorially. We permitted the use OF
our columns to both sides under exact
~ similar restrictions and conditions
But this time we have decided 10
Admit matter from neither side. We
shall express our own opinions and
our own convictions. And these have
undergone some modification.
Revision in Public Mind.
"A remarkable revulsion in the pub
lie mind is sweeping the country
state after state is passing prohibition
laws. and about ninety per cent OF
counties where local option is submit.
Il vol hnr
seems To be something more than tenn
porary emotionalism behind this
Phenomenon While this wave" So
called will perhaps recede again 10 a
cert ain extent and some counties and
possibly some states may return for
time to high license after trying
prohibition vet there is more SUD-
stance behind the movement now than
sver before The attitude of corpora.
ions aud OF business men generally to-
ward the men who indulge in intoxi-
cants-a position which has been
forced upon them by experience. and
sometimes costly and bitter experience
M that's one element OF importance
IN creating public intolerance OF eX-
cess. The frequent and braZen de-
hance of law and deCency on the part
OF saloon men the keen competition
In their business which has carried
them to every extreme in order to I'LL
their tils, Is another. The increasing
prominence Of the breweres as saloon
proprietors and their arbitrary and
disgusting methods OF securing trade,
is Still another factor in the equation
which is working against the saloons,
especially in the larger cities.
Their influence in elections is grow
Inc mere and more baleful and injur,-
oUs I'm the large centers of population.
affecting not only matters OF local inn
portance in those localities but having
4 vital influence sometimes upon a
whole state Witness the heavy ma
lorities given in the liquor wards OF
Detroit last fall, multiplying the sober
Judgment and conscientious citizen
ship Of other portions OF the state.
There are some saloon men who
carefully obey the statutes and who
are law abiding citizens. There are
others Who are not law abiding. In
Hlllsdale and Hillsdale county we
lave had both kinds. And from the
nature of their business and the habit
In the public mind of associating all
falcon men together in one class, just
a. all grocers and all draymen and
most printers are associated in classes
by themselves. the law abiding saloon
men are going to. suffer for the In
iuuities of their careless brethren IN
the business Therefore when 1t be-
comes unlawful. as il undoubtedly viii
become after the first of next May. to
sell all liquor publicly as a beverage
in Hillsdale and many other counties
Of Michigan, II will be said with truth
that the saloon men have only them
selves TO blame for the inhibition OF
their trade
Will Vote for Local Option.
Many men, strangely enough who
ore fond OF beer or liquor are recognik-
ing frankly nowadays that no ulti-
mate good comes from its use; almost
Invariably harm is the result. Scores
of men in Hillsdale city who are not
teetotalers will vote this spring for
local option. because they think thar
for the general welfare the liquor bust.
ness had better be limited just as far
as possible, though no man In his
senses will contend for moment that
LIQUOR Will not be sold or consumed
TO some extent in Hillsdale county
The belief that there will be sub
stantial Improvement In conditions
will be sufficient To enlist their sup
port
AN argument that will be used
against local option is that Of the loss
Of revenue. This argument has no
force. and is totally unworthy OF con.
sideration We have always main.
tanned that IL prohibition can be made
To emeliorate the evil work of intern
peraie use Of intoxicants, even If the
bettermcnt should be but slight. then
the element OF a possibly slightly In
creased tax rate levied on the whole
population should not be considered
AZ all. TO us this proposition seems
20 need no argument. The indirect
tax of liquor consumption upon the
community when reduced to plain
figures. on the other hand, is startling
i'm its magnitude.
"All over the country hard-headod
business men. scientists. physicians.
writers. are calmly. carefully. dispas-
sionately analyzing the pros and cons
of the whole question of the economic,
nhysical and moral effects of alcohol.
Their verdicts are being rendered with
nndeniable regularity and these yer.
diets are all against its use. Its evils
are universally recognized Its bene.
ats are not discernlble. The process.
zion Is growing every day We are
quite willing to take our place in the
ranks. And in our opinion there issno:
tho slightest doubt that Hillsdale
county will do likewise OH election
day ------
R..ipe~s-IIke printing. No fuss and