The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-06

private ACKNOWLEDGMENT and wealth
not only the necessities of the people
but their weaknesses as we'll. VITA
the unfortunate distribution Of m
phasis characteristic of much OF our
national Sthought, the thefts OF
property have been traced 20 their
source, the man at the top, While the
thefts of human happiness have been
blamed on the hapless victim. But
the independent pi ess, backed up by
an aroused public opinion, Is at las'
making an attempt to put the blame
where it belongs. From many points
echoes reach us Of doughty attacks on
the brewer and the whiskey maker
and their ownership of vice, and the
vicious INTERPRETATION of their interests
with municipal politics. Take this IN
The Detroit Saturday Night:
The saloon 8 = = is the strongest
political power in Detroit today. No
ether man, institution, or organization
wieids such influence with the COM
mon council.
The sodden weight of booze falls
heavily on the whole spirit of
municipal government. Ignorance and
even literacy takes it's place at the
council table. Aldermanic action sells
betimes at Friday bargain prices.
Public improvements and social pro-
gress wait upon blurred vision.
1t is the saloon that is branded as
the most conspicuous source of graft
in the report of the grand jury which
has just completed a searching In
quiry into the affairs OF Wayne 'coun-
ty. -sr
From The St. Louis Mirror m
the following, showing with the clear
ness of casual reference the familiar"
ity of politics with booze:
Mr.. Francis is now denOunCinS the
Anheuser-Busch Brewing association
for it's supposed backing of Mr.. Nor
veil. He had no word of denunciatiOn
for that great institution when its Of
ficers and employees supported him
for mayor.
Finally, from a third city: The
Nashville (Tenn,) Banner, says:
What The Saturday Night says of
Detroit is emphasized in Nashville
and other Tennessee cities because the
saloon in this state Is an outlaw n
it's influence in public affairs is, for
that reason, all the more ~reprehen-
sible.
We don't mean to say that Nash
vile is worse than Detroit in espec-
ial respect to the council, but In the
nicipal politics and the city govern
ment by the liquor interests, and its
defiance of state authority.
The democratic party in Tennessee
must dissolve all alliance with the
IawIess liquor interests if it hopes
to regain the confidence of the people.
Here in three cities, far removed
from each other, is the same situa-
ton: the entire machinery of the
city government bent to what is, Of
course, the primary purpose of those
who control it, the stimulation of the
use Of the two commodities which
they sell, liquor and vice. The sinner
Is enticed by the prostitute. The
prostitute is an adjunct of the saloon.
The saloon is run by the saloonkeep-
err. But from the door of. the sa.
~Ioonkeeper the trail goes higher.
These figures are taken from the year
book of one OF the temperance organ
izations:
Sixty five per cent of st. Louis sa-
looms are. owned by the brewers-al-
though the statutes of Missouri make
such ownership Illegal.
In Toledo, o., of the 669 saloons,
taxes, ON 555 were paid on the last day
allowed by law. The brewery merger
paid taxes on 256 saloons, the Buck
eye Brewing Co. on ia, the Brand
Brewing Co. on 81, the Home Brew
ing Co. on 81 and the Schlitz Brew
ing Co, on 81.
1t is not drunkenness that.i is unfor-
giVable, but the encouragement of
drunkenness; not vice that is intol-
cradle, but the artificial stimulation of
vice for profit. The first step toward
the elimination of sin is TO get after
the man who makes money out OF 1t.