The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-07-04
a BREWER ON THg LIQUOR
TRAFFIC


Now that the Missouri legislature
has adjourned without submitting to
popular vote the proposed Constitu.
tional amendment imposing statewide
prohibition. and the agitation has sub.
sided, temporarily. at least. 50 that
public opinion may be appealed to for
calm consideration Of the merits
of the proposed destruction of toe
brewing industries of the state.
wish to make a statement Of my par.
sonal views and attitude On some
matters which are intimately relat
ed TO the subject of prohibition. not
only in my beloved home state. but
generally in the United States.
As an individual / believe in the
temperate use Of an things which II
used tcmperatcly add to the whole
some pleasures Of life. | also be-
lieve that intemperance Of any kind
is bad. and that the state should
exercise wisely its power to regulate
traffic in all things which human
experience has shown to be easily
subject to harmful abuse. though
beneficial when used temperately.
Therefore. the state should regulate
the tariff in intoxicating liquors.
but. like all efforts 30 regulate hu.
man conduct by legislation it's ef.
fort should be so designated as 10
cause the least impairmerL OF indl.
vidIal freedom consisteut with a
wise degree OF restraining regila.
tion.
Assuming therefore. that the traf-
fic in liquor should be- regulated.
and that beer should also be regilat.
ed because it contains small pro.
portion Of alcohol and is sold in the
same saloons where liquors are sold
the question Is, How ought the
state to regulate the traffic as so TO
produce the fairest and most effec-
lively beneficial results?
This should be by regulation. not
by prohibition. II is not my pur.
pose to discuss the merits of this
conclusion nor to present the reas.
ons which led TO it. 1t is my con.
viction, based on many years of OBJ.
servation in many parts of the world.
and on most minute consideration o.,
the results of each method as tried
IN various states and countries. I
know that prohibition does not pro-
hibit, and believe that it does indef.
initely more harm than good. both
TO the individual and the state.
The same question. OF regulation
or prohibition. was presented as to
our army, and decided by congress
in favor Of prohibition. The expert.
ences Of the army without the es.
scntial error OF prohibiting instead
OF regulating. The recent appalling
occurrences at Leavenworth furnish
but another illustration of the fact
that it is wrong to attempt by legis.
lation to control mems habits as to
matters not wrong in themselves.
The abolition OF the canteen has
hurt the soldier and the service. The
prohibition of all liquor TO the civil.
ian will likewise injure the citizen
and the state. The American people
are justly opposed to the evils result.
ing from abuses Of the liquor bust.
ness, but not to the business itself
when properly conducted.
The regulation must regulate. II
is too late in history to contend that
the traffic cannot be regulated. as
severely or lightly as the public opin.
ion of each community demands. The
method Of regulation through refus.
ing or revolving the licenses of all
saloons which are not properly and
lawfully conducted has demonstrated
that there is a method which is ef.
fective, legal and fair. Reputable
saloon keepers are law abiding citi.
. s''''f NY l'luN' ~ Ntll 10 women,
minors, or men showing signs OF in.
toxication. They would welcome reg
ulation which would put the dive
keeper out of business. because they
are self'respecting men who believe
their business is respectable. hope
to keep ii so, and are anxious "a
weed out those who abuse II.
The problem of regulating the traf
lac is the problem of regulating and
so reforming the saloon No fixed
ratio between the number OF saloons
and population will furnish an ade
quate or safe rule for general ap
plication, Different communities will
need varying kinds and degrees o.
regulation 10 meet peculiar local con
ditions. But the critenion of all regu
lation should be the public goot
rather than the good of the business
Divorce the saloon from the brew