Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-05-21
lConcluded.l

sums up the whole case against pro-
hibition in its effects on the social
and political life. He says "The
efforts TO enforce 1t (prohibition)
during forty years past have had
some unlooked-for effects on public
respect for courts. judicial procedure,
oaths and law, legislatures and pub
lie servants. The public have seen
law defed. whole generation of
habitual law-breakers, schooled in
evasion and shamelessness. courts
Ineffective through auctuation of
policy. delays. perjuries, negligences
and other miscarriages of Justice. Of
ficers of the law double-faced and
mercenary, legislators timid and in
sincere" Such is the character and
the record of prohibition.
The writer OF the present article
does not wish to minimize the evils
and abuses that have been allowed
to grow up and intrench themselves
in the liquor traffic. There is no
doubt that some liquor dealers have
condoned and encouraged conditions
repugnant to moral sense and de-
structlve of decency and good order
They have encouraged other vices,
such as gambling and the social evil.
They have catered and pandered to
the worst passions and impulses in
human nature. And they have done
all this In cold-blooded desire to
increase the volume OF their bush
ness. But the number of such deal
ers is comparatively small. At the
same time, one such man In the bus
iness Is one too many. liquor laws
should be so framed, that 1t would
be extremely difiicult. II not impos-
sible, for..men of this stamp to get
into the liquor business. and the law
should also provide simple and
easy way to drive out those that
have gotten in.
The limits of this article preclude
a lengthy discussion of the question
OF legislative remedy for the evils
connected with the liquor traffic. But
II win not be amiss to suggest a
plan OF regulation which, in the
Judgment OF the writer, would be a
step in the right direction.
In formulating liquor legislation
we should be guided by two funda-
mental principles. The first is prac'
ticability. The question to be de-
termined at the outset is, what kind
OF excise law, under given condi'
lions, with men as they are in theii
individual and social life, and with
political standards as they are, will
effect the best results. The, trou
BILE with much of our legislation IL
that II has ignored limitations i'm
posed by actual conditions. Legisla
ton Is not the expression OF ideals
nor of moral yearnings The law
should represent the nearest ap
proach TO the ideal that present con
J dltions win admit of. Anothe
equally important consideration, fol
lowing on this, is that the sam'
Legislation is not adapted for al
communities, Hence, liquor legisla
tion should provide for very larg,
measure OF home rule. But there \
a right and wrong kind OF khom
rule. The so-called locaI-option sys
tenn that now obtains In many of tn
states, is the wrong kind. II is tn
sound in principle and demoralizinl
In its effects II Is at variance wit
the general policy OF regulation. |
is part OF the policy and program o
prohibition. II is an instrumen
placed in the hands of prohibition
lists TO enable them to gain thei
end little by little. Now, all tn
: features and provisions of stat
liquor law should be mutually con
sistent and harmonious All part
y of the law should have the same ger
eral intent and conform with tn
: same general policy. But, under tn
present local-option system, the stat
Is following two opposite policies 9
the same time. This kind of loci
option gives the local community tC
much power and too little powe
| The people have no power to .sa
| who shall receive licenses and wh'
moral and other qualifications sha
be required. They have no pow'
| to determine the question of prohiI
tied days and hours; no power
j determine the amount OF the licen
fee, nor TO set limit on the nun
Der of licenses to be issued. The
Is no option on any of these matte
of practical administration tn
| properly come Within the scope
| local self government The comm
nifty has option ON only one questl'
!. whether the liquor traffic shall