Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-02-24
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY "a, 1909
A WEAK ARGUMENT.

The most sensible bill to regu-
late the liquor traffic before the
legislature is that introduced by
Hon. Elmer E. Adams of Fergus
Falls. This is a local option bill
and recognizes the township as the
primary executive unit. The bill
as reported by the press, takes away
the issuing of licenses from the
county commissioners, and vests it
in the town board. The people,
who are responsible for the enforce
ment of the law, are the proper
ones to say whether they will have
saloons or not. The county is but
a collection of towns banded to-
gether for the greater economy Of
business interests common to all
such as the collection of taxes, the
general supervision of roads. etc.,
and the enforcement of the state
laws. The county organization has
nothing to do with the police poll
cies Of each town, village or city,
that being a purely local matter.
Saloons come un1er the police
powers, aud it should be for each
town, village or city to have the
absolute say on the granting of IL
censes to saloons. Where saloons
are permitted there is always nee
esslty for police supervision. which
falls upon such municipality. We
have never been able to see the
wisdom of county option. 1t would
be just as logical and no more an
tagonistic to home rule to have ju-
dicial district option or congress
sional district option Or for that
matter interstate option. The
nearer this saloon problem is kept
to the people who are responsible
for it. the sooner the ultimate so.
luton will be fund. It is but fair
to state up to the present time no
plan vet tried has been very sue
cessfll.-Journal Press, St. Cloud.
We are panied to see such com.
ment from Alvah Eastman's paper.
The opposition to county option
usually emanates from people who
have the belief as stated in the last
sentence above quoted.
Adams bill is a step in the right
direction. If we can't get county
option, township option would be
the next best thing. Such a law
would largely prevent the incorpor.
ration of small crossroads hamlets
and railroad stations for the pur.
pose of foisting saloons upon an un.
willing neighborhood. If the leg
islature will pass this law, it will
go a good ways towards atoning fol
the ruthless slaughter of the county
option bill. But the argument
above made against county option
is entirely worthless. The count,
organization is not simply a con
federation of townships, but THF
COUNTY IS THE SMALLEST Eff
FECTlVE UNIT for law enforce
ment. Very few of the village:
and none of the townships Of an or
binary county have machinery fol
effective law enforcement, but are
forced to fall back upon the county
attorney and the sheriff. All Grim
inal cases must come before the
grand jury of the COUNTY, are
tried in the district court of the
COUNTY, and the expense of al
Jail sentences are charged to the
COUNTY. The people of the whole
COUNTY pay the costs Of the
court, of conveying insane and
supporting the poor, but under ex'
listing laws have no voice in regu.
lating the most prolific source Of
crime, insanity and pauperism,
With the county as whole voting
against license, it will become the
undivided responsibility of the
county attorney and the sheriff to
see that these laws are enforced.
The Prohibition laws are generally
enforced as we'll as any other law
prohibiting crime, and vastly bet.
ter than the game laws, for in.
stance. Has not the Journal Press
been able to see the wisdom Of
these laws. either? With the qles'
tion of policy permanently settled,
the question of electing officers tc
enforce such policy could be more
successfully emphasized at the cleo.
ton. Kandiyohi county has been
practically dry" for several year.
back. Her people have just re.
. ii !