The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-03-09
MA RSHAL u z KS
ON LIQUOR TOPIC.
Governor Of Indiana Declares
Himself on a Question
Of Great Interest.

Of the United States today gave to Q
representative Of the National Model
License League the following author
itative and emphatic statement Of his
position on the liquor question;
ITO begin with let it be understood
that | am not a saloon man.
81 believe in the doctrine of local
enlightenment, which in Indiana. /
have construed to mean the city and
the township as units, rather than the
larger units.
4 have serious doubts as TO tue
possibility of the enforcement of any
prohibtory law until the sentiment
OF community rises to the degree
that the use Of intoxicating liquors in
that community is frowned upon. II
believe that the city and the town
ship have the right to outlaw the sa-
loon.
Upon the other hand, do not be-
lieve from the viewpoint of constitu-
tlonal government, that l save any
right to compel any one to adapt his
mode Of life to my mode OF life.
II have, therefore. felt that until
people come to believe that the exu.s-
sivesuse Of intoxicating liquors is det-
rimental, not only to the individual
citizens. but to the state at large, that
in all those communities where a
of the people do not want
the saloon excluded, it should be.
regulated. In other words, r
believe that where people will drink,
it is infinitely better to have them OBJ
tain liquors openly at licensed sa-
looms rather than in dark and sur
reptttious ways at illegal places. I
lave; therefore, been much impresseu
with the regulatory features of the
Proctor regulation law which /, as
governor Of this state, have just APP
proved.
This law divorces the brewery
from the saloon. believe that the
saloon is one of the
chief causes Of irritation upon the
part Of the people.
This law fixes a limitation of one
saloon for not less than five hundred
inhabitants and the board of commits
'ioners, at its first session, may raise
he limitation to one thousand.
THE license fee is ample but not
exorbitant.
Il do not believe 1T is SO Inuth the
Of the size of the fee as the
,haracter OF the license, when Gc.
:ermines the conduct of the saloon.
Conviction of a felony is bar to the
granting Of license. Any one twice
convicted within four years of viola
ion of the liquor laws, or convicted
If five violations in, his life can not
secure a license. This will eliminate
rom the business many undesirable
men. A license may be revoked or
for allowing immoral wo-
men to frequent the place, and for
and must be revoked upon
he holders third conviction of viola
ion OF the liquor laws. The remon-
STRANGE laws Of Indiana are pre-
served and strengthened.
Il was opposed TO the trausrer OF
he license in the beginning. put now
believe that the transfer is the best
reward that can be hung up before
! saloon keeper to induce him to obey
he law, and the fact that the license
Is renewable from time to time, SO
eng as the man obeys the law is a
very potent factor in eliminating
ne saloon from politics.
The most serious feature from the
standpoint Of the state land hope,
people will distinguish between the
Of the state and the stand
point Of the church, is that the sa-
loon keeper has been in politics. /
he has been in politics be-
cause it has been necessary that he
might obtain and retain his license.
Therefore, this legislation, which
now enables him to renew and trans
fer his license, so long as he is a
Iaw-abiding citizen, takes him out Of
politics.
There are many other admirable
features in this regulatory measure
and ] hope and believe its adoption
by the general assembly will result
in such careful management Of the
saloon business as to take 1t entirely
otItsof n6iitick ana hiring ato,h SoNj