Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-01-27

is really radical on this subject; that
he believes that each community
should have the right to regulate
its own affairs in such matters; that
there is no sound reason why the
great cosmopolitan cities of New
York and Buffalo should be forced TO
live according to the views of the PEG
pie in the villages.
Politicians Change of Front.
As for the change which it is as
/ serted has taken place in the atti-
tude of the politicians. especially the
republican politicians. toward the
liquor traffic it is a sign of the times,
and well illustrates how great has
been the progress of the public mind
toward clean city government One
of the most prominent republican
leaders in the state. who as necvly as
anybody could holds the government
of his local community in the hollow
of his hand, said a day or two ago.
End of Saloons Political power.
THE time has come when the sa-
loonkeeper. as a political proposition,
costs more than he is worth He has
demanded and received so much in
the way of concessions in the enforce
ment of the law that he thinks he
owns the organization, 1t used TO be
that the saloons were the gathering.
places of the voters, and each saloon
keeper controlled In a measure a nice
little group of votes. Our organiza-
ton has been perfected now so that
him. Besides that, it has come to
the point where the people won't
stand any more for the things the sa-
loonkeepers demand. and what we
gain by yielding TO him we lose in the
disgust of the decent part of the COM
munity I'm not convinced yet about
The localoption business, but If a
high license bill is proposed | shall
support 1t. I'm ired of being dictat-
ed to by the rum-seller. and | shall
welcome any measure that seems
likely to make fewer of him"
On the first day of January the po-
lice of Albany, Tor another example,
began for the first time to enforce
with vigor the ordinance against the
low concert saloons and dance-halls,
which for years have tiourished prac-
tically by permission of the republi-
can organization in certain parts of
the city. They were given a few
days warning, and time to adjust
themselves 10 the new conditions. A
few attempted evasions, under the
guise of substitution dances" of
loose character, we're suppressed by
uniformed police and now the deni-
zens of Albany's tenderloin are be-
ginning to realize that 1t is probably
permanent condition which con
fronts them.
In Albany, however. Mr. Barnes
has municipal campaign on his
hands, and he is thoroughly scared.
He did not overlook the lesson OF the
fact that Mayor Gaus. standing for
election as state comptroller, carried
his own city of Albany by only about
1900. The right kind OF a leader and
an efficient democratic organization
in Albany would make short work
of the republican organization at the
next contest No such leader Is in
sight. and the democratic organiza.
ton consists principally of "Paeky"
McCabe. whom somebody the other
day dubbed "Barnes's lieutenant-eme-
ritus."
Brewers Fear state Prohibition.
There is another side of the matter.
In many quarters the rumor is spread
ing that the brewers arr inclining tol
look with tolerance on the city local
option proposal The theory behind
the rumor is that there is not the re-
hottest possibility that New York city
for instance, would, under any condi'
tons now imaginable, vote itself
dry" A measure which would give
the great city the power to settle this
matter for itself would remove appre-
ciably the ever present fear Of a pro-
hIbition law for the whole state, ull
der which the legalized saloon, with
one rush of the temperance wave