The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-01-18
PUBLIC OPINION
Another View Of the Case.

Another View Of the Case.
TO the Editor OF The Gate City:
The recent murder OF Keokuk
woman, presumably by drunken hus-
band. will doubtless raise a great
cutlery among the temperance people,
and will naturally arouse the atten-
ton Of the Indifferent 20 the sad
event and the causes leading up to it.
1t is hoped that in the agitation which
may follow. the general pubic will be
led to observe that, whatever laws
may be required to control the drink
evil. those now in adoption are about
as stupid and Intellectual as any legis-
lation can be. Local laws may differ,
but as rule the temperate laws in
so-called dry" districts bear most
heavily on those who have no need of
them. Respectable persons who
want wine, whiskey or alcohol for any
purpose, have to send away for the
same or get doctors prescription.
This causes additional trouble and ex-
pense. besides the discomfort OF feel
Ing that one is treated as a suspect
and obliged to eyade the law, which
is not pleasant to any seIf-respecting
character.
In the meantime tough boys and
Whiskey soaks seem able to get the
drink whenever they want It. and
while bootleggers are sometimes ar
rested, they are seldom actually pun
ished.
Now this is serious proposition.
Alcoholic liquors are useful and neces-
sary In their place. Sparingly used.
they make for health and comfort.
Kipling, in one OF his war stories,
mentions the wonderful ,fvifying eff
feet of alcoholics on wounded sol
diers who have been kept for some
time from strong drink. But like IRE.
explosives and some deadly drugs.
these things are dangerous and
should be carefully handled. It would
look funny, wouldn't it, If grocers
could not sell matches to adult citi-
zens, but little boys were allowed to
steal them out Of back windows? So
the liquor traffic. instead of being sur
reptitiously carried on by men of low
character. should be under govern
ment control
Wet goods should be sold by II.
censed persons of good character and
standing in the community. Sales
Should be stringently regulated. Moth
Ing should be sold after nine O'Clock
at night; nothing to minors; nothing
to unknown persons or to inebriates.
When man drinks enough to NAL
treat his family or become a menace
to the community he should be given
expert treatment at some state insti-
tuition; and when discharged from
such place should be bsacklisted and
no more liquor sold to him.
1t may be said that such laws can
not be enforced. II NOT, why not?
There Is no reason why they cannot
be enforced II the people want them
enforced. The trouble is that tho
American conscience has become
strangely apathedc In the matter of
law enforcement. There is a con-
unuai outcry Tor new laws, when
some Of the best we have are made
dead letter, or at best a scarecrow
which may or may not terrify eyil-do-
ers. Murder and theft, two of the
commonest and worst of crimes. are
treated with astounding lenIency. II
there is any responsibility for the ter
rible increase Of crime, it rests with
weakened judges and juries. pardon
ing governors and low, immoral pup
lie sentiment. II the death penalty
were more often inflicted, the life OF
this poor woman and many others
might have been spard.
MISSOURI.
Scotland County, Mo, January 16, 1914
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