The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-08-25

or AZ pronounced and unanimous pub
lie sentiment in Kentucky. Still, the
popular will and the constitution have
been defied How and why? Thel
liquor interests. particularly the brew
ers have prevented Il. They have pre-
vented II by means Of their activity In
politics in Kentucky-in both parties
maybe in the Democratic party par
ticularly, by which they have con-
trolled the Legislature. They are as
sessed in every State and legislative
campaign for political purposes, ana
they nav. In return they get immun-
ity as against the constitution. They
prefer to contribute to the election or
state Senators (there are fewer or
them), then of Representatives, ana
lastly TO the State executive officers.
They are determined at whatever cost
that that section OF the constitution or
Kentucky (Section 61) shall not be
carried into effect by legislation. In
spite OF campaign after campaign In
which that issue has been presented In
electing Legislatures, and In spite or
emphatic maiorities pledged to the
county unit and the constitution, the
Legislature has not acted. The liquor
Interests have defeated Ito the
shame of Kentucky-have controlled
the Legislature for twenty years, ana
that against the constitution and the
people. A power such as that Is dan
gerous. Well may politicians trembls
at It's menace. and certain big news
papers dance to It's music. A power
that is to be feared is a power also to
be courted by those who fear 1t more
than they dare II.
LET ne clear away first some confus-
ing and misleading statements of those
who are today openly fighting the.
battles of the liquor interests in this
campaign. They charge that State
wide prohibition is the issue. That is
not true. II is not even proposed by
our party as an issue, and could not
he adopted except by an amendment
70 the constitution Everybody knows
that no such amendment Ia proposed.
Nor is II the Issue whether man
should be allowed to drink II ne
wants to.
! II Is not at issue whether sobriety
or total abstinence shall be forced on
people as a legal instead Of moral
status.
The whole issue is whether the con-
stitutiOn shall prevail on this suAect
Whether as to the retail liquor bust
ness the constitution shall be dead
letter.
Whether prohibition is wise or I'M
wise as a policy, whether partial or
total prohibition should prevail, are
utterly beside the question. For. how
ever one may think as to those things.
the question still comes back. what
shall be done with the constitution!
Is II tolerable that any interest may
have the constitution nullified as to IL
because the constitution Is not thought
to be wise? If so then the interests
which are monoDoles could maintain
that Section 1913 of the constitution,
against monopolies he ignored for their
benefit. Indeed whenever 1t is con-
coded that any exact. mandatory pro-
vision of the constitution may be ig-
nored by any department or business
Interest. because 1t is impolitic. or 9TH
erwise. the Constitution ceases to have
a value as an instrument of protection
for the people. So plain proposition
need not be discussed. 1t seems
strange that anyone could be found to
seriously dispute 1t.
The liquor business is now a lawful
business where allowed by law to exist
It's interests are therefore to be treated
In Kentucky under the constitution ss
lawful II Is not to be treated differ
emily. only so far as the law recog-
nizes or creates the difference. The
liquor business Is not natural right
II is a created rlght-sO all the courts
declare. The doctrine Is universal. Il
is the one business that Is regulated
by law under every government In the
world. It's legal status is so we'll
settled in that respect that II is even
accepted without further contest by
the liquor people. IT is also true that
many people engaged in that business
desire to conduct II strictly within the
law. 1t ls a pity they do not control
the business. So many in the business
refuse to live under the law, defy It,
break It, and corrupt its enactment,
that the whole business, as Il were. is
treated in the public mind as being
guilty of these infractions. In simple
justice TO the law-abiding members
this statement is made. The innocent
members of the business are thus sub
jected to a double danger; of being
subjected to harsher regulation be-
cause of the Righteousness of their fel.
lows; or. having their business out
lawed as the only means Of curbing the
lawlessness Of the majority in It, In
stead of fighting society, they might
better fight the lawless element in
their own calling. But the menace of
that lawless element is so imminent
and real that society must protect It.
self In this State we are committed
TO regulation not determination
Regulation includes. under the consti-
tuition. the right to deny the privilege
In given communities. The people
have deliberately reserved to them
selves the right to say in what com
, munities the extreme or modified regu
lations shall apply. The fight against
, the people and the constitution has as
sumed the position by the liquor inter
, ests Of not only defying the constitu
tion. but OF corrupting the politics OF
the State in order that the defiance
; may be effective. Not only is the
| majesty Of the law Haunted. but the
very means of government are de