The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-30
Discussing the Liquor Question

Now that the question of local OPP
| ton is about to be voted upon in this
county, it is in order to discuss the
subject freely, and people are invited
to use these columns freely to express
their views. Contributors may sign
articles or not as they choose, but the
publishers do not usually honor an
article whose author keeps his identi-
| ty unknown to them.
We give space alike to the 'wets''
and the ''Drys,' but personally we
rank with the "drys, and while local
option may not be just what is de-
sired, it is a steptowards prohibition,
and when all the counties in all the
states 60 "dry," we shall have prohi-
bition that is effective, and few peo-
pie will want to return to present
conditions.
The following article is a clipping
sent In by friend whose opinions do
not coincide with ours, but his may
be right and ours may be wrong. 1t
is taken from an address by Rev. VIM.
A. WATSON, delivered In Rochester,
N. r., January 18th, 1908.
Sin one respect local option is
worse than downright State prohibit
ton. It keeps the liquor question eter-
nally open. Il creates thousand local
contests In place of one general con-
test. It is a Damoclean sword con-
stantly hanging over the head Of the
community In principle 1t is just as
Ubiquitous as prohibition and In prac-
tice it Is just as demoralizing. 1t Is
an outrageous injustice to the liquor
dealer. He is constantly threatened
with financial ruin. Today, you tell
him he may go ahead, invest his cap
ital and carry on his business under
the protection Of the law. Tomorrow
you have an election, and 10, the man
finds that his business has become q
crime against the State. And SO you
force him to become either criminal
or bankrupt. Now, what is this but
downright confscation, legalized rob-
berry? With all due respect to the adj
vocates of prohibition. venture to
suggest that even a liquor dealer has
some rights under the constitution of
this country. Again, local option is an
instrument Of graft. lit we're not
for the fact that these Anti-Saloon
Leaguers are all honorable men we
should be tempted to suspect that the
scheme was devised for the sole pur-
pose Of leyying blackmail, 1t places
the saloon keeper. at the, mercy Of
every political striker In the commun-
ity. II also has a tendency to degrade
the saloon. Looking forward to the
possibility that his, town will vote, no.
license At the next election. the saloon
keeper Is under the constant tempta-
ton to resort; to unlawful and impro-
per methods Of increasing his income
In order to lay up enough money to
tide him over the dry" season. This
seesawing from wet to dry and from
dry to wet disturbs business, cor
rupts politics and has demoralizingl
effect on the whole community. 1t is
not infinitely better to say to the sa-
loon-keeper: you may retain your
license Just as long as you conduct
your business in decent and lawful
Is 1t not better to treat
the saloon-keeper with justice and
fairness than to treat him as il he
we're an outlaw?
The complaint is often made that
The liquor interests in this country
'un our politics. Well, if this is so,
whose fault is it? Is it not the fault
If those who have devised all these
Unjust, extremc s,se'ptuary laws? IN
Europe, the saloon-keepefs never at
empt to control the elections. They
lon't bother their heads about poll
les. And I don't believe they would
lere If they were not compelled to do
10. They are forced to keep in poll
les in this country to protect their