The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-08-25
w. C. T. U.
(Contrib

In the present Campaign one vi
the most encouraging indications OF
an improvement in the sentiment OF
the people at large is the interest
being shown in county option.
This is especially noticeable in the
gubernatorial contest. The lines
are S. verely drawn by the various
candidates; Capt. VIM. Mitchell
Lewis has declared himself strongly
in favor of county option aud has
madeit the leading plank in his
platform. Barker has also declared
himself in favor of the measure while
Meow is on the other side OF the
fence and declares that county option
is not the real issue of the day. We
believe that when the people have
taken the interest in Co. option that
they have, they make it the leading
issue of the day, and it is not Tor
some candidate to side track it for
minor issues just Cecause he fears
the result.
Certainly no issue appeals more
strongly to the people than a moral
as well as political issue such as
county option. 1t might not be
amiss to tell the people of Washbnrn
what county option really means
since certain paid for advertisements
have given the people an entirely
wrong conception. of the question.
In the first place itmust be under
stood that county option is strictly
an American issue. 1t is measure
whereby the American principle OF
Government is carried farther than
our Local Option Bills allow. Coun-
ty option means Majority rule.
It establishes the proper voting unit
on the license question. We are
taxed by counties to support the
county poor houses, asylums and
prisons which are filled by saloon.
Therefore it is but just and right
that we should allow majority of
the people of the county to decide
whether or not we shall keep this
pauper making institution, the saloon
In dealing with this question it
must be remembered that the sale of
intoxicating liquors has been de-
clared by the government to be an
illigitimate business which cannot
be carried on without the consent OF
majority Of the people.
Yet without county option ma
jority of the tax payers are not al
lowed to voice their will in the mat
ter.
It is known thru statistics that a
majority of the tax payers in the
cities are not in favor of license,
yet they must bow to the thirst OF
the hoaters and support the fruit OF
the saloon because the majority OF
tax payers, who do not live in the
city have no choice in the matter.
County option does not neces-
sarily mean state wide prohibition.
Though the Saloonists acknowledge
that the majority of the people don't
want saloons when they say that 1t
does. 1t simply means that a major
ity SHALL rule. Saloon men say that
the measure is not constitutional,
but listen,-thirty supreme courts
have declared it wholly within the
limits of the constitution, and the
verdict of the Supreme Court is that
since the greater division includes
the lesser and it is wholly within
the power of the state to prohibit
the sale of intoxicating liquors un-
conditionally it is therefore within
her power to prohibit it conditional
i y.
Men of Washburn! Do you know
that the liquor interests are organic
ed to defeat good men who would
support a principle our fathers
fought two wars to uphold. We
had the same struggle when the
question of Slavery came up. Men
brought forth the same agurments
against abolishing slave traffic. A
great war resulted and our faith
ers shed precious blood to save
the great American principle.
Men of Washburn! Fathers of Wash
burnt Is there not enough of the
spirit of their times, left to inspire
you to use the strongest weapon
you have, the ballot, to uphold that
principle when your boy is in the
balance.